Regions of Saudi Arabia
The Provinces of Saudi Arabia, also known as the Regions of Saudi Arabia, and officially the Emirates of the Provinces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arabic: إمارات مناطق المملكة العربية السعودية, romanized: Imārātu Manāṭiq al-Mamlakat il-'Arabiyyat il-Sa'udiyyah), are the 13 emirates (geographically, provinces/regions; first-level administrative divisions) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as provided by the Regions' System, issued on 27 Sha'baan 1412 AH (March 2, 1992) by Royal Order A/92, amended by Royal Order No. A/21 on 30 Rabi' al-Awal 1414 AH (September 17, 1993).[1][2][3]
Emirates of the Provinces of Saudi Arabia إمارات مناطق المملكة العربية السعودية | |
---|---|
![]() Madinah
Makkah
Jizan —
| |
Category | Provinces |
Location | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
Number | 13 |
Populations | 320,524 (Northern Borders) – 6,915,006 (Makkah) |
Areas | 9,920 km2 (3,831 sq mi) (Al-Bahah) – 672,520 km2 (259,662 sq mi) (Eastern Province) |
Government | Region Government, National Government |
Subdivisions | Governorates |
History
After the unification of Saudi Arabia, the kingdom was divided into six administrative-territorial entities: the 'Asir Province, Al Hasa' Province, the Hejaz Province, the Najd Province, the Rub' al-Khali Province and the Shammar Province.[1]
King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued Royal Order A/92 on March 2, 1992, known as the Regions' System, which provided for the division of the kingdom into 13 emirates. Subsequently, the five previous provinces were divided into thirteen geographic regions, called provinces (manātiq) and administrative regions, called the emirates of the provinces. (imārāt al-manātiq). The emirates form the first-level administrative division of the Organization of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are further divided into 136 governorates, which are the second-level division.[3]
Government
Each emirate is governed by an emir (Provincial Governor), who is assisted by the deputy emir, called nā'ib. The persons holding these positions are appointed by the King of Saudi Arabia. The emir is given the rank of minister, while the deputy emir is given the rank of excellence.[3]
List of the Emirates of the Provinces of Saudi Arabia
Historic Province | Emirate | Image | Capital | Governorates | Marakiz | Population
(2017 Census) |
Approximate area (km2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hejaz | Makkah Province | ![]() |
City of Makkah
(Mecca) |
16 | 111 | 8,557,766 | 153,128 |
Najd | Riyadh Province | ![]() |
City of Riyadh
(Riyadh) |
21 | 453 | 8,216,284 | 404,240 |
Al Hasa' | Eastern Province | ![]() |
City of Dammam | 11 | 107 | 4,900,325 | 672,522 |
Hejaz | 'Aseer Province | ![]() |
City of Abha | 16 | 101 | 2,211,875 | 76,693 |
'Aseer | Jazan Province | ![]() |
City of Jazan | 16 | 31 | 1,567,547 | 11,671 |
Hejaz | Al Madinah Province | ![]() |
City of Madinah | 8 | 90 | 1,423,935 | 151,990 |
Najd | Qassim Province | ![]() |
City of Buraidah | 12 | 153 | 1,423,935 | 58,046 |
Hejaz | Tabuk Province | ![]() |
City of Tabuk | 6 | 73 | 910,030 | 146,072 |
Shammar | Ha'il Province | ![]() |
City of Ha'il | 8 | 84 | 699,774 | 103,887 |
'Aseer | Najran Province | ![]() |
City of Najran | 7 | 59 | 582,243 | 149,511 |
Shammar | Al Jawf Province | ![]() |
City of Sakaka | 3 | 33 | 508,475 | 100,212 |
'Asir | Al Baha Province | ![]() |
City of al-Baha | 9 | 35 | 476,172 | 9,921 |
Shammar | Northern Borders Province | ![]() |
City of 'Ar'ar | 3 | 17 | 365,231 | 111,797 |
Total | 136 | 1,347 | 31,843,592 | 2,149,690 |
See also
References
- "Saudi Arabia Regions". www.statoids.com.
- "The New Addressing". Saudi Post. 2013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- "Organization of the Emirate of Makkah Province". Ministry of Interior.
External links
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Regions of Saudi Arabia. |