City in Saudi Arabia and, as birthplace of
Muhammad, the holiest city of the Islamic
world; population (1974) 367,000. In the
centre of Mecca is the Great Mosque, in whose
courtyard is the Kaaba. It also contains the
well Zam-Zam, associated by tradition with
the biblical characters Hagar and Ishmael.
Most pilgrims come via the port of Jiddah.