Rabigh Governorate

Rabigh is one of the oldest coastal governorates in Makkah al-Mukarramah Province. It is located on the northern side in the west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It stretches around six thousand km and has many factories and industrial companies in addition to King Abdullah Economic City. It is made up of six administrative centers with more than seventy-nine villages and hamlets and is populated by 112,383 people, which makes up 1.4 percent of the region's residents.

Rabigh stretches along the Red Sea's western coast with a waterfront that is 100 km long. The governorate is located in the center of the coastal regional hub that connects Makkah al-Mukarramah with Jeddah all the way to Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and Yanbu in the north. It is bordered in the north and east by Badr, al-Medina al-Munawwarah, and al-Mahd governorates in al-Medina Province, and by Jeddah Governorate in the south.

Rabigh has six administrative centers: Hajar, which is 90 km away from Rabigh, and includes Rabigh and Hajar valleys; Al Qudimah, where King Abdullah Economic City is located, in addition to Al Abwa'; Al Nuaibea'a; Mastorah; and Mughiniyah.

One of the miqats (Al-Juhfah) is located next to Rabigh, which is designated for residents of the Levant, Egypt, and Morocco. Consequently, Rabigh became an old hub for trading markets that pilgrims would pass by. Moreover, it became a fishing center due to its coastal location, and an agriculture center where palm, wheat, watermelon, and vegetables are grown.

Rabigh is one of the industrial governorates in the Kingdom. It has a number of factories and companies, including Aramco Refinery, Petro Rabigh which is affiliated with Aramco, Saudi Cement, Al Zamil Heavy Industries LTD, and Rabigh Power Plant, among other industrial companies.

Within the limits of King Abdullah Economic City, the governorate includes King Abdullah Port, and a station for the Haramain High-Speed railway.

Rabigh enjoys an ancient Islamic history, as it used to be a stop on the path of the Prophet’s hijra from Makkah to Medina. It also witnessed some historical events, such as the Battle of Waddan and the Battle of Banu Mustaliq. Moreover, Alia Historical Palace and Al-Juhfa Fort are two of its historical monuments.