Yanbu

For Chinese silver ingots, known as yambu, see Sycee.

Yanbu' Al Bahr
NASA photograph of Yanbu' al Bahr
Yanbu' Al Bahr
Coordinates: 24°05′N 38°0′E
Country	Saudi Arabia
Province	Al Madinah
Governorate	Yanbu Al Bahr
Established	491 BC
Joined Saudi Arabia 1925
Government
• Mayor
• Provincial Governor	Abdulaziz Bin Majid
Population (2004)
• Total	250,000
	Yanbu Municipality estimate
Postal Code	(5 digits)
Area code(s)	+966-4

Yanbu city.

Yanbu' al Bahr (Arabic: ينبع البحر‎, Yanbuʿ al-Baḥr, "spring by the sea"), also known simply as Yanbu, Yambo or Yenbo, is a major Red Sea port in the Al Madinah province of western Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 300 kilometers north-west of Jeddah (at 24°05′N 38°00′E). The population is 188,430 (2004 census). A large number of the residents are foreign expatriates working in the oil refineries and petrochemical industry, mostly from Asia, but there are also large numbers from the Middle East and Europe.

History

Yanbu's history dates back at least 2500 years, when it was a staging point on the spice and incense route from Yemen to Egypt and the Mediterranean region. Yanbu served as a supply and operational base for Arab and British forces fighting the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

It remained a small port town until 1975, when the Saudi government designated it as one of the country's two new industrial centres (the other being Al Jubayl on the Persian Gulf.) Extensive government and private development have taken place at the port and surrounding area, which is based on the petrochemical industry.

Geography

The city is divided into three villages, about 15 minutes drive by car away from each other. Yanbu is the second largest city by the Red Sea, after Jeddah.

Yanbu Al-Bahr

The Downtown (often called Al-Balad) area is the actual city of Yanbu'al Bahr and has most of the population. Most of the people dwelling here are lower-class and less educated Saudi Arabians, as well as lower-class Asians, lower-class Arabs, Turks, and some Eastern Europeans. Most of the restaurants here cater to the various ethnic groups in the area. The area contains a few international chain restaurants, as well as some coffee shops. Parts of the city, particularly on the edge of the city, are starting to modernize, as new shopping centers as well a new shopping mall are being built. The area as a whole, however, has a rather old, worn out feel to it. Currently, the government is attempting to improve the old and historical part in Yanbu downtown, as many historical buildings are located there. Many, unfortunately, are in a serious state of disrepair.

Yanbu Al-Nakheel

(The Palms) is the older part of the city, where mostly farms would be found. Any residents here are exclusively Saudi Arabian.

Yanbu Al-Sina'iya

(Literally "the industrial Yanbu"), is the industrial city, established in 1975 by Royal Decree to create a Royal Commission to manage the effort to build a new modern city. It has more modern residential architecture and business facilities. This is the area of all the major refineries and petrochemical installations and is still undergoing major growth. This area of Yanbu was a strip of undeveloped coastal desert land on the Red Sea and has been transformed into a totally new, state-of-the-art, world class industrial city.

The city’s mission is to plan, promote, develop, and manage the largest petrochemicals and energy-intensive industrial cities in the Kingdom and plays a major role in the Kingdom’s industrial development and economy. The city is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia's manufacturing economy, and a catalyst for stimulating Saudi Arabia’s economy.

At present, nearly 91,500 people live in Madinat Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah (MYAS).

A total of over $53 billion has been invested by both the city and the private sector in developing the industrial city. These development efforts have resulted in the creation of over 120 industries.

The following highlights Yanbu’s industrial developments: -Third largest global refining hub with more than 1 million barrels/day capacity. -Average annual growth rate of private sector investments for 2007-2011 is 18%. -Average annual growth rate of RC Yanbu infrastructure investments for 2007-2011 is 5.8%. -420 km2 planned expansion of the industrial land. -Largest oil shipping port on the Red Sea and major liquid handling terminal.

The first phase of industrial city occupies 187 Km2 of land, and is approximately 26 km long and 8 km wide. About 30 Km2 is set aside for community development.

More industrial and community facilities are currently under construction or in various stages of development and planning. The city is being expanded by adding 420 km2 of additional land.

With its port on the Red Sea, infrastructure, and central location on the Arabian Shield, Yanbu is ideally situated for the development of the mineral industries. The city is in an excellent position to create a large mineral processing center in the future. The potential mineral projects and opportunities include copper, zinc, aluminum, iron, titanium, phosphate, gypsum, silicon, sulfur, and various industrial minerals.

The industrial city has a residential section near the Royal Commission Head Quarters, whose residents are mostly upper-class Saudi Arabians, upper-income non-Saudi Arabs, upper-income Asians, Europeans, Americans, and other Westerners. It has amenities such as many international chain restaurants, as well as a shopping mall, supermarkets of various sizes, hospitals, banks, and coffee shops.

The Movenpick Hotel, Yanbu's newest and most luxurious hotel, is located here, as is The Cove, a gated residential housing compound built around a large private lagoon. It has a more modern, clean, and more organized feel to it than the Downtown area. It is also greener.

Yanbu Al Sina'ya is also host to one of the biggest flower festivals in the region bringing in more than a million visitors every year.

Climate

Climate data for Yanbu'al Bahr
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	26 (79)	27 (80)	29 (85)	33 (91)	36 (96)	37 (99)	38 (100)	38 (100)	37 (99)	35 (95)	32 (89)	28 (83)	33 (91.3)
Average low °C (°F)	10 (50)	12 (53)	18 (65)	22 (72)	24 (76)	26 (79)	27 (80)	27 (80)	27 (80)	24 (76)	20 (68)	17 (62)	21.2 (70.1)
Precipitation mm (inches)	5 (0.2)	0 (0)	28 (1.1)	8 (0.3)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	13 (0.5)	8 (0.3)	62 (2.4)
Source: Weatherbase

Economy

Yanbu is an important petroleum shipping terminal and is home to three oil refineries, a plastics facility and several other petrochemical plants. It is the country's second port (after Jeddah) and serves as the main port for the holy city of Medina, 160 km (99 mi) to the east. The natural harbour is protected on both sides by wide coral reefs. These reefs remain mostly untouched, making them excellent areas for diving. Three major oil pipelines lead across the desert from the oilfields in the east to terminate at the Red Sea in Yanbu.

Transportation

Airport

Yanbu also has an international airport (code YNB) that was built in 2009. It only offers flights to Jeddah and Riyadh within Saudi Arabia. Internationally, it offers flights to Cairo in Egypt, Manama in Bahrain, Istanbul in Turkey, and Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

All international destinations are serviced by foreign airlines; Saudi Arabian Airlines only serves Jeddah and Riyadh.

Highways

A highway passes through Yanbu linking Jeddah to the northern parts of the kingdom and the neighboring countries Syria, Jordan etc.

Naval Base

The naval base called Al-Minhalapin utilizes islands and underwater facilities to protect the landmass.

See also

• Saudi Ports Authority
• 2004 Yanbu Security Incident
• Battle of Yanbu or Yanbu Landing
• Yanbu University College
• Yanbu Industrial College
• Yanbu International School (YIS), a United States-accredited school
• Al Tawhid International School

External links

• General information on Yanbu
• Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu