Harub Governorate

Harub Governorate is one of the governorates of Jazan Province in the southwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the fourth-smallest governorate in terms of population. It is home to only 2.12 percent of the Jazan Province's population, equivalent to about 30,709 people, according to the 2022 Saudi Census.

Harub Governorate is a mountainous governorate located within the higher parts of Jazan Province, on the western highlands of the Sarawat Mountains, one hundred km northeast of the city of Jazan. It contains a number of the province's famous mountains, such as Adahi, al-Bazekh, and al-Faqara.

Harub Governorate supervises five administrative centers: Manjid, Razan, Hijin, al-Jowain, and Wasa', and contains branches for most government agencies, serving more than eighty-seven villages and hamlets.

Facets of development and services are noticeable in Harub Governorate, including seventy-nine primary, middle, and secondary schools, including forty-four boys' schools and thirty-five girls' schools. The governorate also has four primary healthcare centers.

Residents and visitors of Harub Governorate rely on King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Jazan, the nearest airport, located eighty-five km away. It is a regional airport with a capacity of up to nine hundred thousand passengers per year.

For land transport, the governorate is supported by a road network, including the Harub-al-Sahalil Road, al-Haqu-Harub-Azayin Road, al-Kadmi-Harub Road, and the Sabya-Harub Road.

Development and service expansion activities continue in Harub. The sports stadium project was opened in 2021 and built on the side of the Wadi Harub Valley to support the youth and sports sector in the governorate. It has a total area of 6,520 m2. The stadium consists of a football pitch and a volleyball court, with spectator stands for both, plus parking lots.

Aerial image of Harub Governorate. (King Abdulaziz Foundation)

Harub Governorate has many socioeconomic activities that reflect the heritage and authenticity of the governorate. The popular market is one of the most prominent heritage sites in the governorate, receiving visitors from the city of Jazan and beyond in the early morning hours each Sunday. It also attracts vendors and buyers from various centers and villages in the governorate. The weekly market is a live exhibition of the governorate's heritage of traditional and ceramic tools used in eating, drinking, and clothing.

Wadi Razan is another important tourist attraction in Harub Governorate, ninety km northeast of Jazan City. Like other tourist sites in Jazan Province, it is witnessing an increasing turnout of visitors from inside and outside the province to enjoy its warm weather and picturesque vistas. The governorate also hosts the Harub Magic of the South 2 festival.

Wadi Razan is characterized by dense forests, perennial trees, flowing springs, warm waters, and a year-round moderate atmosphere, making it a constant destination for visitors. The valley combines the beauty of mountain rocks formed by the elements with the purity of its white valley soil, flowing water springs, and greenery of perennial cider, desert rose, Dawam, and aloe. The valley also teems with banana plantations, white and red corn, millet, and aromatic plants such as Narcissus, Char, Saibaran, Bu'aithiran, Kadi, Sheikh, and Walah, among others.