List of governorates of Saudi Arabia explained

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 .

List of Governorates

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		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		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

Notes and References

Web site: Saudi Arabia Regions. 2020-08-02. www.statoids.com.
Web site: Organization of the Emirate of Makkah Province. Ministry of Interior.
Web site: 26 April 2012. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques agrees to the addition of 46 new governorates and centers. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180718114643/http://www.alriyadh.com/730679. 18 July 2018. Ar Riyadh.