History and etymology

Many sources refer to the origin of the name "Al-Qassim", as it was mentioned in Lisan Al Arab means the plain area with fertile land and covered with trees, an expression of the natural richness of the region and the fertility of its lands, which are characterized by the richness of the soil and the diversity of plants in it.

Location

Al-Qassim region is located in central Saudi Arabia on the route of commercial caravans that take the road from Mecca to Mesopotamia, and the base of this area extends from the north of Al-Asyah Governorate to the south towards the province of Al-Mithnab, with a corridor that extends for 270 kilometers.

Cities and governorates of the region

Buraydah Governorate (Capital)

The city of Buraydah, which is the headquarter of Al-Qassim region, is located in the center of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, extending to Hail region in the north, and is bordered to the east by Al-Asyah Governorate, to the south by the governorates of Al-Shamasiyah and Unayzah, and to the west by the governorates of Uyun Al-Jawa and Al-Bukayriyah. It is considered the largest city in the region in terms of population, with an estimated number of 677,647 people, according to the 2022 Saudi census. The urban scope of the city of Buraidah covers an area of about 912 square kilometers, and the urban areas built extend over an area of about 223.8 square kilometers, divided into 70 residential neighborhoods.

Governorates Category (A)

Unayzah Governorate

Unayzah Governorate is considered one of the governorates of the Emirate of Al-Qassim Province in the center of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and is classified within category (A). Unayzah ranks second in terms of population in the region, followed by four administrative centers. It is about 28 kilometers from the city of Buraydah, the seat of the emirate of Al-Qassim Province.

Al-Rass Governorate

Al-Rass Governorate is considered one of the governorates of Al-Qassim region in central Saudi Arabia, and ranks third in the number of population in the region. It has a population of about 121,359 people according to the 2022 Saudi census. Al-Rass includes 6 administrative centers, namely: Dukhna, Al-Shanana, Al-Ghaidaniya, Al-Matiya, Al-Khuraisha, and Al-Dahla.

Al-mithnab Province

Al-Mithnab Governorate, one of the important agricultural provinces in Al-Qassim region in central Saudi Arabia, is about 65 kilometers from the administrative capital Buraydah. Al-Mithnab includes more than 50 villages, migrations and population centers, and its population is estimated at more than 43,278 people, according to the official statistics of the Saudi census for 2022, on an area estimated at 4,500 square kilometers.

Al-Bukayriyah Governorate

Al-Bukayriyah Governorate, one of the important governorates of Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, is located about 39 kilometers southwest of the city of Buraydah, and is the seat and center of the emirate of the region. It has a population of about 63,551 people.

Al-Badayea Governorate

Al-Badayea Governorate, one of the governorates of Al-Qassim Province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is characterized by a large area of about 1,600 square kilometers. It has a population of about 53,779 people.

Al-Badayea Governorate is characterized by its extensive agricultural lands, abundance of groundwater and soil quality, making it one of the important agricultural governorates in Al-Qassim region. It is located in the middle of the area and is about 430 kilometers from the capital, Riyadh. It is also characterized by the absence of traffic lights in its roads, since the fields are used as a means of guidance instead of traffic signals.

Category B Governorates

Al-Asyah Governorate

One of the Saudi governorates that administratively belongs to Al-Qassim region is the governorate, which includes more than thirteen villages, including: Talha, Madaraj, Al-Jalla, Al-Baroud, Daida, Al-Barqa, Turaif, Al-Tanuma, Khasiba and others. All these villages are located on one line and extend for more than seventy kilometers from the north and south, on the commercial road and the Hajj Basri road that connects them to Al-Hijaz. This road branches off to the northwestern side of Madinah, and to the southwestern side of Makkah. The governorate is surrounded on the northern side by Hail, on the southwestern side by Buraydah, and on the eastern side by Ad-Dana.

An-Nabhaniyah Governorate

An-Nabhaniyah Governorate, one of the governorates of Al-Qassim region in central Saudi Arabia, is considered the sixth largest population in the region, with a population of about 46,558 people according to the Saudi census of 2022.

The governorate is located west of Al-Qassim region, 126 kilometers southwest of Buraydah, the seat of the emirate of the region. It is bordered to the north by the governorate of Uglat Asugour and Buraydah, to the east by the governorate of Riyadh Al-Khabra, to the south by the governorate of Dhariya, and to the west by Al-Madina region.

Oyoun Al-Jawa Governorate

Oyoun Al-Jawa Governorate is one of the governorates of Al-Qassim Province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in the northwest of the region, and is considered one of the five governorates that are considered the least populated in the region. Only about 2.2% of the population of Al-Qassim region lives in it, with a population of about 29,178 people in 2022.

Oyoun Al-Jawa Governorate is classified as category (B), and includes seven administrative centers: Busaiteen, Ghaf Al-Jawa, Othal, Al-Tarraq, Al-Mukhram, Rawd Al-Jawa, and Kabd. The governorate is located about 42 kilometers from Buraydah, the seat of the region's emirate.

Riyadh Al-Khabra Governorate

Riyadh Al-Khabra Governorate is located in the western part of Al-Qassim region at coordinates 46.44 and 24.46, and rises above sea level by 654 meters. It is 74 kilometers from Buraydah, 46 kilometers from Unayzah and 15 kilometers from Al-Rass. The center of the governorate passes through Al-Qassim Old City Road, while the highway passes in the northern part of it, in addition to Rabigh College Road.

Al-Shamasiyah Governorate

Al-Shamasiyah Governorate is one of the governorates of Al-Qassim region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and is considered the eastern front of Al-Qassim. The governorate is famous for agriculture, especially palm cultivation, and is considered a tourist destination for residents and visitors to the region during the spring.

Uglat Asugour Governorate

Uglat Asugour Governorate is one of the governorates of Al-Qassim region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, classified within category (B), and it is the smallest governorate in terms of population in the region after Al-Shamasiyah Governorate, with a population of about 20,805 people according to the Saudi census for the year 2022, representing only 1.55% of the population of Al-Qassim region.

Geographically, Uglat Asugour province is located west of Al-Qassim region, about 210 kilometers west of the city of Buraydah, the seat of the region's emirate. It is bordered to the north by the Hail region, to the east by the western part of Buraydah Governorate and the northern part of Riyadh Al-Khabra Governorate, to the south by An-Nabhaniyah Governorate, while it is bordered to the west by the Madinah region.

Uglat Asugour Governorate includes 12 administrative centers, namely: Al-Hasouniya, Al-Tarfawi, Qatn, Al-Muhailani, Ambari, Zoqan Al-Rakaya, Fayda Theban, Al-Hamiliya, Al-Amayr, Shaqran Al-Hajar, Al-Jifn, and Al-Nuqra.

Dariyah Governorate

Dariyah Governorate is one of the governorates of Al-Qassim Province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, classified under category (B), and includes 13 administrative centers. It is considered the third smallest governorate in terms of population in the region, with only 20,826 residents of Al-Qassim region, according to the 2022 Saudi census, representing 1.6% of the total population of the region.

Abanat Province

Abanat Governorate (Dulai Rashid) is located in Al-Qassim region, east of Jabal Aban al-Ahmar and west of the city of Ar-Rass at a distance of about 85 km. It has a population of approximately 17,000 people.