Sharqia Development Authority (SDA) supervise the planning and implementation of a regional development strategy for Eastern Region. SDA aims to achieve economic growth, integrated regional development and to insure effective coordination between development actors and high quality implementation of key infrastructure projects in the region. With population of around 5 million inhabitants, The Eastern Region has been described as the eastern gate to Suadi Arabia. It strategically borders six countries on land, Iraq and Kuwait to the North, Qatar and Bahrain to the eastern side, and UAE and Oman to the south east and south respectively. Furthermore, the region has five key geographic and economic characteristics that defines its development future. • Diverse geography that includes the largely uninhabited desert of Alrubu AlKhali , The largest oasis in the world (Alahsa), and coastal areas that extends 700 Km alongside the Arabian Gulf; • Home to most of oil and gas production in Saudi Arabia; • Significant global hub for chemical industries concentrated in the two industrial cities of Aljubail and Ras Alkhair; • Active eastern ports on the Arabian Gulf, and • High quality palm tree and dates production in Alhasa.
