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WEKU
WEKU
Bill Chappell

A 105-mile-long city will snake through the Saudi desert. Is that a good idea?

The Line is an ambitious part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's plan to diversify the kingdom's economy and remake part of its geography. (Screenshot by NPR/NEOM)

A tall and narrow stripe of a city more than 105 miles long, teeming with 9 million residents and running entirely on renewable energy — that's the vision Saudi Arabia's leaders have for The Line, part of a "giga-project" that will reshape the kingdom's northwest.

Newly revealed design concepts show a futuristic walled city — its open interior is enclosed on both sides by a mirrored façade — stretching from the Red Sea eastward across the desert and into a mountain range.

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