Hafar Al-Batin

Hafar Al-Batin
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s): The Capital of the Spring
Hafar Al-Batin
Coordinates: 28°26′3″N 45°57′49″E / 28.43417°N 45.96361°E / 28.43417; 45.96361Coordinates: 28°26′3″N 45°57′49″E / 28.43417°N 45.96361°E / 28.43417; 45.96361
Country	Saudi Arabia
Province	Dammam
Established	17 AH - 638 AD
Joint Saudi Arabia	1925
Government
- Mayor	Mutlaq Abu Ethnain
- City Governor
- Provincial Governor
Population (2005)
- City	+338,636
- Urban	+289,179
- Metro	+49,457
	Hafar Al-Batin Municipality estimate
Time zone	AST (UTC+3)
- Summer (DST)	AST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	31991
Area code(s)	+966-3-7

Hafar Al-Batin is a Saudi Arabian city in the Eastern Province and located in the Northeastern region. It is located 480 km the north of Riyadh, 90 km from Kuwait border and about 70 from the Iraq border. The city lies in the dry valley of the Wadi al-Batin, part of the larger valley of the long, now-dry river Wadi Al-Rummah, which leads inland toward Medina and formerly emptied into the Persian Gulf.

History

In the 1st century after hijrah in 638 AD, Hafar Al-Batin was just a route in the desert that pilgrims passed through from Mecca for Hajj. At that time , there was no water available in this land, the pilgrims travelled from Iraq to Mecca on a long route without water. During Uthman ibn Affan's reign (644 AD - 656 AD), complaints of pilgrims reached Abu-Musa al-Asha'ari, a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who answered by digging for new wells along this route in the Al-Batin valley. The name of Hafar Al-Batin (Arabic: حفر الباطن‎) is derived from this which means "the hole of Al-Batin Valley".

Population

In 2005, Hafar Al-Batin, had more that 35 villages in its suburban area and the population reached 338,636.

• Hafar Al-Batin about +289,179 28°26′3″N 45°57′49″E / 28.43417°N 45.96361°E / 28.43417; 45.96361
• Qaisumah about +20,887 28°18′32″N 46°08′00″E / 28.30889°N 46.133333°E / 28.30889; 46.133333
• Al-Theebiyah about +12,338 28°07′30″N 45°40′03″E / 28.125°N 45.6675°E / 28.125; 45.6675
• Ar Raqa'i +5,665 29°01′00″N 46°33′00″E / 29.016667°N 46.55°E / 29.016667; 46.55
• As Su'ayerah about +3,607
• As Sufayri about +2,481 28°31′25″N 45°48′09″E / 28.52361°N 45.8025°E / 28.52361; 45.8025
• Al-Qalt - Ibn Tuwalah about +1,128 28°37′48″N 45°19′48″E / 28.63°N 45.33°E / 28.63; 45.33
• Samoudah about +914
• As Sadawi about +822
• Um Qulaib about +612 27°49′50″N 45°58′55″E / 27.83056°N 45.98194°E / 27.83056; 45.98194
• An Nazim about +585 28°39′00″N 45°13′12″E / 28.65°N 45.22°E / 28.65; 45.22
• Dhabhah about +267
• Um Ashar about +73 27°43′12″N 45°03′36″E / 27.72°N 45.06°E / 27.72; 45.06
• Al-Metiahah Al-Janobiyah about +61
• Al-Hamatiyat about +17

Communications

All the downtown and roads of Hafar Al-Batin are paved. It is connected with an international network of roads, connecting Saudi Arabia with Kuwait in the East and connecting the North with the Eastern Province. Hafar Al-Batin has two airports, Qaisumah (IATA: AQI, ICAO: OEPA) airport about 10 km in the east, and King Khalid Military City Airport (IATA: HBT, ICAO: OEKK) about 60 km in the south.

Districts

• Abu-Musa al-Asha'ari
• Al-Aziziah A
• Al-Aziziah B
• Al-Khalediyah
• Al-Rabwah
• Al-Muhammadiyah
• Al-Baladiyah
• Al-Rawdhah
• Al-Nayefiyah
• Al-Sulaimaniyah
• Al-Faisaliyah

Climate

The weather in Hafar Al-Batin ranges from (-3 C to 5 C) in winter nights to (40 C to 49 C) during summer days. The climate in general is hot and dry, and rains only during winter months.

Galleries

References

• Central Department of Statistics and Informations (Arabic)
• The Saudi Arabian Information Resource

External links

• Dammam
• Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia
• Al-Batin Club

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hafar Al-Batin

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