Jizan Region

Coordinates: 17°30′N 42°30′E / 17.500°N 42.500°E / 17.500; 42.500

Jizan
جيزان
Region

Map of Saudi Arabia with Jizan highlighted
Capital Jizan
Boroughs 14
Government
 • Governor Prince Muhammad bin Nasr
 • Vice Governor Muhammad bin Abdulaziz bin Muhammad bin Abdulaziz
Area
 • Total 11,671 km2 (4,506 sq mi)
Population (2010)
 • Total 1,365,110
 • Density 120/km2 (300/sq mi)
ISO 3166-2 09

Jizan Region (Arabic: جيزان‎ Jizān) is the second smallest (after Al Bahah) region of Saudi Arabia. It stretches 300 km along the southern Red Sea coast, just north of Yemen. It covers an area of 11,671 km² and has a population of 1,365,110 at the 2010 census (preliminary result). The region has the highest population density in the Kingdom. The capital is the city of Jizan; Muhammad bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz is the current Governor.

The region includes over 100 islands in the Red Sea. Around 34% of citizen families in Jizan live in poverty.[1] The Farasan Islands, Saudi Arabia's first conservation protected area, are home to the endangered Arabian gazelle and, in winter, migratory birds from Europe.

Geography

The region divides into three parts.

  • The Al-Sarawat mountains inland, which rise to about 3,000 metres.
  • The Alhazoun forest district consists of forest broken by some areas of rich pasture.
  • The plains are noted for the production of coffee beans, cereal grain crops (barley, millet and wheat) and fruit (apples, bananas, grapes, mangoes, papayas, plums and citrus varieties).

Though the climate on the highlands is similar to the relatively wetter climate of 'Asir, the coastal regions of Jazan province are part of Tihamah, probably the hottest place in the country, with mean maximum temperatures ranging from 40 °C (104 °F) in July to 31 °C (88 °F) in January. High humidity from coastal lagoons makes the climate even less bearable than it would be otherwise. Rainfall is extremely low at less than 75 millimetres (3 inches) per year. Sabya is located in the center between the mountain and the beach.

Sub-divisions

The region is sub-divided into 14 governorates as follows:

Jazan's Governorates
Name Native name Census
15 September 2004		 Census (Preliminary)
28 April 2010
Abu Arishأبو عريش123,943197,112
Alddairالدائر49,23959,494
Alddarbالدرب52,06269,134
Ahad Almasarihahأحد المسارحة70,038110,710
Alaridahالعارضة62,84176,705
Alaydabiالعيدابي52,51560,799
Alharthالحرث47,07318,586
Alraithالريث13,40618,961
Baishبيش58,26977,442
Damadضمد62,36671,601
Farasanفرسان13,96217,999
Jizanجازان255,340157,536
Sabyaصبياء198,086228,375
Samtahصامطة128,447201,656
Total Province1,187,5871,365,110

Ethnography

For centuries, the majority of the inhabitants have been Sunni Muslims.

The Arabic language is spoken by over 90% of the inhabitants.

References

  1. ↑ "Poverty in the Kingdom of Gold". Retrieved 24 August 2013.

Further reading

  • S.I. Bruk, Narody Peredney Azii (1960);
  • S.I. Bruk, and V. S. Apenchenko, Atlas Narodov Mira (Moscow: Academy of Science, 1964)
  • A. Gabriel, Religionsgeographie von Persien (Vienna, 1971).

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