An aerial photograph of Al Khobar in 1949 illustrates the exceptional growth of the city in the last fifty years. In the early forties Al Khobar was a fishing village, populated primarily by the Al Dawasir tribe from Bahrain, who were granted land by King Abdulaziz after their migration in 1931.

Before the discovery of oil, one of the major economic resources of the Eastern Province was the pearl trade.
 

The modern city of Al Khobar is a flourishing centre of international trade, with many examples of both contemporary Arabic and western architecture. 
 

Al Khobar has developed to become one of the most beautiful cities in the Kingdom, with exceptional recreation and leisure facilities.