Al Lith () is a city in the
Tihamah region on the coast of the
Red Sea south west of the holy city of
Mecca. It is the fifth largest city in population in
Makkah Province
The Mecca Province ( ar, مِنْطَقَة مَكَّة '), also known as the Mecca Region, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 201 ...
, and it is one of the large sea ports of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, and Miqat Yalamlam is located north of it. The estimated population of Al Lith is over 72,000 people.
Geography
It is located 180 km to the south west from the holy city of Mecca, and 190 km south of Jeddah. Its northern villages are just 90 km away from Mecca. It extends to
Hejaz mountains
The Hijaz Mountains ( ar, جِبَال ٱلْحِجَاز, Jibāl al-Ḥijāz ()) or "Hejaz Range" is a mountain range located in the Hejazi region of western Saudi Arabia. The range runs north and south along the eastern coast of the Red Sea, a ...
and Adham and Taif cities to the east and extends as far south as
Al Qunfudah city. The international coastal road Jeddah - Jizan passes by it.
Climate
Al Lith has a
hot desert climate (
Köppen climate classification ''BWh'').
History and profile
Al Lith got its name from the Valley of Leith, which is located at the east of it near Ghumayqah village. Al Lith today is a commercial port that receives pilgrims and goods from all corners of the world. In the past, it used to be a large commercial port that receives ships from
Jizan,
Yemen, and the coast of Africa and exporting those goods after that to Mecca and
Jeddah
Jeddah ( ), also spelled Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; ar, , Jidda, ), is a city in the Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the country's commercial center. Established in the 6th century BC as a fishing village, Jeddah's pro ...
.
The Al Lith area boasts prominent
underwater diving sites.
See also
*
List of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia
The following is a list of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia.
Alphabetical list of cities and towns
References
Central Department of Statistics and Information
{{Portal, Saudi Arabia
Lists of cities by country, Saudi Arabia, List of ...
References
{{Authority control
1925 establishments in Saudi Arabia
Populated places established in 1925
Lith
Lith
Geography of Saudi Arabia
Port cities in the Arabian Peninsula
Port cities and towns in Saudi Arabia
Port cities and towns of the Red Sea
Underwater diving sites in Saudi Arabia