Dhahran ,or Dharan is a city in Saudi Arabia. It is located in the eastern part of the country, on the shores of the Persian Gulf. It is a short distance south of the larger city of Dammam. Dhahran is a fenced in city, and only Saudi Aramco employees and their dependents may live inside. There are three categories of compounds in Dhahran for the employees; Al-Munirah for junior staff, Dhahran Hills (aka the Main Camp) for senior staff and their families, and Ar-Rabiyah for managers and executive vice presidents or above and their families. Ar-Rabiyah is also considered one of the classiest compounds in the whole region (also see Beverly Hills which was created by the Amalgamated Oil Company - similiar story). Sometimes Dhahran Hills is used to refer to any or all compounds rather than the Main Camp (Dhahran Hills). Dhahran is a major center for the oil industry.