Ghamid

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Ghamid (Arabic: غامد‎) is an Arab tribe originating primarily from the region of Al-Bahah in southwestern Saudi Arabia. The tribe is of South Arabian stock (see Qahtan), and is believed to be closely related to the neighboring tribe of Zahran. The history of Ghamid goes back to the pre-Islamic era, and many members of Ghamid joined the forces of the early Muslim empire. Though no exact or reliable statistics exist, Ghamid today is generally considered one of the larger tribes in Saudi Arabia in terms of membership. Like most other tribes in the southwestern region of the country, Ghamid is divided into three large groups, based on geography and lifestyle: the mountaneers (sarat) in the central highlands of Al-Baha and 'Asir, the bedouins (badyah) in the desert regions to the east, and the tohm who inhabit the narrow plain of Tihama on the Red Sea coast. Their religion is almost entirely Sunni Muslim. Like other tribes from the southwestern region, many members of Ghamid (called Ghamdis in Arabic) have emigrated in recent decades to the three major metropolitan centers of Saudi Arabia, namely Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, in search of better education and employment. Their presence is felt most heavily in Dammam, and Ghamdis have been employed in great numbers by the Saudi national oil company, Aramco, at various levels, including vice president.