Wadi ad-Dawasir
Wadi ad-Dawasir
وادي الدواسر | |
|---|---|
 Location of Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate within Riyadh Province | |
  Wadi ad-Dawasir Location within Saudi Arabia | |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Province | Riyadh Province |
| Region | Najd |
| Seat | Wadi ad-Dawasir |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Wadi ad-Dawasir Municipality |
| Area | |
• Total | 45,740 km2 (17,660 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 91,535 |
| • Density | 2.001/km2 (5.183/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+03:00 (SAST) |
| ISO 3166-2 | SA-01 |
| Area code | 011 |
Wadi ad-Dawasir (Arabic: وادي الدواسر) is a governorate in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. It is located in the southern part of the province, approximately 650 km (400 mi) south of Riyadh. The governorate covers an area of approximately 45,740 km2 (17,660 sq mi) and had a population of 91,535 according to the 2022 census.
History
[edit]The governorate contains several historical monuments and archaeological sites, most notable is the archaeological area of Al-Faw.[1][2] The Al-Faw Archaeological Area contains nearly 12,000 archaeological remains including stone tools, rock carvings, funerary strictures, and other constructions, dating from prehistoric to the pre-Islamic era. The funerary structures have been dated to the third millennium BCE. The city of Qaryat al-Faw, based around an oasis, was located along an ancient trade route connecting Najran with central and eastern Arabia.[2][3] It served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kinda that ruled the region that stretched till the Tuwaiq Mountains.[1] It was established in the first millennium BCE and was abandonment in the fifth century CE due to scarcity of water.[2][3] It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2024.[3]
Wadi ad-Dawasir was an emirate, and was earlier known by several names including al-Aqiq, Aqiq Bani Oqail, and Aqiq Tamrah. The governorate was established in 1911 during the reign of King Ibn Saud. It is named after the Dawasir tribe, who inhabit the area. The governorate also hosts several palaces, the most notable of which is the Barzan Palace, commissioned by King Ibn Saud.[1]
Geography
[edit]Wadi ad-Dawasir is one of the 22 governorates of the Riyadh Province in the Najd region in central Saudi Arabia.[4][5] Located about 650 km (400 mi) south of Riyadh,[1] the governorate covers an area of approximately 45,740 km2 (17,660 sq mi).[6] It borders the governorate of Al-Sulayyil and Al-Aflaj to the east, the governorates of Aseer and Makkah al-Mukarramah to the west, Al-Quway'iyah to the north, and Najran to the south.[1]
The governorate experiences high temperature and humidity. Average temperatures vary from 43 °C (109 °F) in the summer to 6 °C (43 °F) in the winter with low rainfall of around 37.6 mm (1.48 in) annually.[7] The 'Uruq Bani Ma'arid and Majami'al-Hadb Reserves are located in the governorate and serve as a habitat for various wildlife such as Arabian oryx, Arabian sand gazelle, ibex, wolf, and ostrich.[1][8]
Demographics and economy
[edit]According to the 2010 census, the governorate had a population of 105,234 inhabitans,[6][9] which reduced to 91,535 in 2022.[1][6]
The governorate is a major agricultural region. It hosts a granary with a capacity of five hundred thousand tonnes, the second largest in Riyadh Province.[1] Agricultural has expanded significantly from 551 km2 (213 sq mi) of cultivated land in 1984 to 3,107 km2 (1,200 sq mi) in 2016.[7] About 41% of the land area of the governorate was cultivated in 2018.[10] It is widely irrigated by water supply from oases and aquifiers.[7] Major produce include wheat, potato, tomato, and melon grown mostly in winter and fodder grass.[1][7] Animal husbandry is also practised with sheep and camels commonly reared in the region.[1]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Wadi al-Dawasir Governorate". Saudipedia. Government of Saudi Arabia. Archived from the original on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
- 1 2 3 The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area: Advisory Body Evaluation (PDF) (Report). International Council on Monuments and Sites. 2024. pp. 89–90. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 August 2026. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
- 1 2 3 "The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
- ↑ "Riyadh Province". City Population. Archived from the original on 15 September 2026. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- ↑ "Riyadh Province". Saudipedia. Government of Saudi Arabia. Archived from the original on 7 June 2026. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate". City Population. Archived from the original on 17 February 2026. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Masoud, Alaa A.; Aldosari, Ali A. (28 October 2020). "Groundwater Quality Assessment of a Multi-Layered Aquifer in a Desert Environment: A Case Study in Wadi ad-Dawasir, Saudi Arabia". Water. 12 (11): 3020. Bibcode:2020Water..12.3020M. doi:10.3390/w12113020.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ "'Uruq Bani Ma'arid". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 27 September 2026. Retrieved 1 November 2026.
- ↑ Population by Gender, Govnernorate and Nationality (PDF) (Report). Government of Saudi Arabia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 November 2019.
- ↑ Benaafi, Mohammed; Al-Shaibani, Abdulaziz (3 July 2021). "Hydrochemical and Isotopic Investigation of the Groundwater from Wajid Aquifer in Wadi Al-Dawasir, Southern Saudi Arabia". Water. 13 (13): 1855. Bibcode:2021Water..13.1855B. doi:10.3390/w13131855.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
External links
[edit]Capital: Riyadh | |
