Jizan Province
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jizan (Arabic: جيزان) is a province of Saudi Arabia. It stretches some 300km along the southern Red Sea coast, just north of Yemen. It covers an area of 11,671 km² and a population of 1,186,139 (2004 census). The capital is the city of Jizan. The province includes over 100 islands in the Red Sea. The Farasan Islands, Saudi Arabi's first protected area, are home to the endangered Arabian gazelle and, in winter, migratory birds from Europe.
Geographically, the province divides into three.
- The Al-Sarawat mountains inland are a continuation of the mountains of Ethiopia and the Rift Valley. The highest peak in Jizan (and in Saudi Arabia), is the Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m above sea level.
- The Alhazoun forest district consists of forest broken by some areas of rich pasture.
- The plains are noted for the production of coffee beans, grain crops (barley, millet and wheat) and fruit (apples, bananas, grapes, mangoes, papayas, plums and citrus varieties).
Though the climate on the highlands is similar to the relatively wetter climate of 'Asir, the coastal regions of Jizan province are part of Tihamah, probably the hottest place in the world, with mean maximum temperatures ranging from 40°C (104°F) in July to 31°C (88°F) in January. High humidity from coatal lagoons makes the climate even less bearable than it would be otherwise. Rainfall is extremely low at less than 75 millimetres (3 inches) per year.
[edit] See also
| Provinces of Saudi Arabia |  |
|---|---|
| Al Bahah | Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah | Al Jawf | Al Madinah | Al Qasim | Ar Riyad | Ash Sharqiyah | 'Asir | Ha'il | Jizan | Makkah | Najran | Tabuk | |
