Ranyah Governorate
Ranyah Governorate (Muḥāfad͟hat Ranyah) is one of the governorates of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Province, west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is classified as a Category B governorate. Ranyah Governorate is the seventh-smallest governorate in Makkah Al-Mukarramah Province by population. According to the latest official statistics, approximately 0.6 percent of the province's population lives in Ranyah, with a population of about 49,854.
Location
Ranyah Governorate is located to the southeast of the area, with an area of 62,000 square kilometers, and it is at the bottom of Wadi Ranyah's large basin next to al-Kor Mountain and overlooks the sands of Nafud Subay'. Its villages and ancient neighborhoods extend on both banks of the valley. The city is at the center of a wide circle amid the mountains, with a diameter ranging from 18 to 20 km.
Ranyah is considered one of the modern governorates, as it became a Category (B) governorate in 1980, and comprises eight administrative centers, as well as several villages, settlements, and Bedouin communities.
Centers
Ranyah Governorate comprises eight administrative centers:
| Center | Category |
|---|---|
| Haddi | B |
| Khadhan | B |
| Al-Amlah | A |
| Warshah | B |
| Al-Ghafah | B |
| Al-Ufairiyah | A |
| Al-Uwaylah | B |
| Al-Shaqran | B |
Topography
Ranyah Governorate has a distinctive geographical diversity, including volcanic lava fields, mountains, plateaus, plains, and sandy deserts due to the long slope of the governorate's land. Mining sites are available in the governorate, including decorative and granite stones. They constitute solid and homogeneous rock masses of bright and diverse colors.
The governorate includes a series of mountains mentioned in the books and poems of pre-Islamic poetry, in addition to caves, rock carvings, and historical inscriptions.
Transport services in Ranyah Governorate
Bisha Airport is located approximately 150 km from Ranyah and is the nearest airport to the governorate. Ranyah can be reached by land via Secondary Road 255, which serves as the main land transport route for travel to and from Ranyah.
Sources
The Emirate of Makkah Province.
General Authority for Statistics.
General Authority of Civil Aviation.