Jizan Province
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Map showing province |
Jizan (
Arabic: جيزان) is a
province of
Saudi Arabia. It stretches some 300km along the southern
Red Sea coast, just north of
Yemen. It covers an area of 11,671 km² and a population of 1,186,139 (
2004 census). The capital is the city of
Jizan. The province includes over 100 islands in the Red Sea. The
Farasan Islands, Saudi Arabi's first protected area, are home to the endangered Arabian gazelle and, in winter, migratory birds from Europe.
Geographically, the province divides into three.
*The
Al-Sarawat mountains inland are a continuation of the mountains of
Ethiopia and the
Rift Valley. The highest peak in Jizan (and in Saudi Arabia), is the Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m above sea level.
*The
Alhazoun forest district consists of forest broken by some areas of rich pasture.
*The plains are noted for the production of coffee beans, 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 world, with mean maximum temperatures ranging from 40°C (104°F) in July to 31°C (88°F) in January. High humidity from coatal
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.
Saudi Arabia annexed
'Asir,
Najran, and Jizan from Yemen in
1934. Like 'Asir, the regions culture has more in common with Yemen than the rest of Saudi Arabia with a highly tribal social structure.
*
Greater Yemen
