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Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Coordinates: 28°23′50″N 36°34′44″E / 28.39722°N 36.57889°E / 28.39722; 36.57889
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Tabuk
تَبُوْك
Skyline of Tabuk
Skyline of Tabuk
Tabuk is located in Saudi Arabia
Tabuk
Tabuk
Coordinates: 28°23′50″N 36°34′44″E / 28.39722°N 36.57889°E / 28.39722; 36.57889
Country Saudi Arabia
ProvinceTabuk
Elevation
760 m (2,490 ft)
Population
 (2022 census)[1]
 • City594,350
 • Metro
623,665 (Tabuk Governorate)
Time zoneUTC+3 (AST)
Area code+966 14

Tabuk (Arabic: تَبُوْك Tabūk, Arabic: [taˈbu:k]) is the capital city of the Tabuk Region in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It has a population of 594,350 (as of 2022). It is close to the Jordan–Saudi Arabia border and houses the largest air force base in Saudi Arabia.[2]

History

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Ptolemy mentioned a place by the name 'Tabawa', at the northwestern corner of Arabia. This name may be a reference to 'Tabuka' or 'Tabuk'. If this is true, the town may be as old as Ptolemy's time. Pre-Islamic Arab poets such as Antra and Nabiqa mention its mountain 'Hasmi' in their poems.[citation needed]

Tabouk became famous for the Expedition of Tabuk in 630 CE, during the period of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Since then, it remained a gateway of North Arabia. It was visited by Charles Montagu Doughty in 1877.

Tabuk was captured by the Arab forces in 1918, three weeks after the British capture of Damascus.[3] Tabuk became a centre of military activity during the 1991 Gulf War as the city faced threats from Iraqi Scud missiles and air attacks[citation needed].

Archaeology

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The region is rich in antiquities and archaeological sites such as petroglyphs, inscriptions, forts, palaces, walls, Syrian-Egyptian pilgrimage route, and the remains of the Hejaz railway, the main station of which is located in Tabuk.

Hundreds of localities with rock art and inscriptions dating to different chronological periods and ranging from Paleolithic to the Islamic period were recorded at Wadi Dam and the region west of Tabuk. Study of the art revealed rich stylistic variability and both human and animal figures were represented in it. Numerous sites in the area with Thamudic, Greek and Nabataean inscriptions have been found.

Tabuk Castle, known as the castle of Aṣ-ḥāb al-Aykah (Arabic: أَصْـحَـاب الْأَيْـكَـة, "Companions of the Wood"), is mentioned in the Quran.[4][5][6][7] The castle dates back to about 3500 BCE and has been restored many times; the last was in 1652. Several forts and stations were built along the Syrian pilgrimage route, from the Jordanian border to Medina to welcome the pilgrims. The fort consists of two floors built around an open courtyard with a mosque, a well, and a stairway leading to the watch towers used by the guards. Tabuk Castle is considered an archaeological landmark of the region and is open to visitors.

Ain Sukkrah is an ancient ‘spring (Arabic: عـيـن, 'ayn') dating back to Iron Age times (Arabic: جَـاهـلـيّـة, 'Ignorance'). There is a legend that during the expedition of Tabuk, Muhammad camped more than ten days near the spring and drank from its water.[citation needed]

The Prophet's Mosque is also known as the Repentance Mosque. It was originally built with mud and roofed with palm trunk trees. It was restored in 1652. Eventually, its complete renewal was ordered by the late King Faisal ibn Abdul-Aziz, along the pattern of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.

Demographics

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In 1950, Tabuk had a population of 12,000. By 2022, this number had grown to 594,350.

Education

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University of Tabuk

Universities include:

British International School of Tabuk

Private schools include:

Geography and climate

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Climate data for Tabuk (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 17.7
(63.9)
20.6
(69.1)
24.9
(76.8)
29.5
(85.1)
33.8
(92.8)
36.9
(98.4)
38.2
(100.8)
38.7
(101.7)
36.1
(97.0)
31.1
(88.0)
23.8
(74.8)
18.9
(66.0)
29.2
(84.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.5
(50.9)
13.1
(55.6)
17.3
(63.1)
21.8
(71.2)
26.2
(79.2)
29.3
(84.7)
30.9
(87.6)
31.2
(88.2)
28.4
(83.1)
23.4
(74.1)
16.7
(62.1)
11.7
(53.1)
21.7
(71.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3.3
(37.9)
5.3
(41.5)
8.7
(47.7)
12.9
(55.2)
17
(63)
20
(68)
22
(72)
22.2
(72.0)
19.3
(66.7)
15.1
(59.2)
9.6
(49.3)
4.7
(40.5)
15.1
(59.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 9.1
(0.36)
2.3
(0.09)
4.4
(0.17)
1.2
(0.05)
1.8
(0.07)
0.1
(0.00)
0.1
(0.00)
0.8
(0.03)
0.1
(0.00)
2.9
(0.11)
3.3
(0.13)
1.7
(0.07)
27.8
(1.09)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 1.0 0.7 0.8 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.7 0.5 0.4 5.0
Average relative humidity (%) 51 42 35 27 24 22 22 24 27 34 43 51 34
Average dew point °C (°F) 0
(32)
−1
(30)
0
(32)
0
(32)
2
(36)
4
(39)
6
(43)
7
(45)
6
(43)
5
(41)
3
(37)
1
(34)
3
(37)
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization,[8] Jeddah Regional Climate Center[9] (Red Sea International Airport)
Source 2: Time and Date (dewpoints, 1985-2015)
Snow in the Midian Mountains near Tabuk

Transportation

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Tabuk Regional Airport is served by Saudia and other airlines, with both domestic and international destinations.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tabuk Governorate". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ^ Mackey, Sandra (2002), The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom, New York: W.W. Norton and Company, p. 234, ISBN 0-393-32417-6 Updated Edition. Norton Paperback. First edition: 1987; Pbk.
  3. ^ Saunders, Nicholas J. (2020-08-12). Desert Insurgency: Archaeology, T. E. Lawrence, and the Arab Revolt. Oxford University Press. p. 683. ISBN 978-0-19-103071-0.
  4. ^ Quran 15:78-79
  5. ^ Quran 26:176-189
  6. ^ Quran 38:13-15
  7. ^ Quran 50:12-14
  8. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Climate Data for Saudi Arabia". Jeddah Regional Climate Center. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Ambraseys, N. N.; Melville, C. P.; Adams, R. D. (2005). The Seismicity of Egypt, Arabia and the Red Sea: A Historical Review. Cambridge University Press. pp. 30–32, 101. ISBN 978-0-521-02025-1.
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