Yanbu ( ar, ينبع, lit=Spring, translit=Yanbu'), also known simply as Yambu or Yenbo, is a city in the
Al Madinah Province
The Medina Province ( ar, مِنْطَقَة ٱلْمَدِيْنَة ٱلْمُنَوَّرَة, Minṭaqat Al-Madīnah Al-Munawarah) is a province ('' minṭaqah'') of Saudi Arabia, located on the country's western side, along the Red Sea coa ...
of western
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 ...
. It is approximately 300 kilometers northwest of
Jeddah (at ). The population is 222,360 (2020 census). Many residents are foreign
expatriate
An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...
s working in the
oil refineries
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, lique ...
and
petrochemical industry
The petrochemical industry is concerned with the production and trade of petrochemicals. A major part is constituted by the plastics (polymer) industry. It directly interfaces with the petroleum industry, especially the downstream sector.
Comp ...
, mostly from Asia, but there are also large numbers from the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
Yanbu has three primary sections; Yanbu Al-Bahr, Yanbu Al-Nakhl and Yanbu Al-Sina'iya as well as a major
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; ...
port.
History
Pre-modern era
Yanbu's history dates back at least 2,500 years, when it was a staging point on the
spice
A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spice ...
and
incense
Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also b ...
route from
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
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 Medit ...
and the Mediterranean region.
Sharm Yanbu ( ar, شرم ينبع), historically known as
Charmuthas, which is a small peninsula located to the north of Yanbu was mentioned by the Greek historian
Diodorus Siculus.
The
Invasion of Dul Ashir took place in Yanbu two or three months after prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
's return from Buwat. He appointed
Abu Salamah Ibn Abd al-Assad to take his place in
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
while he was away commanding another raid. Between 150 and 200 followers joined this operation to al-Ushayra, Yanbu in either the month of
Jumada al-awwal or
Jumada al-Thani
Jumada al-Thani ( ar, جُمَادَىٰ ٱلثَّانِي, Jumādā ath-Thānī, lit=The second Jumada) also known as Jumada al-Akhirah ( ar, جُمَادَىٰ ٱلْآخِرَة, link=no, Jumādā al-ʾĀkhirah, lit=The final Jumada), Jumad ...
.
[Mubarakpuri, The Sealed Nectar (Free Version), p. 128][Mubarakpuri, When the Moon Split, p. 148.]
They had 30 camels that they rode upon by turns. When they arrived at al-Usharayh, they expected to raid a rich Meccan caravan heading towards Syria led by
Abu Sufyan
Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayya ibn Abd Shams ( ar, صخر بن حرب بن أمية بن عبد شمس, Ṣakhr ibn Ḥarb ibn Umayya ibn ʿAbd Shams; ), better known by his '' kunya'' Abu Sufyan ( ar, أبو سفيان, Abū Sufyān), was a prominent ...
. Muhammad already had the knowledge of this caravan’s departure from Mecca and waited for about a month for this caravan to pass. But the Meccan caravan had already passed.
In this operation, Muhammad entered into an alliance with Banu Madlaj, a tribe inhabiting the vicinity of al-Ushayra. He also concluded another treaty that was made with Banu Damrah previously.
All those treaties established good political connections for him.
Modern era
Yanbu served as a supply and operational base for
Arab and British forces fighting the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. On July 27, 1916 the Ottoman garrison surrendered in the
Capture of Yanbu to the Arab revolutionary forces.
[ - Total pages: 336] It remained a small port town until 1975, when the Saudi government designated it as one of the
country's two new industrial centers (the other being
Al Jubayl on the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...
). Extensive government and private development have taken place at the port and surrounding area, which is based on the
petrochemical industry
The petrochemical industry is concerned with the production and trade of petrochemicals. A major part is constituted by the plastics (polymer) industry. It directly interfaces with the petroleum industry, especially the downstream sector.
Comp ...
.
Geography
The city is divided into three primary sections, which are located about fifteen minutes (drive by car) away from each other. Yanbu is the second-largest Saudi Arabian city by the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; ...
, after
Jeddah.
Yanbu Al-Bahr
![Yanbu_Park_1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Yanbu_Park_1.jpg)
(Also known as Yanbu Al-Bahar) is the most northern part of Yanbu. The downtown area of Yanbu Al-Bahr (which is also called ''Al-Balad'') contains most of the population. Most of the restaurants here cater to the various ethnic groups in the area, although some also cater to residents in the Royal Commission. The area also contains some international chain restaurants, as well as some coffee shops. There is also a shopping mall and various shopping centers located here as well. The
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is an American chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia. and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson, who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee that year. The chain was a division ...
Hotel and
Novotel
Novotel is a French midscale hotel brand owned by Accor. Created in 1967 in France, the company grew into what became the Accor group in 1983, and Novotel remained a pillar brand of Accor's multi-brand strategy. Novotel manages 559 hotels in 6 ...
Hotel is located at the edge of this area, as is
Yanbu Airport
Yanbu Airport is an airport near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. It offers both domestic and international service.
The airport's full name is Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz International Airport.
Operations
The airport was upgraded in late 2009 to e ...
. Arabian Homes also have a gated private residential community compound catering to the expat population, and is located next to the Holiday Inn. Most of the residents tend to be lower and middle-class Saudi citizens, and well as mostly South Asian and lower and middle-class Arab and other Middle Eastern expatriates. Every year there is a flower festival at the outskirts of Yanbu that has attracted many viewers around
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 ...
and
neighboring countries.
![Yanbu flower festival](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Yanbu_flower_festival.jpg)
Currently, the government is attempting to improve the old, historical area in downtown Yanbu, as many historical buildings are located there. Many are still in a serious state of disrepair. While most of Yanbu Al-Balad has a rather old, worn-out feel to it, parts of the city, particularly at the edges of the city, are starting to modernize, as new shopping centers, as well as a new shopping mall, have been built.
Jarir Bookstore had also opened a branch in Yanbu Al-Balad.
Yanbu Al-Nakhal
(''The Palms'') is a separate area, some 47 kilometers from the city (according to Google Maps), that has more than 20 villages such as Jabriyya, Suwaiq, Raihan, Mesharif, Ain-Ajlan, Madsos, Alnejil and Talaat Nazah, where mostly farms would be found. Currently (July 2018), most of the residents are local tribes, mostly from Johainah (Aljohani),
Harb (Alharbi), and few from Ashraf. There are also some foreign nationals, mostly from south and east Asia, as well as some expatriate Arabs. Some of the local Saudis work on their own farms and trade in sheep and camels. The most notable village in Yanbu Al Nakhal is Jabriyya, where the local government office for the town is located. The village has a general hospital, a bank, three ATM machines, four well-serviced filling stations, a fire station, two notable malls, several recreational facilities among other things. The locals are very friendly and cordial in greetings and offering help. There is almost everything you need for basic livelihood in the neighborhood, however, the options for residents pales in comparison to both the Royal Commission and Yanbu Al Bahr. The Radwah Mountain is very visible anywhere in the town.
However, the town has neither hotels nor international schools, and locals and expatriates seeking foreign education for their children had to send them to international schools in the main city center, Yanbu Al Bahr, or in the Royal Commission.
Yanbu Al-Sina'iya
Yanbu Al-Sina'iya (literally "the industrial Yanbu") is the industrial city, established in 1975 by royal decree to create a Royal Commission to manage the effort to build a new modern city. It is the southernmost part of Yanbu city. Yanbu Al-Sina'iya is divided into two parts, the industrial area to the south, and a residential area (referred to as the Royal Commission by many locals) directly north and adjacent to the industrial area. The industrial area within Yanbu Al-Sina'iya is the area of all the major refineries and petrochemical installations and is still undergoing major growth. This area of Yanbu was a strip of undeveloped coastal desert land on the Red Sea and has been transformed into an industrial city.
Yanbu Al-Sina'iya's residential section is near the Royal Commission Headquarters. It has amenities such as many international chain and local restaurants, two shopping malls, various shopping centers, supermarkets of various sizes, hospitals, banks, and coffee shops. The
Moevenpick Hotel, Yanbu's newest hotel, is located here, as is The Cove, a gated private residential housing compound built around a large private lagoon. Yanbu Al Sinaiyah is home to
Yanbu Industrial College, created for training and imparting knowledge for the students and workforce of the industry.
Yanbu International School was also located here, prior to its closing in 2018.
The majority of Yanbu's Western expatriate population is found living in the Royal Commission. The rest of the residents of Yanbu Al-Sina'iya tend to be upper-middle and upper-class Saudi citizens, upper-class Asians, and upper-class Arab and Middle Eastern residents. The residential area of Yanbu Al-Sina'iya has a more modern, clean, and organized feel to it than the downtown area. It is also greener.
A new waterfront project has been launched in the coastline of Yanbu Industrial City. The total area of this project is 12 km. The project consists of four phases. The first phase is made of a campground equipped with the needed facilities. The second phase is made up of gardens, marina and a number of islands. The third phase has a recreation area, hotel and other facilities. The fourth phase has an aquarium.
Climate
Yanbu has a
hot desert climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''BWh'') with very hot summer like weather year round.
Economy
Yanbu is an important
petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...
shipping terminal and is home to three oil
refineries, a plastics facility and several other petrochemical plants. It is the country's second port (after Jeddah) and serves as the main port for the holy city of
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
, to the east. The natural harbour is protected on both sides by wide
coral reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
C ...
s. These reefs remain mostly untouched, making them excellent areas for diving. Three major oil pipelines lead across the desert from the oilfields in the east to terminate at the Red Sea in Yanbu.
Education
For higher education, the city has several universities and colleges, including the following:
*
College of Computer Science & Engineering at Yanbu
College of Computer Science & Engineering at Yanbu (CCSEY) was established in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, in 1430 Hejri, related to 2010, one of the Taibah University colleges in Yanbu branch, CCSEY is located in Yanbu AL-Bahar, in Medina Region, Yanbu ...
(CCSEY): Which belongs to
Taibah University
Taibah University ( ar, جامعة طيبة) is a university in Medina, Saudi Arabia, established in 2003. Taibah University has witnessed an enormous increase in the number of its students (both men and women). In 2003, there were 7,761 enrolled ...
*
Yanbu Industrial College
*
Yanbu University College
Yanbu is also home to several primary, intermediate and secondary schools such as:
*
Al-Isra International School
*
Al Manar International School -Yanbu
*
Al Tawhid International School
*
Naba'a Al-Maarifa Private Schools
*
Radhwa International School Yanbu
*
Yanbu Elite International School
*
Yanbu International School (closed as of July 31, 2018)
Hospitals
* Al Ansari Hospital - Royal Commission
*
Yanbu
Yanbu ( ar, ينبع, lit=Spring, translit=Yanbu'), also known simply as Yambu or Yenbo, is a city in the Al Madinah Province of western Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Jeddah (at ). The population is 222,360 (2 ...
National Hospital - Royal Commission
Royal Commission Medical CenterRoyal Commission Hospital - Yanbu
Tourism
![Yanbu city](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Yanbu_city.jpg)
Although the city is known for its industrial activities, it is now growing as a touristic destination. The beach is used for scuba-diving as well as swimming and relaxing in front of the white sandy shores. It has a very big beach called the "China herbal park ", which is approximately 4 km² in size.
In 2020, Saudi Arabia's
tourism ministry decided to renovate
T. E. Lawrence
Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918 ...
's house in Yanbu, the British officer who captured the city during World War I.
Transportation
Airport
![Yanbu Airport Terminal Tower](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Yanbu_Airport_Terminal_Tower.JPG)
Yanbu has an
international airport (
code YNB) that was upgraded in 2009. It only offers flights to
Dammam,
Jeddah, and
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...
within Saudi Arabia.
Internationally, it offers flights to
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
and
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...
in
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 Medit ...
,
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
in
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, and
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
and
Sharjah
Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
Sharjah is the capital ...
in the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
.
All the international destinations are serviced by foreign airlines; domestic carriers
Saudia and
Flynas
Flynas ( ar, طيران ناس), stylized ''flynas'', formerly Nas Air, is a Saudi low-cost airline, the country first budget airline. The company's head office is located in Riyadh.
History
Saudi Arabian Airlines was the only airline in the c ...
only serve the domestic destinations listed above.
Highways
A highway passes through Yanbu, linking Yanbu to Jeddah in the south, and to the northern parts of the kingdom as well as to neighboring countries like Syria, Jordan, etc., in the north.
Yanbu Commercial Port
It is one of the oldest sea ports along the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; ...
. The port is connected to the holy cities, especially the one in
Madinah
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
. Moreover, it has an economic importance as it located in an economically vital area. It also receives pilgrims.
See also
*
Saudi Ports Authority
Saudi Ports Authority () is a government agency that supervises the ports of Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1976 as an independent agency of the Prime Minister's office, to bring together the governance and operations of the multiple ports of t ...
*
2004 Yanbu attack
The 2004 Yanbu attack was an attack by gunmen against Western world, Westerners on May 1, 2004, in Yanbu' al Bahr, Saudi Arabia.
At least four Terrorist, militants used security passes to access a local petrochemical plant. Once on the grounds ...
*
Battle of Yanbu
The Battle of Yanbu or Yanbu Landing, was a bloodless confrontation between the Saudis and Ottomans in 1811. The Ottoman Sultan ordered Mohammed Ali Pasha to start moving against Saudis to re-conquer Mecca and return the honour of the Ottoman E ...
or Yanbu Landing
*
Yanbu University College
*
Yanbu Industrial College
*
Yanbu International School (YIS), a United States-accredited school
*
Al Tawhid International School
References
External links
General information on YanbuRoyal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu
Video
City of Yanbu Palm Beach at Yanbu Yanbu sunrise Types and prices of fish in Yanbu
{{Authority control
Populated places in Medina Province (Saudi Arabia)
Port cities and towns in Saudi Arabia
Port cities and towns of the Red Sea