King Fahd's Fountain... is currently the world's tallest artificial fountain, reaching a height of 312 meters. It was built in honor of King Fahd between 1980 and 1983 and inaugurated in 1985. It was modeled after the Jet d'Eau fountain in Geneva.
The use of saltwater places high demands on the design, as corrosion, abrasion, silt, sand, and the colonization of marine life can impair its function.
The fountain is powered by two pumps connected to the nozzle by a 350-meter-long, tapered pipe. The water exits at a speed of 375 km/h with a flow rate of 625 liters per second. The nozzle has a diameter of 126 mm. The water in the air weighs 16 tons. The fountain is illuminated at night by 500 spotlights. The combined output of the two pumps required for operation is 2000 kW.