Abha
| Abha أبها |
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 Abha
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| Coordinates: 18°13′24″N 42°30′26″E / 18.22333°N 42.50722°ECoordinates: 18°13′24″N 42°30′26″E / 18.22333°N 42.50722°E | |
| Country |  Saudi Arabia |
| Province | Asir |
| Government | |
| • Prince | Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud |
| Elevation | 2,200 m (7,200 ft) |
| Population (2004) | |
| • Total | 201,912 |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
| • Summer (DST) | EAT (UTC+3) |
Abha (Arabic: أبها Abhā) is the capital of Asir province in Saudi Arabia. It is situated at (2,200 meters) above sea level in the fertile mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia near the Asir National Park. Its mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination for Saudis. According to 2004 census figures it has a population of 201,912 with an estimate of 252,126 for 2009.[1]
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Geography and climate [edit]
Abha is located in the Southern Region of Asir, it is highly elevated and it is home to the culminating point in Saudi Arabia, Jabal Al Sooda (the rock mountain) which stands at around 3000 metres (10,000 feet) high. Abha is the administrative capital of the Asir region, containing government buildings and extensive medical and educational facilities.
The climate of Abha is semi-arid (Köppen: BSh) and it is influenced by city's high elevation.[2] However, in stark contrast to a large portion of Saudi Arabia, the climate in Abha is both cooler and wetter. The city is generally mild throughout the year, though it’s noticeably cooler during the “low-sun” season. Abha seldom sees temperatures rise above 35 C during the course of the year. The city averages 600 mm of rainfall annually, with the bulk of the precipitation occurring between June and October.
| Climate data for Abha , Saudi Arabia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.0 (89.6) |
33.2 (91.8) |
34.9 (94.8) |
35.0 (95) |
36.5 (97.7) |
37.1 (98.8) |
36.8 (98.2) |
37.0 (98.6) |
35.4 (95.7) |
34.2 (93.6) |
33.6 (92.5) |
32.7 (90.9) |
37.1 (98.8) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 20.8 (69.4) |
21.1 (70) |
22.2 (72) |
23.4 (74.1) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.0 (80.6) |
27.7 (81.9) |
27.8 (82) |
25.4 (77.7) |
23.1 (73.6) |
21.5 (70.7) |
20.3 (68.5) |
23.91 (75.03) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 9.8 (49.6) |
10.3 (50.5) |
11.6 (52.9) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.5 (56.3) |
14.9 (58.8) |
15.8 (60.4) |
15.6 (60.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
11.7 (53.1) |
10.1 (50.2) |
9.0 (48.2) |
12.32 (54.17) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −1.0 (30.2) |
0.4 (32.7) |
3.6 (38.5) |
4.5 (40.1) |
5.7 (42.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
5.9 (42.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
3.3 (37.9) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 11.8 (0.465) |
14.6 (0.575) |
18.1 (0.713) |
20.0 (0.787) |
14.4 (0.567) |
49.9 (1.965) |
157.2 (6.189) |
167.8 (6.606) |
92.6 (3.646) |
24.7 (0.972) |
10.0 (0.394) |
12.1 (0.476) |
594.2 (23.394) |
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Landmarks and culture [edit]
Al Watan, which is one of the main Saudi daily newspapers, has its head office and main printing presses in Abha. The Saudi government has been promoting Abha as a tourist destination and has created events, such as the Abha Festival during the summer, to draw people to the city. Events are organized to attract visitors to discover the city and its surroundings, such as sporting events, shows, exhibitions and musical performances by famous Arabic poets and singers. Artist Talal Maddah died on stage during a performance in Abha.[3] The old Shadda Palace, thought to have been built around 1820, has been converted to a museum. Also of note is Abha Great Mosque,[4] the Al-Tahy restaurant,[5] the Abha Palace Hotel and fun park next to Lake Saad.[4] The New Abha five-star hotel is a recent development 1.5 km southwest of the town on the lake.[4] Saptco Bus Station lies opposite the mosque.[4] Abha International Airport lies to the east of the city, on the road to Khamis Mushait.
Education [edit]
King Khalid University is a public university in Abha, founded in 1999 as a result of merging the Imam Muhammed Bin Saud University of Islamic Studies and King Saud University of The South.
References [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Abha |
- ^ "Saudi Arabia: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ Mays, Larry (10 April 2009). Integrated Urban Water Management: Arid and Semi-Arid Regions: UNESCO-IHP. CRC Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-415-45348-6. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ Buchele, Nicholas (2009). Saudi Arabia Culture Smart. Kuperard.
- ^ a b c d Ham, Anthony; Shams, Martha Brekhus; Madden, Andrew (15 September 2004). Saudi Arabia. Lonely Planet. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-74059-667-1. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ Walker, Jenny; Butler, Stuart (1 October 2010). Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula. Lonely Planet. p. 336. ISBN 978-1-74179-145-7. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
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