Jizan Region

Jazan جازان
Region
Map of Saudi Arabia with Jazan highlighted Map of Saudi Arabia with Jazan highlighted
Capital	Jazan
Boroughs	14
Government
• Governor	Prince Muhammad bin Nasr
Area
• Total	11,671 km2 (4,506 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	1,365,110
• Density	116.97/km2 (303.0/sq mi)
ISO 3166-2	09

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

The region includes over 100 islands in the Red Sea. Jazan is the poorest area in Saudi Arabia. 34% of Saudi families in Jazan live in poverty. 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 Arish	أبو عريش	123,943	197,112
Alddair	الدائر	49,239	59,494
Alddarb	الدرب	52,062	69,134
Ahad Almasarihah	أحد المسارحة	70,038	110,710
Alaridah	العارضة	62,841	76,705
Alaydabi	العيدابي	52,515	60,799
Alharth	الحرث	47,073	18,586
Alraith	الريث	13,406	18,961
Baish	بيش	58,269	77,442
Damad	ضمد	62,366	71,601
Farasan	فرسان	13,962	17,999
Jazan	جازان	255,340	157,536
Sabya	صبياء	198,086	228,375
Samtah	صامطة	128,447	201,656
Total Province		1,187,587	1,365,110

Arrayth is one of the most beautiful mountains in the south of Saudi Arabia. Farasan is a group of islands.

Ethnography

For centuries, a majority of the inhabitants have been sunni Muslims.

Arabic language is native to over 90% of the inhabitants.

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).

External links

• http://www.Jazan.gov.sa/
• A travel through the province of Jizan, Splendid Arabia: A travel site with photos and routes