Located half way along the eastern coast of the Red Sea. Jeddah registers high levels of humidity for much of the year. Only in the winter, when a moderate air front combines with a low pressure current, do humidity levels fall substantially. The area of the city is calculated to be 463 square miles (1,200 square km) of which some 30% is currently built up.

The Jeddah fountain, donated to the city by King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz (hence the popular name of King Fahd's Fountain) rises some 853 feet (260 meters) from the sea off Jeddah. This jet of water is the highest of its type in the world and is an unforgettable sight, especially when illuminated at night.