The peninsular landscape, for all its towers of glass and extruded steel, presents a grand, architectural mimicry. These cities rise with a sudden, unearned violence from the gray gravel plains, their interiors chilled to a permanent, synthetic spring while the desert outside registers a lethal fifty degrees. To the casual traveler, deceived by the surface of things, it appears as the ultimate triumph of wealth over geography. Illustration by The Geostrata But if you look cl

Every year, millions of Muslims gather in Mecca for a spiritual journey of Hajj and Umrah , which is one of the largest and most influential pilgrimages. Geopolitically, religious pilgrimages have shaped civilisations and cultural connections. Hajj and umrah, along with spiritual essence, are tools of soft power for Saudi Arabia and not just an administrative responsibility. Illustration by The Geostrata Hajj is one of the 5 pillars of Islam and is a mandatory act once in

In this era of global instability, West Asia has emerged as a battleground for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). In the past...