| Provinces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia مناطق المملكة العربية السعودية | |
|---|---|
| Category | Provinces within aunitary state |
| Location | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Number | 13 |
| Populations | 373,577 (Northern Borders Province) – 8,591,748 (Riyadh Province) |
| Areas | 9,920 km2 (3,831 sq mi) (Al-Baha Province) – 672,520 km2 (259,662 sq mi) (Eastern Province) |
| Government |
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| Subdivisions | |
Theprovinces of Saudi Arabia, also known asregions (Arabic:مناطق المملكة العربية السعودية,romanized: Manāṭiq al-Mamlakat il-'Arabiyyat il-Sa'udiyyah), are the 13 first-leveladministrative divisions of theKingdom of Saudi Arabia.[1][2][3]
Prior to theunification of Saudi Arabia in 1932, theArabian Peninsula was composed of several distinct regions, many of which had been part of or influenced by theOttoman Empire, including theHejaz Vilayet and theLahsa Eyalet. Earlier in the region’s history, theFirst Saudi state and theSecond Saudi state had established Saudi rule over much ofNajd and its surroundings, laying the groundwork for later unification efforts. After unification, these historical regions — such asNajd,Asir — along with former Ottoman territories likeHejaz, formed the basis for the kingdom’s evolving administrative divisions, which were later reorganized into modern provinces.[1]
KingFahd issued Royal Order A/92 on March 2, 1992, known as Law of the Provinces,[4] which provided for the division of the kingdom into 13 provinces. Subsequently, the five previous provinces were divided into thirteen provinces, called provinces (manātiq), each governed by administrative bodies called the emirates of the provinces (imārāt al-manātiq). The provinces form the first-level administrative division of theOrganization of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are further divided into 136governorates (muḥāfaẓāt), which are the second-level division,[3] which are further subdivided into 1,347 municipal-level units (marakiz), and further subdivided into villages (qura) and neighborhoods (ahya).
As of 2025, there are 139 governorates in Saudi Arabia.
Each province is governed by anEmir (provincial governor), who is assisted by the deputyemir, callednā'ib. The persons holding these positions are appointed by theKing of Saudi Arabia. Theemir is given the rank of minister, while the deputyemir is given the rank ofexcellence.[3]
| # | Province | Historical region | Seat / Largest city | Governorates | Marakiz | Population (2022 census)[5] | Area (km2) | Density (per km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asir Province | South Arabia | Abha /Khamis Mushait | 17 | 101 | 2,024,285 | 76,693 | 26.40 |
| 2 | Al-Baha Province | Hejaz | Al-Baha | 9 | 35 | 339,174 | 9,921 | 34.20 |
| 3 | Al-Jawf Province | Badiyat al-Sham | Sakaka | 3 | 33 | 595,822 | 100,212 | 5.95 |
| 4 | Al-Qassim Province | Najd | Buraydah | 12 | 153 | 1,336,179 | 58,046 | 23.01 |
| 5 | Eastern Province | Eastern Arabia | Dammam | 12 | 107 | 5,125,254 | 672,522 | 7.62 |
| 6 | Hail Province | Najd | Hail | 8 | 84 | 746,406 | 103,887 | 7.19 |
| 7 | Jazan Province | South Arabia | Jizan | 16 | 31 | 1,404,997 | 11,671 | 120.43 |
| 8 | Mecca Province | Hejaz | Mecca /Jeddah | 17 | 111 | 7,769,994 | 153,128 | 50.76 |
| 9 | Medina Province | Hejaz | Medina | 8 | 90 | 2,389,452 | 151,990 | 15.72 |
| 10 | Najran Province | South Arabia | Najran | 6 | 59 | 592,300 | 149,511 | 3.96 |
| 11 | Northern Borders Province | Badiyat al-Sham | Arar | 3 | 17 | 373,577 | 111,797 | 3.34 |
| 12 | Riyadh Province | Najd | Riyadh | 22 | 453 | 8,591,748 | 404,240 | 21.25 |
| 13 | Tabuk Province | Hejaz | Tabuk | 6 | 73 | 886,036 | 146,072 | 6.07 |
| Total | 13 | 139 | 1,347 | 32,175,224 | 2,149,690 | 14.97 | ||
| Code | Province (EN) | Province (AR) |
|---|---|---|
| SA-14 | Asir Province | عسير |
| SA-11 | Al-Baha Province | الباحة |
| SA-08 | Northern Borders Province | الحدود الشمالية |
| SA-12 | Al-Jawf Province | الجوف |
| SA-03 | Medina Province | المدينة المنورة |
| SA-05 | Al-Qassim Province | القصيم |
| SA-01 | Riyadh Province | الرياض |
| SA-04 | Eastern Province | الشرقية |
| SA-06 | Hail Province | حائل |
| SA-09 | Jazan Province | جازان |
| SA-02 | Mecca Province | مكة |
| SA-10 | Najran Province | نجران |
| SA-07 | Tabuk Province | تبوك |
Media related toProvinces of Saudi Arabia at Wikimedia Commons
