The Governorates of Saudi Arabia , officially the Governorates of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , (Arabic : محافظات المملكة العربية السعودية ) are the 136 governorates (second-level administrative division) that form the 13 emirates of Saudi Arabia . The governorates are classified into three categories according to the availability of services, population, geographical, security considerations, environmental conditions, and means of transportation, as provided by the Third Article of 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). These categories are: Capital (amānah ), Category A and Category B.[ 1] [ 2]
The original number of governorates provided in the Regions' System (issued by King Fahd ) was 118, although this was raised by King Abdullah in 2012 to 136.[ 3] Each governorate is governed by a governor, who is assisted by a deputy governor. The governorates are further divided into centers, also referred to as sub-governorates (Arabic : مراكز ).[ 2]
List of Governorates [ edit ]
Governorates of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Index
Governorate
Region
Population 2010 Census
Remarks
1
Riyadh
Riyadh Region
5,254,560
2
Diriyah
Riyadh Region
73,668
3
Al-Kharj
Riyadh Region
376,325
4
Dawadmi
Riyadh Region
217,305
5
Al Majma'ah
Riyadh Region
133,285
6
Al-Quway'iyah
Riyadh Region
126,161
7
Wadi ad-Dawasir
Riyadh Region
106,152
8
Al Aflaj
Riyadh Region
68,201
9
Al Zulfi
Riyadh Region
69,201
10
Shaqra
Riyadh Region
40,541
11
Hotat Bani Tamim
Riyadh Region
43,300
12
Afif
Riyadh Region
77,978
13
As Sulayyil
Riyadh Region
36,383
14
Dhurma
Riyadh Region
24,429
15
Al-Muzahmiyya
Riyadh Region
39,865
16
Rumah
Riyadh Region
28,055
17
Thadig
Riyadh Region
17,165
18
Huraymila
Riyadh Region
15,324
19
Al Hariq
Riyadh Region
14,750
20
Al-Ghat
Riyadh Region
14,405
21
Mecca
Makkah Region
1,675,368
22
Jeddah
Makkah Region
3,456,259
23
Ta'if
Makkah Region
987,914
24
Al Qunfudhah
Makkah Region
272,424
25
Al Lith
Makkah Region
128,529
26
Rabigh
Makkah Region
92,072
27
Al Jumum
Makkah Region
92,222
28
Khulays
Makkah Region
56,687
29
Al Kamil
Makkah Region
21,419
30
Al Khurmah
Makkah Region
42,223
31
Ranyah
Makkah Region
45,942
32
Turubah
Makkah Region
43,947
33
Medina
Al Madinah Region
1,180,770
34
Yanbu
Al Madinah Region
298,675
35
Al-'Ula
Al Madinah Region
64,591
36
Mahd adh Dhahab
Al Madinah Region
62,511
37
Badr
Al Madinah Region
63,468
38
Khaybar
Al Madinah Region
48,592
39
Al Hinakiyah
Al Madinah Region
59,326
40
Buraidah
Al-Qassim Region
614,093
41
Unaizah
Al-Qassim Region
163,729
42
Ar Rass
Al-Qassim Region
133,482
43
Al Mithnab
Al-Qassim Region
44,043
44
Al Bukayriyah
Al-Qassim Region
57,621
45
Al Badayea
Al-Qassim Region
57,164
46
Asyah
Al-Qassim Region
26,336
47
Al Nabhaniyah
Al-Qassim Region
47,744
48
Uyun AlJiwa
Al-Qassim Region
26,544
49
Riyadh Al Khabra
Al-Qassim Region
34,497
50
Al Shimasiyah
Al-Qassim Region
10,605
51
Dammam
Eastern Province
903,597
52
Al Ahsa
Eastern Province
1,063,112
53
Hafar al-Batin
Eastern Province
389,993
54
Jubail
Eastern Province
378,949
55
Qatif
Eastern Province
524,182
56
Khobar
Eastern Province
578,500
57
Khafji
Eastern Province
76,279
58
Ras Tanura
Eastern Province
60,750
59
Abqaiq
Eastern Province
53,444
60
Al Nairyah
Eastern Province
52,340
61
Qaryat al-Ulya
Eastern Province
24,634
62
Abha
'Asir Region
1,093,705
63
Khamis Mushait
'Asir Region
512,599
64
Bisha
'Asir Region
205,346
65
Al-Namas
'Asir Region
54,119
66
Muhayil
'Asir Region
228,979
now includes Bareq (60,000) previously in Makkah Province.
67
Sarat Abidah
'Asir Region
67,120
68
Tathlith
'Asir Region
59,188
69
Rojal (Rijal Almaa)
'Asir Region
65,406
now includes Al Haridhah (18,586) previously in Jazan Province.
70
Ahad Rafidah
'Asir Region
113,043
71
Dhahran Al Janub
'Asir Region
63,119
72
Balqarn
'Asir Region
74,391
previously known as Sabt Alalaya.
73
Al Majaridah
'Asir Region
103,531
74
Tabuk
Tabuk Region
569,797
75
Al Wajh
Tabuk Region
44,570
76
Duba
Tabuk Region
51,951
77
Tayma
Tabuk Region
36,199
78
Umluj
Tabuk Region
61,162
79
Haql
Tabuk Region
27,856
previously in Jawf Province.
80
Ha'il
Ha'il Region
412,758
81
Baqaa
Ha'il Region
40,157
82
Al Khazaiah
Ha'il Region
102,588
83
Al Shinan
Ha'il Region
41,641
84
Arar
Northern Borders Region
191,051
85
Rafha
Northern Borders Region
80,544
86
Turaif
Northern Borders Region
48,929
87
Jizan
Jizan Region
157,536
88
Sabya
Jizan Region
228,375
89
Abu `Arish
Jizan Region
197,112
90
Samtah
Jizan Region
201,656
91
Al Harth
Jizan Region
18,586
92
Damad
Jizan Region
71,601
93
Al Reeth
Jizan Region
18,961
94
Baish
Jizan Region
77,442
95
Farasan
Jizan Region
17,999
96
Al Dayer
Jizan Region
58,494
97
Ahad al Masarihah
Jizan Region
110,710
98
Al Edabi
Jizan Region
60,799
99
Al Aridhah
Jizan Region
76,705
100
Al Darb
Jizan Region
69,134
101
Najran
Najran Region
329,112
102
Sharurah
Najran Region
85,977
103
Hubuna
Najran Region
20,400
104
Badr Al Janub
Najran Region
11,117
105
Yadamah
Najran Region
16,851
106
Thar
Najran Region
16,047
107
Khubash
Najran Region
22,133
108
Al Kharkhir
Najran Region
4,015
previously in Eastern Province.
109
Al Bahah
Al Bahah Region
103,411
110
Baljurashi
Al Bahah Region
65,223
111
Al Mandaq
Al Bahah Region
35,629
112
Al Makhwah
Al Bahah Region
70,664
113
Al Aqiq
Al Bahah Region
47,235
114
Qilwah
Al Bahah Region
58,246
115
Al Qara
Al Bahah Region
31,380
‘the villages’ , sometimes referenced by the largest town, Al Atawelah.
116
Sakakah
Al Jawf Region
242,813
117
Qurayyat
Al Jawf Region
147,550
118
Dumat al-Jandal
Al Jawf Region
49,646