Mina Tent City

During the period of the annual Hajj pilgrimage more than three million Muslims travel to Mecca, although for most of their five day visit they stay in a temporary tent city, made up of over 40000 air-conditioned, fire-resistant white tents, in nearby Mina. As the number of pilgrims has grown, so the infrastructure has been further developed by the Saudi government. The water and electricity grids have been extended and roads, underpasses and tunnels have been built, while 12000 staff (and 400 cameras) guide and supervise the pilgrims and 20000 buses transport the pilgrims. More than eighty temporary medical centres and 10000 food stores cater to the pilgrims. An exhibition of the development plans and daily operation of the settlement formed part of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.