Dhahran

Dhahran (Arabic الظهران aẓ-Ẓahrān, meaning "the two backs") is a city in Saudi Arabia located in the country's Eastern Province not far from the Persian Gulf a short distance south of the larger port city of Dammam. Dhahran is, technically speaking, a fenced-in company compound, and only Saudi Aramco employees and their dependents may live inside. However, because the town's name is also used for the international airport (DHA) and US consulate, both located outside the Saudi Aramco compound, "Dhahran" is often used for convenience to refer to the larger metropolitan area that includes (Al-)Khobar, (Al-)Dammam, and many private residential compounds, all of which have grown together into a single megalopolis of over 1 million inhabitants.

Demographics

Aramco has several self-contained communities to house its employees in the Eastern Province. Dhahran is the largest community, with a total population of about 11,300, including approximately 6,200 Americans (employees, spouses and children).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Traditionally, the "senior staff" inhabitants of Dhahran were mainly US employees of Saudi Aramco but included minorities of other Western nationalities, non-Saudi Arab nationalities (e.g. Lebanese, Palestinians, Egyptians), and other non-Western nationalities (e.g. Indians, Pakistanis, and Filipinos). Due to several decades of "Saudi-ization" by the now 100% Saudi-controlled company, many upper-level Saudi famlies have also come to live on the compound, which culturally and linguistically is still predominantly American (i.e. Saudi and Islamic laws are applied to a lesser extent there than outside of the compound, and English is the common language of communication and education).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The community is also unusual demographically in that all citizens of Dhahran are either employees of (Saudi) Aramco or their dependents; several age demographics are missing - 15-25-year olds (Dhahran provides no high school or college for dependents' children so they must leave for schools elsewhere) and persons aged 65+ (retirees leave the company); and economically, everyone is either an employee of higher ("senior staff") rank within the company or a dependent (i.e. no unemployed, no poor, no manual laborers).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After 65+ years of community life, Dhahran - and the other three Saudi Aramco compounds - have spawned several generations of "Aramcons", most of whom now reside in their country of origin rather than Saudi Arabia. Community ties remain strong years after employees have left, however, and "Aramco Reunions" are held by ex-Aramcons in various locations in the US every two years. In addition, the children of Saudi Aramco employees, "Aramco brats", have developed their own cultural identity and hold their own biannual reunions.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~