Thar Governorate

Thar Governorate is one of the governorates in Najran Province, located south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is the third least populated governorate in the province, accounting for 2.26 percent of Najran Province's population, with an estimated population of 13,391 according to the Saudi Census 2022.

Thar Governorate is located in the west-central part of Najran Province, approximately sixty-nine km north of the provincial capital, Najran City. It is bordered to the north by Yadamah Governorate, to the west by Aseer Province, to the east by Sharurah Governorate, and to the south by the governorates of Khibash, Hubuna, and Badr al-Janoub.

Based on the level of civil services, Thar Governorate is classified as a category (B) governorate. It includes seven centers, four of which are category (A): as-Sari, as-Safah, Hima, and Qatan. The remaining three are category (B): Thajer, al-Jawshan, and al-Muhammadiyah.

In ancient times, trade caravans would stop at the historic wells of Hima in Thar before branching into two routes: one heading northeast across the Arabian Peninsula through al-Faw Village, and the other traveling north and west through Jerash, then to Makkah al-Mukarramah, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, AlUla, and onward to the Levant and Egypt.

Additionally, Thar Governorate encompasses a diverse natural landscape, including sand dunes, mountain ranges, open plains, and valleys such as Qatan Valley and Thar Valley. It also features significant historical and archaeological sites, including ancient ruins and inscriptions.

Thar Governorate includes two dams: Qatan Valley Dam, located in Qatan Center, is a concrete dam with a storage capacity of 758,500 m³, a length of 123 m, and a height of 13 m, while al-Maghwa Dam, located in as-Safah Center, is also a concrete dam with a storage capacity of 208,340 m³, a length of 72.6 m, and a height of thirteen m.

Residents and visitors of Thar Governorate use Najran Airport, the nearest airport, located seventy-three km away. Najran Airport is a domestic airport with an annual capacity of approximately 1.4 million passengers.
Secondary Road 1220 runs through its territory, connecting Yadmah Governorate to Secondary Road 177. It serves as the main land transportation hub for accessing and traveling to and from Thar Governorate.