Overview of Makkah Region

Makkah Al-Mukarramah region ranks second among the regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in terms of population density, after the Riyadh region, according to the 2022 population census. The total population of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region is about 8,021,463 people, of whom 4,153,723 are Saudi citizens, and 3,867,740 are non-Saudi residents, according to data issued by the General Authority for Statistics for the year 2022.

Cities and governorates of the region

Holy Capital Governorate

The Holy Capital Governorate is one of the governorates of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and forms part of the Makkah region, with sixteen neighboring governorates. The governorate is located 880 kilometers southeast of the capital Riyadh, and 400 kilometers from Medina. It is also about 75 kilometers east of the city of Taif, and 72 kilometers from the city of Jeddah.

Jeddah Governorate

Located on the Red Sea coast, Jeddah is one of the most important cities in Saudi Arabia, as it is considered the economic and commercial capital of the country. Jeddah is strategically located and has a vast area of more than 70 square kilometers, with a population of over 4.5 million. Its foundation dates back about 3,000 years, and it was founded by a group of fishermen. Jeddah is famous for its major shopping malls and notable tourist attractions such as Al Raghama Tower, Jeddah Islamic Port and Jeddah Fountain. It also includes some of the oldest mosques in the region such as Al-Shafi'i Mosque and Al-Basha Mosque located in Harat Al-Sham.

Taif Governorate

Taif Governorate is strategically located as a distinguished tourist destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Taif is one of the major governorates in the Makkah region and enjoys mild weather throughout the year, making it a favorite stop for pilgrims and visitors coming to Makkah. It enjoys great popularity as a tourist destination thanks to the natural diversity it offers and the tourist services available in it. The rise in visitor numbers is attributed to the continuous development of tourism infrastructure and the growing interest in tourism in the region in recent years.

Rabigh Governorate

Rabigh is a Saudi city located in the Makkah region, and is considered one of the ancient cities due to its coastal location on the Red Sea in the Hijaz region. It was inhabited by residents of the ancient Kinana tribe, famous for trade, who took advantage of the port and the city's location on Mecca's trade caravan route. Its climate has pleasant weather, fertile soil, and is characterized by large amounts of rainfall. In ancient times, the city witnessed prosperity and its people enjoyed a comfortable life, and its origin goes back to the meaning of "softness" or "well-being"

Al-Qunfudhah Governorate

Al-Qunfudhah Governorate is one of the largest governorates of the Makkah Region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, extending over an area of about 7,032 square kilometers, constituting approximately 3.65% of the region's area. It ranks ninth among the governorates of the region in terms of area. It overlooks the coasts of the Red Sea from the west, and passes through the international coastal road linking Jeddah to Jizan. It is located about 360 kilometers south of Makkah Province, and about 334 kilometers from the city of Jeddah. Its inception dates back to 1311 A.D., corresponding to the year 709 A.H., during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Suleiman Al-Mustakfi Billah.

Turbah Governorate

Turbah Governorate is located in the southwest of the Makkah Region in Saudi Arabia. It is about 150 kilometers from the city of Taif, and enjoys its location in Awali Najd. Its climate is desert, with cold in winter and hot in summer.

Al-Lith Governorate

Al-Lith Governorate is characterized by its magnificent coastal location on the coasts of the Red Sea, which gives it exceptional attractiveness. It is located in the southern part of Makkah Region, 180 kilometers from the city of Makkah. Al-Lith was once a trading center where it received large ships from Jizan, Yemen and the coasts of Africa, and exported various goods to the cities of Mecca, Jeddah and others, making it a vital commercial heart in the region.

Al-Jumum Governorate

Al-Jumum Governorate is one of the governorates of the Makkah Province in western Saudi Arabia, and is considered the seventh largest population in the region. It is classified as category (B) and has an area of 5845.17 square kilometers. It has a population of 89,575.

Khulais Governorate

Khulais Governorate is one of the main governorates in Makkah province in Saudi Arabia, strategically located in Tihama Province.

It is about 90 kilometers from Jeddah Governorate, 100 kilometers from Makkah, specifically to the northeastern side of the migration road, and about 30 kilometers from the eastern side of the Red Sea coast.

Khulais is one of the governorates that are characterized by the abundance of valleys of large size such as Wadi Khulais, Wadi Gran, Wadi Satara, and Wadi Qudaid. It has a population of about 57,000, making it one of the most important demographically and geographically important areas in the region.

Adham Governorate

Adham Governorate is located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and it is part of the Makkah Al-Mukarramah region, and it is located to the southwest of the city of Taif, and it is about one hundred and sixty kilometers from Al-Lith Governorate through the southern road, while it is about three hundred and seventy kilometers from Jeddah Governorate via the northern road.

AL-Khurma Governorate

Al-Khurma Governorate is considered one of the governorates of Makkah Province in western Saudi Arabia, and it is considered one of the smallest governorates in the region in terms of population, as its population constitutes only 0.5% of the region's population, estimated at 38,744 people, according to the Saudi census of 2022.

Al-Khurma Governorate is administratively classified under category (A), and consists of four administrative centers: Al-Ghareef Center, Abu Marwa Center, Dhalim Center, and Al-Khabra Center.

Ranyah Governorate

Ranyah Governorate is located in the Makkah Al-Mukarramah region in western Saudi Arabia, and is classified under category (B) of the governorates. 

The governorate consists of 7 administrative centers: Al-Aferiya, Al-Aweila, Al-Ghafa, Al-Melh, Hadda, Warsha, and Khadan.

Ranyah Governorate is among the smallest governorates in the Makkah region in terms of population, with a population constituting 0.6% of the total population of the region. It has a population of about 49,854 according to the latest official statistics.

Governorate of Ardiyat

The Governorate of Ardiyat is located in the southwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and is administratively affiliated to Makkah Province. It is bordered to the north by Al-Makhwah Governorate and Ghamed Al-Zinad Governorate, to the south by Bariq and Al-Mujardah Governorates, to the east by Balqarn Governorate, and to the west by Al-Qunfudhah, and the population of the governorate is about (65,078) people.

Al-Muwayh Governorate

Al-Muwayh Governorate is one of the important governorates in the Makkah region, located in the west of Saudi Arabia. With a population of about 29,065 people, Al-Muwayh also carries great historical importance, as it was an important station for the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, where he met the sons of the Badia during his journey from Najd to Mecca, and Al Muwayh was historically the place where the first plane of King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud landed during the period of the beginning of the unification of the Kingdom.

Maysan Governorate

Maysan Governorate is strategically located in the west of Saudi Arabia, administratively affiliated to the Makkah region. It is bordered to the north by Taif Governorate, to the east by Turbah Governorate, while Al-Lith Governorate is to the west. It is also bordered by the Al-Baha region to the southeast, and Adham Governorate to the southwest. Maysan is an important hub in the economic and social fabric of the region, characterized by the diversity of its nature and the richness of its natural resources.

Bahrah Governorate

Bahrah Governorate is one of the prominent governorates in the Makkah region, located in the west of Saudi Arabia, and is the sixth most populous governorate in the region. It has about 94,603 inhabitants on an area of 4756.21 km². The governorate administratively consists of four main centers: um al-Rakah, Shuaiba, Daffaq, and Al-Bayda, which is known as Al-Bayda and includes a number of important factories and the Shuaiba desalination plant. It also includes a water treatment plant with a capacity of 500 cubic meters per day, serving developmental housing in the region. Bahra is located west of the city of Makkah, bordered to the south by Al-Lith Governorate, to the north by Jeddah Governorate, to the east by Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the governorates of Al-Jumum and Taif, and to the west by Jeddah Governorate and the Red Sea. It is about 34 kilometers east of Jeddah and 58 kilometers from Makkah.