Al-Muwayh Governorate
Al-Muwayh Governorate (Muḥāfad͟hat Al Muwayh) is one of the governorates in Makkah Al-Mukarramah Province, western Saudi Arabia. Its population is 29,065 according to the statistics of the Saudi Census 2022. It served as an important point for the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, where he met with the people of the Bedouin tribes on his way from Najd to Makkah Al-Mukarramah. The first airplane he traveled on also landed in Al-Muwayh during the early stages of the Saudi Arabia's unification.
Al-Muwayh Governorate location
Al-Muwayh Governorate is located in the northern part of Makkah al-Mukarramah Province, covering an area of 21,736 km². Its population stands at 29,065 residents, according to the Saudi Census 2022.
Centers
Al-Muwayh Governorate is classified as a Category (B) governorate, according to the classification of regions, governorates, and administrative centers in Saudi Arabia. It oversees 17 administrative centers—4 Category (A) centers and 13 Category (B) centers. They are:
| Center | Category |
|---|---|
| Al-Zurban | A |
| Umm Al-Doum | A |
| Radwan | A |
| Zulm | A |
| Mulhah | B |
| Al-Rafayah | B |
| Al-Nasaif | B |
| Al-Bahrah | B |
| Al-Hafar | B |
| Al-Muzairah | B |
| Al-Ruwailiyah Al-Sahluj | B |
| Al-Raghiyah | B |
| Al-Ruknah | B |
| Dughaibijah | B |
| Mashash Al-Tarif | B |
| Al-Awali | B |
Historical monuments in Al-Muwayh Governorate
Al-Muwayh Governorate is home to several historical sites associated with the period of the Saudi Arabia's unification. These include King Abdulaziz Palace, King Abdulaziz Mosque, and ancient wells constructed in circular, square, hexagonal, and rectangular shapes.
King Abdulaziz Palace in Old Al-Muwayh was built in 1938 and designed in an ancient Islamic style, covering an area of approximately 14,850 m among the ruins of mud houses and dwellings in Al-Muwayh. The palace is located two hundred km north of Taif and forty km from New Al-Muwayh.
Services
Residents use Taif International Airport, located 205 km from Al-Muwayh Governorate, as it is the closest airport to it. The governorate can be reached via Highway 40, which begins in Jeddah City in the west of Saudi Arabia and ends in Dammam in the Eastern Province. This highway serves as the main land transport hub for traveling to and from Al-Muwayh.
Sources
General Authority for Statistics.
General Authority of Civil Aviation.