Al-Hasa

This article refers to the traditional region of Al-Ahsa. For the current Saudi Arabian administrative unit sometimes called Al-Hasa, see: Al-Ahsa Governorate. For other uses see Al-Ahsa.

Al-Ahsa, sometimes Al-Hasa, El Hasa, or Hadjar (Arabic: الأحساء‎ al-Aḥsāʾ, locally al-Ḥasāʾ; Turkish: Lahsa) is a traditional oasis region in eastern Saudi Arabia whose name is used by the Al-Ahsa Governorate, which makes up much of that country's Eastern Province. The oasis is located about 60 km inland from the Persian Gulf.

Al-Ahsa is part of the region known historically as Al-Bahrayn, which includes the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula down to the borders of Oman, and also includes the island of Awal (modern-day Bahrain).

Al-Hasa

Al-Hasa in Saudi Arabia

General Information

In Al-Ahsa city there are:

1. a local airport
2. a train station
3. Two amusement parks
4. Two international schools
5. Two universities
6. many community colleges
7. many bus stations

Main Cities and villages

• Al Hofuf: capital city and has lots of traditional markets.
• Al Mubarraz: large city with many big markets.
• Al-Omran: Comprises more than 15 villages and well known for the intensive number of farms.
• Shaybah: oil town in the Empty Quarter.
• More than 50 Villages.

Productions

1. Oil production and agriculture are the main economic activities.
2. The Ghawar Field is the largest oil field in the world.
3. Agriculture includes rice, corn, citrus and other fruits.
4. Livestock raising of thousands of sheep, goats, and camels.
5. 15 major poultry farms producing approximately 100 million eggs a year.
6. the most popular farm in alhasa is regarding to gardens of

Agriculture

• 10,000 hectares of agricultural lands
• 21,000 tons of dates annually
• more than 30,000 farms producing fruits and vegetables
• more that 2 million palm trees

History

Al-Ahsa has been inhabited since prehistoric times, due to its abundance of water in an otherwise arid region.^{[citation needed]} Natural fresh-water springs have surfaced at oases in the region for millennia, encouraging human habitation and agricultural efforts (date palm cultivation especially) since prehistoric times. Recently, Al-Ahsa Oasis has nominated as one of the seven wonders of the world.

Its early history is similar to that of the eastern Arabian historical region of Bahrain. In 899 A.D., the region came under the control of the Qarmatian leader, Abu Tahir Al-Jannabi, and was declared independent from the Abbasid caliphate of Baghdad. Its capital was at al-Mu'miniya near modern Hofuf. In 1077, the Qarmatian state of Al-Ahsa was overthrown by the Uyunids. Al-Ahsa subsequently fell under the rule of the Bahrani dynasty of the Usfurids, followed by their relatives, the Jabrids, who became one of the most formidable powers in the region, retaking the islands of Bahrain from the princes of Hormuz. The last Jabrid ruler of Bahrain was Muqrin ibn Zamil.

In 1521, the Portuguese Empire conquered the Awal Islands (the islands that comprise present day Bahrain) from the Jabrid ruler Migrin ibn Zamil, who fell strongly in battle. The Jabrids struggled to maintain their position on the mainland in the face of the Ottomans and their tribal allies, the Muntafiq. In 1550, Al-Ahsa and nearby Qatif came under suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire of Suleiman I. Al-Ahsa was nominally the Eyalet of Lahsa in the Ottoman administrative system, but in reality was usually only a vassal of the Porte. Qatif was later lost to the Portuguese.

The Ottomans were expelled from Al-Ahsa in 1670, and the region came under the rule of the chiefs of Banu Khalid tribe.

Al-Ahsa, along with Qatif, was incorporated into the Wahhabist First Saudi State in 1795, but returned to nominal Ottoman control in 1818 with an invasion ordered by Muhammad Ali of Egypt. The Banu Khalid were again installed as rulers of the region but, in 1830, the Second Saudi State re-took the region.

Direct Ottoman rule was restored in 1871, and Al-Ahsa was placed first under Baghdad Vilayet and with Baghdad's subdivision Basra Vilayet in 1875. In 1913, Ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, annexed Al-Ahsa and Qatif into his domain of Najd.

On December 2, 1922, Percy Zachariah Cox officially notified Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Ahmad Al Sabah that Kuwait's borders had been modified. Earlier that year, Major John More, the British representative in Kuwait, had met with Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia to settle the border issue between Kuwait and Najd. The result of the meeting was the Uqair Protocol of 1922, in which Britain recognized Ibn Saud's sovereignty over territories claimed by the emir of Kuwait.

In 1938, petroleum deposits were discovered near Dammam, resulting in the rapid modernization of the region. By the early 1960s, production levels reached 1 million barrels (160,000 m³) per day.

Restaurants

Al Ahsa has large variety of restaurants, from high class restaurants to fast food restaurants.

There are many restaurants namely; Hasa Continental; Solitaire; Ghazal Restaurant; Zaki; Marroush; Safood; Dal-Cheney; Topaz; Coral Plaza; The Village; Hotel Regency; Hotel Hilal; Hotel Star Family; Shalimar Restaurant; and the Fast Food Restaurants are as follows; Pizza Inn; Pizza Hut; Dominos; Pizza Corner; KFC; Krispy Kream Donuts; Hungry Bunny; Good Boy; Catcoot; Sadeddin; Herfy; Kudu; Mc Donalds; Burger King; Cinnabon; Shrimpy; TGI Fridays; and all the Malls have Food Courts...

External links

• Hotel webpage
• Map of Arabia in 1923 showing al-Hasa
• Presentation about Al-Hasa
• Tor Eigeland, 1970, The Twice-Used Water, Saudi Aramco World
• Jon Mandaville, 1974, Al-Hasa: Outpost of Empire, Saudi Aramco World
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