The Governorates of Saudi Arabia, officially the Governorates of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (Arabic: محافظات المملكة العربية السعودية) are the second-level administrative divisions of Saudi Arabia after the 13 first-level Provinces of Saudi Arabia. There are 136 governorates 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
Governorates of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Index |
Governorate |
Region |
Population 2010 Census |
Remarks
|
1
|
Riyadh
|
Riyadh Province
|
5,254,560
|
|
2
|
Diriyah
|
Riyadh Province
|
73,668
|
|
3
|
Al-Kharj
|
Riyadh Province
|
376,325
|
|
4
|
Dawadmi
|
Riyadh Province
|
217,305
|
|
5
|
Al-Majma'ah
|
Riyadh Province
|
133,285
|
|
6
|
Al-Quway'iyah
|
Riyadh Province
|
126,161
|
|
7
|
Wadi ad-Dawasir
|
Riyadh Province
|
106,152
|
|
8
|
Al-Aflaj
|
Riyadh Province
|
68,201
|
|
9
|
Al-Zulf
|
Riyadh Province
|
69,201
|
|
10
|
Shaqra
|
Riyadh Province
|
40,541
|
|
11
|
Hotat Bani Tamim
|
Riyadh Province
|
43,300
|
|
12
|
Afif
|
Riyadh Province
|
77,978
|
|
13
|
As Sulayyil
|
Riyadh Province
|
36,383
|
|
14
|
Dhurma
|
Riyadh Province
|
24,429
|
|
15
|
Al-Muzahmiyya
|
Riyadh Province
|
39,865
|
|
16
|
Rumah
|
Riyadh Province
|
28,055
|
|
17
|
Thadig
|
Riyadh Province
|
17,165
|
|
18
|
Huraymila
|
Riyadh Province
|
15,324
|
|
19
|
Al-Hariq
|
Riyadh Province
|
14,750
|
|
20
|
Al-Ghat
|
Riyadh Province
|
14,405
|
|
21
|
Mecca
|
Mecca Province
|
1,675,368
|
|
22
|
Jeddah
|
Mecca Province
|
3,456,259
|
|
23
|
Taif
|
Mecca Province
|
987,914
|
|
24
|
Al-Qunfudhah
|
Mecca Province
|
272,424
|
|
25
|
Al-Lith
|
Mecca Province
|
128,529
|
|
26
|
Rabigh
|
Mecca Province
|
92,072
|
|
27
|
Al-Jumum
|
Mecca Province
|
92,222
|
|
28
|
Khulays
|
Mecca Province
|
56,687
|
|
29
|
Al-Kamil
|
Mecca Province
|
21,419
|
|
30
|
Al-Khurmah
|
Mecca Province
|
42,223
|
|
31
|
Ranyah
|
Mecca Province
|
45,942
|
|
32
|
Turubah
|
Mecca Province
|
43,947
|
|
33
|
Medina
|
Medina Province
|
1,180,770
|
|
34
|
Yanbu
|
Medina Province
|
298,675
|
|
35
|
al-Ula
|
Medina Province
|
64,591
|
|
36
|
Mahd Al-Dhahab
|
Medina Province
|
62,511
|
|
37
|
Badr
|
Medina Province
|
63,468
|
|
38
|
Khaybar
|
Medina Province
|
48,592
|
|
39
|
Al-Hinakiyah
|
Medina Province
|
59,326
|
|
40
|
Buraidah
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
614,093
|
|
41
|
Unaizah
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
163,729
|
|
42
|
Ar Rass
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
133,482
|
|
43
|
Al-Mithnab
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
44,043
|
|
44
|
Al-Bukayriyah
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
57,621
|
|
45
|
Al-Badayea
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
57,164
|
|
46
|
Asyah
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
26,336
|
|
47
|
Al-Nabhaniyah
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
47,744
|
|
48
|
Uyun AlJiwa
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
26,544
|
|
49
|
Riyadh Al-Khabra
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
34,497
|
|
50
|
Al-Shimasiyah
|
Al-Qassim Province
|
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 Province
|
1,093,705
|
|
63
|
Khamis Mushait
|
Asir Province
|
512,599
|
|
64
|
Bisha
|
Asir Province
|
205,346
|
|
65
|
Al-Namas
|
Asir Province
|
54,119
|
|
66
|
Muhayil
|
Asir Province
|
228,979
|
now includes Bareq (60,000) previously in Mecca Province.
|
67
|
Sarat Abidah
|
Asir Province
|
67,120
|
|
68
|
Tathlith
|
Asir Province
|
59,188
|
|
69
|
Rijal Almaa
|
Asir Province
|
65,406
|
now includes Al-Haridhah (18,586) previously in Jazan Province.
|
70
|
Ahad Rafidah
|
Asir Province
|
113,043
|
|
71
|
Dhahran Al-Janub
|
Asir Province
|
63,119
|
|
72
|
Balqarn
|
Asir Province
|
74,391
|
previously known as Sabt Alalaya.
|
73
|
Al-Majaridah
|
Asir Province
|
103,531
|
|
74
|
Tabuk
|
Tabuk Province
|
569,797
|
|
75
|
Al-Wajh
|
Tabuk Province
|
44,570
|
|
76
|
Duba
|
Tabuk Province
|
51,951
|
|
77
|
Tayma
|
Tabuk Province
|
36,199
|
|
78
|
Umluj
|
Tabuk Province
|
61,162
|
|
79
|
Haql
|
Tabuk Province
|
27,856
|
previously in Al-Jouf Province.
|
80
|
Ḥaʼil
|
Ḥa'il Province
|
412,758
|
|
81
|
Baqaa
|
Ḥa'il Province
|
40,157
|
|
82
|
Al-Khazaiah
|
Ḥa'il Province
|
102,588
|
|
83
|
Al-Shinan
|
Ḥa'il Province
|
41,641
|
|
84
|
Arar
|
Northern Borders Province
|
191,051
|
|
85
|
Rafha
|
Northern Borders Province
|
80,544
|
|
86
|
Turaif
|
Northern Borders Province
|
48,929
|
|
87
|
Jizan
|
Jazan Province
|
157,536
|
|
88
|
Sabya
|
Jazan Province
|
228,375
|
|
89
|
Abu `Arish
|
Jazan Province
|
197,112
|
|
90
|
Samtah
|
Jazan Province
|
201,656
|
|
91
|
Al-Harth
|
Jazan Province
|
18,586
|
|
92
|
Damad
|
Jazan Province
|
71,601
|
|
93
|
Al-Reeth
|
Jazan Province
|
18,961
|
|
94
|
Baish
|
Jazan Province
|
77,442
|
|
95
|
Farasan
|
Jazan Province
|
17,999
|
|
96
|
Al-Dayer
|
Jazan Province
|
58,494
|
|
97
|
Ahad al-Masarihah
|
Jazan Province
|
110,710
|
|
98
|
Al-Edabi
|
Jazan Province
|
60,799
|
|
99
|
Al-Aridhah
|
Jazan Province
|
76,705
|
|
100
|
Al-Darb
|
Jazan Province
|
69,134
|
|
101
|
Harub
|
Jazan Province
|
26,399
|
|
102
|
Najran
|
Najran Province
|
329,112
|
|
103
|
Sharurah
|
Najran Province
|
85,977
|
|
104
|
Hubuna
|
Najran Province
|
20,400
|
|
105
|
Badr Al-Janub
|
Najran Province
|
11,117
|
|
106
|
Yadamah
|
Najran Province
|
16,851
|
|
107
|
Thar
|
Najran Province
|
16,047
|
|
108
|
Khubash
|
Najran Province
|
22,133
|
|
109
|
Al-Kharkhir
|
Najran Province
|
4,015
|
previously in Eastern Province.
|
110
|
Al-Bahah
|
Al-Bahah Province
|
103,411
|
|
111
|
Baljurashi
|
Al-Bahah Province
|
65,223
|
|
112
|
Al-Mandaq
|
Al-Bahah Province
|
35,629
|
|
113
|
Al-Makhwah
|
Al-Bahah Province
|
70,664
|
|
114
|
Al-Aqiq
|
Al-Bahah Province
|
47,235
|
|
115
|
Qilwah
|
Al-Bahah Province
|
58,246
|
|
116
|
Al-Qara
|
Al-Bahah Province
|
31,380
|
the villages’, sometimes referenced by the largest town, Al-Atawelah.
|
117
|
Sakakah
|
Al-Jouf Province
|
242,813
|
|
118
|
Qurayyat
|
Al-Jouf Province
|
147,550
|
|
119
|
Dumat al-Jandal
|
Al-Jouf Province
|
49,646
|
|
References