The ʿAsir Region ( ar, عَسِيرٌ, ʿAsīr, lit=difficult) is a
region of Saudi Arabia located in the southwest of the country that is named after the ʿAsīr tribe. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,211,875 (2017). It is surrounded by
Mecca 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 2017 ...
to the north and west,
Al-Bahah Province
Al-Bahah Province ( ' ) is a province of Saudi Arabia. It is located in the southwestern part of the Hejazi region. It has an area of 9,921 km2, and a population of 476,172 (2017). Its capital is Al Bahah. The region includes Al-Baḥah ...
to the northwest,
Riyadh Province
The Riyadh Province ( ar, منطقة الرياض '), also known as the Riyadh Region, is a region of Saudi Arabia, located in the geographic center of the country. It has an area of and with a 2017 population of 8,216,284, it is the second-la ...
to the northeast,
Jazan Province
Jizan Region also spelled Jazan ( ar, جيزان, Jizan) is the second smallest (after Al Bahah) region of Saudi Arabia. It stretches along the southern Red Sea coast, just north of Yemen. It covers an area of 11,671 km2 and has a populat ...
to the south, and
Najran Province
Najran ( ar, نجران ') is a region of Saudi Arabia, located in the south of the country along the border with Yemen. It has an area of 149,511 km². Its capital is Najran.
Najran is inhabited by the powerful Yam tribe, Mishaal bin Abd ...
to the southeast. ʿAsir also shares a short border with the
Saada Governorate
Saada ( ar, صَعْدَة, Ṣaʿdah) is one of the governorates of Yemen. The governorate's seat and the largest city is Saada. It is the epicentre of Zaydism of
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
to the south.
The capital of the ʿAsir Region is
Abha
Abha ( ar, أَبْهَا, ') is the capital of 'Asir Region in Saudi Arabia, with a population of 1,093,705 as of 2021. It is situated above sea level in the fertile Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, near Asir National Park. Abha' ...
. Other towns include
Khamis Mushait
Khamis Mushayt or Khamis Mushait ( ar, خميس مشيط, ') is a city in south-west Saudi Arabia, located east of Abha, the provincial seat of the 'Asir Province, 650 nautical miles from Dhahran and from the national capital of Riyadh. It is t ...
,
Bisha
Bisha ( ar, بيشة, '), also known as Qal`at Bishah ( ar, قلعة بيشة, '), is a town in the south-western Saudi Arabian province, 'Asir. Bisha was its own province before merging with its neighboring province, 'Asir. Bisha has a popula ...
and
Bareq
Bareq ( ar, بارق; also transliterated as '), is one of the governorates of Asir in the north-west of the region, north of Abha. It occupies a distinct location midway between Tihama and Asir, above sea level. With an estimated population ...
. The regional governor is
Turki bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Turki bin Talal Al Saud ( ar, تركي بن طلال بن عبد العزيز آل سعود) is a Saudi prince, politician, and military officer who has served as the governor of Asir since 2018.
Early life and education
Prince Turki is Prince ...
(appointed 27 December 2018), a son of Prince
Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ( ar, طلال بن عبد العزيز آل سعود ''Ṭalāl bin ʿAbdulʿazīz Āl Saʿūd''; 15 August 1931 – 22 December 2018), formerly also called The Red Prince, was a Saudi Arabian politician, dissident, b ...
. He replaced his cousin,
Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud (Arabic: فيصل بن خالد بن عبد العزيز آل سعود) (born 1954) is the former governor of Asir Region and a member of House of Saud.
Early life and education
Prince Faisal was born in Riyadh in 1954 ...
, on the same day.
Geography
The ʿAsir Region is situated on a high plateau that receives more rainfall than the rest of the country and contains the country's highest peaks, which rise to almost at
Jabal Sawda
Jabal Sawda ( ar, جَبَل ٱلسُّوْدَة ', ) is a peak located in Saudi Arabia, with a claimed elevation of , on the basis of which it is claimed to be the highest point in Saudi Arabia.
In a 2018 GPS survey the peak's elevation wa ...
near Abha. Though data is exceedingly sparse and unreliable, the average annual rainfall in the highlands probably ranges from . It falls in two rainy seasons, the chief one being in March and April, with some rain in the summer. Temperatures are very extreme, with diurnal temperature ranges in the highlands the greatest in the world. It is common for afternoon temperatures to be over , yet mornings can be extremely frosty and
fog
Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus, and is heavily influ ...
can cut visibility to near zero percent. As a result, there is much more natural vegetation in ʿAsir than in any other part of Saudi Arabia, with sheltered areas even containing areas of dense coniferous forests, though more exposed ridges still are very dry.
ʿAsir is home to many farmers who chiefly grow wheat and fruit crops. Irrigation has greatly expanded production in modern times.
Asir National Park
Asir National Park is a national park in Saudi Arabia's Asir region. It was established in 1981.
Geography
Asir National Park covers an area of 6490.7 km2. It extends from Red Sea coast to the mountains, and includes both marine and terrest ...
was established in 1981, and extends from the Red Sea coast through the western foothills to the Asir escarpment.
Demographics
Governorates
The region is divided into sixteen governorates (with 2010 Census populations
#
Abha
Abha ( ar, أَبْهَا, ') is the capital of 'Asir Region in Saudi Arabia, with a population of 1,093,705 as of 2021. It is situated above sea level in the fertile Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, near Asir National Park. Abha' ...
(+366,551)
#
Muhayil
Muhayil ( ar, محايل عسير) is one of the governorates in 'Asir Region, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a ...
(+228,979)
#
An-Namas (+54,119)
#
Billasmar (+34,080)
#
Billahmar (+25,709)
#
Balqarn
Balqarn ( ar, بلقرن) is one of the governorates in 'Asir Region, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land are ...
#
Bareq
Bareq ( ar, بارق; also transliterated as '), is one of the governorates of Asir in the north-west of the region, north of Abha. It occupies a distinct location midway between Tihama and Asir, above sea level. With an estimated population ...
(+74,391)
#
Bisha
Bisha ( ar, بيشة, '), also known as Qal`at Bishah ( ar, قلعة بيشة, '), is a town in the south-western Saudi Arabian province, 'Asir. Bisha was its own province before merging with its neighboring province, 'Asir. Bisha has a popula ...
h (+205,346)
#
Khamis Mushayt
Khamis Mushayt or Khamis Mushait ( ar, خميس مشيط, ') is a city in south-west Saudi Arabia, located east of Abha, the provincial seat of the 'Asir Province, 650 nautical miles from Dhahran and from the national capital of Riyadh. It is t ...
(+512,599)
#
Rijal Alma (+65,406)
#
Zahran Al-Janub (+63,119)
#
Tathlith (+59,188)
#
Sarat Abidah (+67,120)
#
Ahad Rifaydah Ahad ( fa, احد) ( ar, احد) ( ur, احد) is a Middle Eastern given forename primarily used by Muslims and Jews. It is also used as a family name (surname) (e.g. Oli Ahad).
In Arabic Ahad means "one" and is usually used by Muslims when referri ...
(+113,043)
#
Al-Majardah (+103,531)
#
History
In 25 B.C.
Aelius Gallus
Gaius Aelius Gallus was a Roman prefect of Egypt from 26 to 24 BC. He is primarily known for a disastrous expedition he undertook to Arabia Felix (modern day Yemen) under orders of Augustus.
Life
Aelius Gallus was the 2nd ''praefect'' of Roman Eg ...
marched his legions south from
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
on a 1,300-mile expedition to take control of the ancient overland trade routes between the Mediterranean and what is now
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut ( ar, حَضْرَمَوْتُ \ حَضْرَمُوتُ, Ḥaḍramawt / Ḥaḍramūt; Hadramautic: 𐩢𐩳𐩧𐩣𐩩, ''Ḥḍrmt'') is a region in South Arabia, comprising eastern Yemen, parts of western Oman and southern Sau ...
in Yemen. The
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
wanted control of those routes because they were desperate for money and hoped to raise some by capturing
Ma'rib
Marib ( ar, مَأْرِب, Maʾrib; Old South Arabian: 𐩣𐩧𐩨/𐩣𐩧𐩺𐩨 ''Mryb/Mrb'') is the capital city of Marib Governorate, Yemen. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of ''Sabaʾ'' ( ar, سَبَأ), which some scholars ...
, capital of
Sabaʾ
The Sabaeans or Sabeans ( Sabaean:, ; ar, ٱلسَّبَئِيُّوْن, ''as-Sabaʾiyyūn''; he, סְבָאִים, Səḇāʾīm) were an ancient group of South Arabians. They spoke the Sabaean language, one of the Old South Arabian langua ...
, and taking control of the trade in incense - then a priceless commodity - and other valuable aromatics. As it turned out, however, the expedition was a disaster and little information about ʿAsir emerged.
By 1920, however, the founder of
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
Ibn Saud
Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud ( ar, عبد العزيز بن عبد الرحمن آل سعود, ʿAbd al ʿAzīz bin ʿAbd ar Raḥman Āl Suʿūd; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted ...
had begun to recoup the losses of the House of Saʿud and to unify most of the
peninsula
A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
under his rule. As part of this campaign, he sent his Bedouin warriors also known as the
Ikhwan
The Ikhwan ( ar, الإخوان, al-ʾIkhwān, The Brethren), commonly known as Ikhwan min ta'a Allah ( ar, إخوان من أطاع الله), was a traditionalist religious militia made up of traditionally nomadic tribesmen which formed a signif ...
to occupy ʿAsir, and the ruler of the region, Hasan Al Idrissi, had to leave.
Therefore, he asked for protection from
Imam Yahya
, succession1 = King of Yemen
, succession2 = Imam of Yemen
, image = Imam yahya cropped.png
, image_size =
, caption = Portrait of Yahya by Ameen Rihani, 1922. Imam Yahya steadfastly refused to be photographed thro ...
, the ruler of Yemen and went there.
[ From then on ʿAsir has been controlled by the House of Saud, a situation formalized in 1934 with the signing of the Treaty of Taʾif between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Even then the region was still largely unknown to the West. In 1932, ]St John Philby
Harry St John Bridger Philby, CIE (3 April 1885 – 30 September 1960), also known as Jack Philby or Sheikh Abdullah ( ar, الشيخ عبدالله), was a British Arabist, adviser, explorer, writer, and Colonial Office intelligence officer. ...
, one of the first Europeans to explore and map the peninsula, did enter ʿAsir, but as he did not publish his observations until 1952, the area remained one of the blank spots on the world's map. In 1935 ʿAsir was made a separate governorate.
Economy
Historically, ʿAsir was known for producing coffee
Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world.
S ...
, wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
, alfalfa
Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as w ...
, barley
Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...
, senna, and frankincense
Frankincense (also known as olibanum) is an aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus ''Boswellia'' in the family Burseraceae. The word is from Old French ('high-quality incense').
There are several species o ...
. Wheat was grown in the summer and sesame
Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...
has been grown in wetter areas of the region. Straw
Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number ...
was used to make mats, hats, and basket
A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehai ...
s. Tribes in the area also wove tents from straw.
Development project
In 2019, the Saudi government launched an infrastructure development project in ʿAsir Region. The project is expected to cost more than 1 billion Saudi Riyals. The provided projects will include health care, transportation and municipal services. The project is in line with the Saudi Vision 2030
Saudi Vision 2030 ( ar, رؤية السعودية ٢٠٣٠ ''ruʾyah al-suʿūdiyah'') is a strategic framework to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, in ...
to diversify non-petroleum income and activate new resources in Saudi Arabia.
List of governors
* Turki bin Ahmed Al Sudairi (1900s–8 June 1969)[
* Fahd bin Saad bin Abdul Rahman (8 June 1969–1971)]
* Khalid bin Faisal
Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud ( ar, خالد بن فيصل ال سعود ''Khālid bin Fayṣal Āl Suʿūd''; born 24 February 1940) is a Saudi Arabian politician, artist, and poet who is the governor of Makkah Province, in office from 2007 to 2013 ...
(1971–2007)
* Faisal bin Khalid
Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud (Arabic: فيصل بن خالد بن عبد العزيز آل سعود) (born 1954) is the former governor of Asir Region and a member of House of Saud.
Early life and education
Prince Faisal was born in Riyadh in 1954 ...
(2007–2018)
* Turki bin Talal
Turki bin Talal Al Saud ( ar, تركي بن طلال بن عبد العزيز آل سعود) is a Saudi prince, politician, and military officer who has served as the governor of Asir since 2018.
Early life and education
Prince Turki is Prince ...
(2018–present)
See also
* Arabian Nubian Shield
* Habala
Habala ( ar, ٱلْحَبَلَة, Al-Ḥabalah) is a small mountain village in 'Asir Region of Saudi Arabia. It can be reached by car from Abha within one hour. It is located in a valley almost 300 metres below the peak of the front mountain. It ...
* Sarat Ubaida Governorate
Sarat Ubaida Governorate (Arabic: محافظة سراة عبيدة), located in the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia, is one of twelve governorates of the 'Asir Region of that country.
Location
Sarat Ubaida, an affiliated Saudi province of As ...
* South Arabia
South Arabia () is a historical region that consists of the southern region of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, mainly centered in what is now the Republic of Yemen, yet it has also historically included Najran, Jizan, Al-Bahah, and 'Asi ...
* Saleh Al-Qadhi
* Tihamah
Tihamah or Tihama ( ar, تِهَامَةُ ') refers to the Red Sea coastal plain of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el Mandeb.
Etymology
Tihāmat is the Proto-Semitic language's term for 'sea'. Tiamat (or Tehom, in mas ...
References
* Updated Edition; Norton Paperback; pbk.
External links
*
Asir National Park
Splendid Arabia, An Online Guide to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
{{DEFAULTSORT:'Asir Province
Asir
The ʿAsir Region ( ar, عَسِيرٌ, ʿAsīr, lit=difficult) is a region of Saudi Arabia located in the southwest of the country that is named after the ʿAsīr tribe. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,211,875 (2017). It is ...