Al-Khafji Governorate

Al-Khafji Governorate is one governorate in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the six Eastern Province governorates with the lowest populations. According to the 2022 census, al-Khafji Governorate is home to approximately 84,316 residents.

The name al-Khafji is derived from various associations related to the local environment. These include al-Khafsi and al-Khufaqi, and the two words signify a low-lying place. It was also named al-Khafij due to the salinity of the water. Some attribute the name to al-Khafj plant, which is a spring plant with broad leaves. It may also be linked to one of al-Khafaji tribes, a lineage of the Aqeel tribe. It is said that it was originally Khafaji, and the letter A was dropped, so it is pronounced Khafji.

Al-Khafji Governorate is located three hundred km north of Dammam, the emirate of the province, in the far north-eastern part of the Eastern Province. It is one of the Category (B) governorates in the administrative classification. It is bordered to the north by the border town of al-Khafji and the State of Kuwait, to the east by the Arabian Gulf, to the south by Abu Hadriah and al-Nairyah Governorate, and to the west by Hafar al-Batin Governorate and the village of al-Olaya. Its area covers eight thousand km².

Al-Khafji Governorate is divided into two centers: al-Safaniya and Abraq al-Kubrit. There is also Ras Mish'ab, which is a military and residential area, as well as Tanajib, which is a Saudi Aramco business area.

The significance of al-Khafji Governorate arises from its location on the international road that connects the Gulf countries, from Kuwait in the north to Oman in the south. Additionally, the presence of mining activities and petroleum extraction and refining plants on land and at sea adds to its importance.

King Fahd Airport in Dammam serves the residents of the governorate, which is an international airport located 282 km from al-Khafji. There is also the local Qaisumah Airport, which is the nearest airport to the city, located 278 km away from the city center.

Highway ninety-five serves as the main land transportation route in the city, providing access to the governorate and facilitating travel between major cities in the Kingdom.