Jeddah (Arabic: جدّة, also spelled Jiddah ) is on the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia. It is the kingdom's second largest city, with a population of approximately 3,400,000, and a major commercial center in the country. Jeddah is also the main entry point, either by air or sea, for pilgrims making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two most sacred cities of Islam. Both are a few hours inland from Jeddah.