SAUDI Arabia now holds the record for the world’s longest stretch of straight road that goes on for miles without a single bend.
The 149-mile curveless stretch, part of the country’s Highway 10, rips through the vast Rub Al-Khali desert – the largest sand desert in the world.
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Dubbed “the most boring road in the world” because of no bends or cuts, the long stretch of highway has a completely flat terrain amid the vast desert – with nothing in the background as far as human eyes can see.
Originally built as a private route for the former king of Saudi Arabia Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the straight road connects Al Hameid in the southwest to Al Batha near the Gulf Coast – and part of a much longer 916-mile highway.
It serves as one of the most important routes for transportation in the country – and is mostly used by lorries for shipping goods.
The estimated driving time to travel the road is about two hours.
The super-straight stretch claimed the Guinness World Record for the world’s longest straight road after becoming a part of the public road system in the country.
It comes after Saudi Arabia unveiled incredible plans for an extravagant marina resort to cater for some of the world’s biggest superyachts.
Jaumur, the exclusive billionaire community, will house over 6,000 residents just metres away from their enormous vessels.
It is another ambitious, yet controversial initiative taken by the country to establish itself on the world stage.
Spearheaded under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 as part of the country’s Vision 2030, plans for the mega city are set to be complete by the end of the decade.
It includes the infamous Line, a 110-mile long and 200-metre wide megastructure designed to function as its own city.
But plans for the long build were dramatically scaled back in a humiliation for Saudi Arabia, with The Line to stretch a measly 1.5 miles – rather than the previously envisioned ten miles – by 2030.
The project was recently met with fierce international criticism over reported plans to kill people in order to make way for the $500 billion city.
Crown Prince Bin Salman previously described the area where Neom is being built as the perfect “blank canvas”.
Although his own government has said that more than 6,000 people have been moved for the project.
New satellite images of villages Al-Khuraybah, Sharma, and Gayal – mostly populated by the Huwaitat tribe – showed a blank slate in April where homes, schools, and hospitals stood only a few years ago.
A former Saudi intelligence officer claimed he was told to use “lethal force” against any “rebels” who refused to leave their homes.
The land where the Line is being built was occupied by local tribes and their homes completely disappeared after Saudi forces cleared the area.
Col Rabih Alenezi told the BBC he was ordered to evict villagers to make way for the horizontal skyscraper.
He claimed one of the villagers was shot and killed during the clearance mission for protesting against the evictions.
Inside Saudi Arabia’s £1.2trillion investment
SAUDI Arabia is set to spend £138billion every year on mega projects between 2025 and 2028.
Here are some of the most ambitious projects the Middle Eastern country plans to launch by 2030.
NEOM– It is set to be a Jetsons-style ultra-modern metropolis in contrast to the other very conservative parts of the desert kingdom.
Backed by Saudi’s £400billion Private Investment Fund – the group which bought Newcastle United – the plans for Neom are so ambitious that some of the technology doesn’t even exist yet.
Planning docs show the city will have flying taxis – a vehicle depicted in science fiction films such as Blade Runner and Back to the Future II.
The most striking thing about Neom is a mirrored megastructure called The Line – a 110-mile, 500m tall and 200m wide mirrored building that will connect Neom to the rest of the kingdom.
Red Sea Project – The Red Sea Project is a tourism development on an archipelago of Saudi Arabian islands with its dedicated airport.
It’s set to be built on 90 undeveloped islands between Umluj and Al Wajh on Saudi Arabia’s west coast.
Super Cave Hotel – Also part of Neom, Leyja will be a jaw-dropping hotel complex carved into the walls of a giant canyon.
Directors of the project claim it will open its doors to tourists in 2024 – despite not being built yet.
It will have three state-of-the-art hotels, designed by world-leading architects to blend in with the natural surroundings that make up 95 per cent of the futuristic city.
The hotels will have 120 luxurious rooms and will operate completely sustainably to provide “distinct experiences”.
Future City Epicon – Epicon is the latest megalomaniac development to be announced by Neom on November 15.
This futuristic coastal city will feature residential beach villas, hotels, and a luxurious resort.
Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon will be comprised of two ultra-modern towers, measuring 738ft and 908ft.
The sky-high destination will be home to 41 hotels and luxury homes, offering 14 suites and hotel apartments.
Close to the pair of luxury towers, Epicon’s very own resort will be located, featuring 120 rooms and 45 stunning residential beach villas.
Epicon will also offer a beach club, spas, an array of recreational activities and water sports, culinary options for every palate, and the natural beauty of the shorelines in Neom.
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