Riyadh Province
Riyadh Province
منطقة الرياض | |
|---|---|
 Map of Saudi Arabia with Riyadh Province highlighted | |
| Coordinates: 23°0′N 45°30′E / 23.000°N 45.500°E | |
| Country |  Saudi Arabia |
| Region | Najd |
| Seat | Riyadh |
| Governorates | 22 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Royal Commission / Municipality |
| • Body |
|
| • Governor | Faisal bin Bandar |
| Area | |
• Total | 380,000 km2 (150,000 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 8,591,748 |
| • Density | 23/km2 (59/sq mi) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | US$243.8 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC+03:00 (SAST) |
| Area code | 011 |
| ISO 3166 code | SA-01 |
| Website | www |
.jpg)
Riyadh Province,[a] is a province in central Saudi Arabia, covering much of the historic Najd region in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. Its administrative seat is Riyadh, the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. With a population of 8,591,748 in 2022, it is the most populous province in the Kingdom and the second-largest by area after the Eastern Province.
Population
[edit]Population development since 1992:
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 3,834,986 | — |
| 2004 | 5,458,273 | +42.3% |
| 2010 | 6,792,776 | +24.4% |
| 2022 | 8,591,748 | +26.5% |
| Source:[1] | ||
Governorates
[edit]Riyadh Province is divided into 22 governorates, which are classified into Category A and Category B. The province also includes the new city of Qiddiya, which is located within the province and is being developed as a new urban area.[2]
| Governorate | Category | Population (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Kharj | A | 373,177 |
| Al-Dawadmi | A | 200,620 |
| Majmaah | A | 151,877 |
| Diriyah | A | 95,834 |
| Wadi Al-Dawasir | A | 91,535 |
| Al-Zulfi | A | 74,903 |
| Afif | A | 71,616 |
| Al-Quway'iyah | A | 71,410 |
| Al-Muzahmiyya | B | 62,760 |
| Al-Dilam | B | 54,822 |
| Al-Aflaj | A | 54,544 |
| Shaqra | A | 46,403 |
| Hotat Bani Tamim | A | 41,854 |
| Rimah | B | 35,683 |
| Al-Sulayyil | B | 35,271 |
| Al-Rayn | B | 28,243 |
| Dhurma | B | 26,299 |
| Huraymila | B | 21,758 |
| Thadig | B | 12,510 |
| Al-Ghat | A | 10,799 |
| Al-Hariq | B | 10,864 |
| Marat | B | 9,846 |
Transportation
[edit]Airport
[edit]
Riyadh Province is served by King Khalid International Airport, an international and domestic hub located north of the capital city. Plans are underway to develop King Salman International Airport, which will encompass the existing airport facility and serve as the base for Riyadh Air to expand international aviation connections.[3]
Inland Port
[edit]_freight_train_near_Dhahran,_Saudi_Arabia_August_2025_(1).jpg)
As an inland territory, the province uses the Riyadh Dry Port as its central logistics and trade connection point. Linked by the Dammam–Riyadh railway line to the Arabian Gulf coast, this facility handles customs, container processing, and distribution for goods entering local industrial markets.[4]
Road and rail
[edit].jpg)
The province is a node in the national highway network, centered on Highway 40 which connects Mecca to the west and Dammam to the east. Urban transit includes the Riyadh Metro network, which operates driverless trains across six lines to service Riyadh city. Regionally, the railway network links the province to the Al-Jouf, Hail, and Al-Qassim provinces, while the planned Saudi Landbridge Project is designed to establish a rail link west to Jeddah.[5][6]
Provincial government
[edit]The province is governed by a governor (Emir) appointed by the King of Saudi Arabia, assisted by a deputy governor.
| Governor | Term of office | Monarch(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Office established | ||
| Muhammad bin Saad bin Zaid | 1929 – 1936 | Abdulaziz |
| Nasser bin Abdulaziz | 1937 – 1947 | |
| Sultan bin Abdulaziz | 29 May 1947 – 19 December 1952 | |
| Nayef bin Abdulaziz (on behalf of Sultan) | 3 March – 19 December 1952 | |
| Nayef bin Abdulaziz | 20 December 1952 – 18 April 1955 | |
| Salman bin Abdulaziz (on behalf of Nayef) | 16 March 1954 – 18 April 1955 | Saud |
| Salman bin Abdulaziz (1st term) | 18 April 1955 – 22 September 1960 | |
| Turki II bin Abdulaziz (on behalf of Salman) | 10 – 21 October 1957; 31 October 1960 | |
| Fawaz bin Abdulaziz | 11 September 1961 – 20 January 1963 | |
| Badr bin Saud | 20 January – 5 February 1963 | |
| Salman bin Abdulaziz (2nd term) | 5 February 1963 – 5 November 2011 | Saud, Faisal, Khalid, Fahd, Abdullah |
| Sattam bin Abdulaziz | 5 November 2011 – 12 February 2013 | Abdullah |
| Khalid bin Bandar | 14 February 2013 – 14 May 2014 | |
| Turki bin Abdullah | 14 May 2014 – 29 January 2015 | Abdullah, Salman |
| Faisal bin Bandar | 29 January 2015 – present | Salman |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Saudi Arabia: Regions & Major Cities – Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de.
- ↑ "Administrative divisions of Saudi Arabia". Saudipedia. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ↑ "Foster + Partners to design King Salman International Airport in Saudi Arabia". Dezeen. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ↑ "Riyadh Dry Port Set for Greater Efficiency with New Software Backbone". SAP MENA Press Room. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- ↑ "Longest driverless metro network". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ↑ "King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport". RCRC. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
Places adjacent to Riyadh Province | |
|---|---|
Capital: Riyadh | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
