Jazan Province

Coordinates: 17°30′N 42°30′E / 17.500°N 42.500°E / 17.500; 42.500
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Jazan
جازان
The Fifa Mountains
Map of Saudi Arabia with Jazan highlighted
Map of Saudi Arabia with Jazan highlighted
Country Saudi Arabia
CapitalJazan
Boroughs14
Government
 • GovernorPrince Muhammad bin Nasser
 • Deputy GovernorMuhammad bin Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al Saud
Area
 • Total11,671 km2 (4,506 sq mi)
Population
 (2022 Census)
 • Total1,404,997
 • Density120/km2 (310/sq mi)
ISO 3166-2
09

Jazan Province, also spelled Jizan (Arabic: جيزان, romanizedJīzān) is the second smallest (after Al-Bahah) province of Saudi Arabia. It stretches 300 km (190 mi) along the southern Red Sea coast, just north of Yemen. It covers an area of 11,671 km2 and had a population of 1,404,997 at the 2022 census.[1] The region has the highest population density in the Kingdom. The capital is the city of Jazan; Prince Muhammad bin Nasser has been the Governor since April 2001.[2]

The region includes over 100 islands in the Red Sea. Jazan Economic City is a mega project that is planned to boost the economy of the region and make it part of the Saudi economic growth.[3] The Farasan Islands, Saudi Arabia's first conservation protected area, is home to migratory birds from Europe in winter.

Geography[edit]

The region divides into three parts.

  • The Al-Sarawat mountains inland, which rise to about 3,000 metres.
  • The Alhazoun forest district consists of forest broken by some areas of rich pasture.
  • The plains are noted for the production of coffee beans, cereal grain crops (barley, millet and wheat) and fruit (apples, bananas, grapes, mangoes, papayas, plums and citrus varieties).

Though the climate on the highlands is similar to the relatively wetter climate of 'Asir, the coastal regions of Jizan province are part of Tihamah, probably the hottest place in the country, with mean maximum temperatures ranging from 40 °C (104 °F) in July to 31 °C (88 °F) in January. High humidity from coastal lagoons makes the climate even less bearable than it would be otherwise. Rainfall is extremely low at less than 75 millimetres (3 inches) per year. Sabya is located in the center between the mountain and the beach.

Population[edit]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1992865,961—    
20041,187,587+2.67%
20101,374,845+2.47%
20181,603,659+1.94%
source:[4]

Sub-divisions[edit]

The region is now sub-divided into 17 governorates (following the creation of the governorates of At-Tuwal from part of Samtah, Fayfa from part of Jizan, and Harub from part of Al-Aydabi) as follows:[5][6]

Jizan's Governorates
Name Native name Census
15 Sept 2004
Census
28 Apr 2010
Census
10 May 2022
Abu Arish أبو عريش 123,943 196,462 187,060
Ad-Dayir الدائر 49,239 58,325 47,424
Ad-Darb الدرب 52,062 70,740 68,965
Ahad Al-Masarihah أحد المسارحة 70,038 109,866 130,545
Al-Ardah العارضة 62,841 76,033 79,730
Al-Aydabi العيدابي 52,515 61,043 32,940
Al-Harth الحرث 47,073 23,496 11,561
Al-Raith الريث 13,406 19,022 16,877
Bish بيش 58,269 77,406 86,996
Damad ضمد 62,366 71,256 64,136
Farasan فرسان 13,962 18,015 13,529
Jazan جازان 255,340 163,703 200,911
Sabya صبياء 198,086 227,519 223,083
Samtah صامطة 128,447 201,959 154,925
Total Province 1,187,587 1,374,845 1,404,997

Ethnography[edit]

The Arabic language is spoken by over 90% of the inhabitants. Parts of Jizan was claimed to be part of a "Greater Yemen" by many Yemenis despite never being ruled from Yemen since the fall of the Himyarite Kingdom at 525 CE. Since that period, the areas of Jazan province has been mostly independent and it has also been part of the First Saudi state during the 18th century. Jazan has been annexed by Saudi Arabia in 1932 and was defended from a Yemeni invasion that lead to the Saudi–Yemeni War (1934) and Imam Yahya suspended Yemen's claim to the region in the treaty of Taif. Though many Yemeni nationalists continued to claim Jizan until the issue was settled formally and finally in the Saudi-Yemeni border agreement of 2000.[7]

Environmental projects[edit]

In 2019, the Saudi Government allocated $213 million to implement water and environmental projects in the region. Such projects include, installing a sewage treatment line, sewage network, sewage connections for households, and a station for pumping.[8]

Border incidents involving Ethiopian migrants[edit]

Since 2014, in relation to the civil war in Yemen, there have been reports of alleged shooting of Ethiopian migrants illegally crossing the Saudi border by the Saudi Border Guard. Since 2023, at least several hundred Ethiopian migrants have been killed at the border between Yemen and the provinces Jazan, Asir and Najran. The border guards allegedly also used explosive weapons.[9][10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Population Characteristics surveys" (PDF). General Authority for Statistics. 2017.
  2. ^ "CTHM issues 4 royal decrees". kuna.net.kw. 2001.
  3. ^ "Jazan Economic City Quarter Report" (PDF). Rcjy.gov.sa. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Saudi Arabia: Regions & Major Cities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de.
  5. ^ "Detailed results of JIZAN (general population and housing census 2010-2010)" (PDF). General Authority for Statistics. 23 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Population Characteristics surveys 2017" (PDF). General Authority of Statistics.
  7. ^ Schmitz, Charles; Burrowes, Robert D. (25 October 2017). Historical Dictionary of Yemen. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 269. ISBN 9781538102336.
  8. ^ "Saudi Arabia implements environmental projects in Jazan worth over $200m". Arab News. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Saudi Arabia: Mass Killings of Migrants at Yemen Border". Human Rights Watch. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  10. ^ Beaumont, Peter (21 August 2023). "'Fired on like rain': Saudi border guards accused of mass killings of Ethiopians". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 August 2023.

Further reading[edit]

  • S.I. Bruk, Narody Peredney Azii (1960).
  • S.I. Bruk, and V. S. Apenchenko, Atlas Narodov Mira (Moscow: Academy of Science, 1964).
  • A. Gabriel, Religionsgeographie von Persien (Vienna, 1971).

External links[edit]

17°30′N 42°30′E / 17.500°N 42.500°E / 17.500; 42.500