:Arar, Saudi Arabia
{{About|the city in Saudi Arabia|other uses|Arar (disambiguation)}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Arar
| native_name = عرعر
| native_name_lang = ar
| settlement_type = City and Governorate
| image_skyline = 20210128 153213Arar Tower.jpg
| image_caption = Arar Water Tower
| image_map =
| mapsize = 250px
| map_caption = Location in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| image_flag =
| flag_link =
| flag_size =
| image_shield =
| shield_link =
| shield_size =
| pushpin_map = Saudi Arabia
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = 25px Saudi Arabia
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Northern Borders
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| leader_title2 =
| leader_name2 =
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1951
| established_title2 =
| established_date2 =
| established_title3 =
| established_date3 =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 21,360
| area_total_sq_mi =
| area_metro_km2 =
| area_urban_km2 =
| elevation_m = 536
| area_footnotes =
| population_note =
| population_as_of = 2022
| population_total = 202,719
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi =
| population_urban =
| population_metro =
| population_footnotes =
| utc_offset = +3
| utc_offset_DST = +3
| postal_code_type = Postal Code
| postal_code =
| area_code = +966-14
| website = {{URL|http://www.arar-mu.gov.sa/}}
| coordinates = {{coord|30|58|31|N|41|01|23|E|region:SA|display=inline,title}}
}}
Arar ({{langx|ar|عرعر}} {{Transliteration|ar|DIN|ʿArʿar}} {{IPA|ar|ˈʕarʕar|}} lit.: "Juniper") is the capital of Northern Borders Province in Saudi Arabia. It has a population of 202,719 (2022 census).{{Cite web |title=Northern Borders Region (Saudi Arabia): Places in Governorates - Population Statistics, Charts and Map |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/saudiarabia/northern/ |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}
Arar is located in northern Saudi Arabia near the Iraqi border. It is known for its fertile pasture lands{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} which lends itself well to its principal occupation of sheep and camel herding.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} The population of the entire Northern Borders Province, including the cities of Rafha, Turaif and Alaoiqilah and suburban villages and their inhabitants, was 373,577 at the 2022 census. Arar serves as a significant supply stop for travelers on the Saudi Arabian highway 85.
History
The city of Arar was founded in 1951, after the construction of the Aramco oil pipeline (Tapline) was completed. It was initially an oil pumping station with a health center and worker housing. Workers at Arar were primarily from the regions of Al-Ahsa, Ha'il, Yanbu and Al Wajh.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}}
Arar got its name from the original oil field that existed before the town, "Field RR", one of many in the country, where it was known by the locals as "R.R." which later became ʿArʿar.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}} The name Arar means juniper in Arabic.{{Cite web |title=Bab.la |url=https://en.bab.la/dictionary/arabic-english/عرعر }}
In 1968, the remains of an ancient city were unearthed 30 km from the city of Arar. The site yielded numerous sculptures of fish, turtles and other aquatic animals.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}
A summit meeting between King Saud and King Hussein of Jordan took place in Arar during the reigns of the two monarchs.{{when|date=October 2015}}
Iraqi Airways Flight 163, crashed near the 'Ar'ar airport on 25 December 1986.{{Cite news|title=THE WORLD; 62 Are Killed In Hijacking Of Iraqi Jetliner|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/28/weekinreview/the-world-62-are-killed-in-hijacking-of-iraqi-jetliner.html|work=The New York Times|date=28 December 1986}} The plane was flying from Baghdad, Iraq to Amman, Jordan.
The Islamic State had planned to attack the city as part of their 2014 insurgency.{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/01/isis-destroy-kaaba-mecca_n_5547635.html?&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000067 | work=Huffington Post | title=Reported ISIS Member Says They Will Destroy The Kaaba In Mecca, 'Kill Those Who Worship Stones' | date=1 July 2014}} On 5 January 2015 two Saudi border guards were killed in a suicide attack by the Islamic State at the Arar Border Crossing.{{cite news |date= 5 January 2015 |title=Two Saudi guards killed in suicide attack on Iraq border |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/05/saudi-guards-killed-suicide-attack-iraq-border-isis |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date= 6 January 2015 }} However, thereafter ISIS was diminished militarily by other events elsewhere and could not pursue further attacks in the city.
Geography
Arar is located in the north of Saudi Arabia, in the heart of a vast rocky limestone plain. It lies about 1100 km northwest of Riyadh, and about 60 km from the Iraqi border.{{cite journal |author=Hiro |first=Dilip |date=19 August 2002 |title=Iraq Woos Its Neighbors |url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-90137599/iraq-woos-its-neighbors-comment |url-status=dead |journal=The Nation |volume=275 |issue=6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508115938/https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-90137599/iraq-woos-its-neighbors-comment |archive-date=8 May 2016 |access-date=}}
= Climate =
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies the climate of Arar as hot desert (BWh).{{Cite web |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/55053/ |title=Climate: Arar - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table |publisher=Climate-Data.org |access-date=2014-02-23 }} Winds generally blow from the east or west, rarely from the south. The rainfall in the region has declined gradually over recent years. Snow is not uncommon, falling on average every two to three years.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}}
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| collapsed = yes
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Arar (1991–2020)
| Jan record high C = 27.0
| Feb record high C = 33.2
| Mar record high C = 38.1
| Apr record high C = 41.2
| May record high C = 45.1
| Jun record high C = 48.0
| Jul record high C = 49.0
| Aug record high C = 48.8
| Sep record high C = 47.2
| Oct record high C = 42.7
| Nov record high C = 40.0
| Dec record high C = 30.3
| year record high C = 49.0
| Jan high C = 16.0
| Feb high C = 18.7
| Mar high C = 23.9
| Apr high C = 29.8
| May high C = 35.6
| Jun high C = 40.2
| Jul high C = 42.4
| Aug high C = 42.6
| Sep high C = 39.2
| Oct high C = 32.8
| Nov high C = 23.1
| Dec high C = 17.5
| year high C = 30.1
| Jan mean C = 9.3
| Feb mean C = 11.8
| Mar mean C = 16.8
| Apr mean C = 22.4
| May mean C = 28.1
| Jun mean C = 32.4
| Jul mean C = 34.6
| Aug mean C = 34.7
| Sep mean C = 31.1
| Oct mean C = 24.8
| Nov mean C = 16.1
| Dec mean C = 10.8
| year mean C = 22.7
| Jan low C = 3.7
| Feb low C = 5.5
| Mar low C = 9.6
| Apr low C = 15.0
| May low C = 20.3
| Jun low C = 24.1
| Jul low C = 26.3
| Aug low C = 26.3
| Sep low C = 22.9
| Oct low C = 17.6
| Nov low C = 10.1
| Dec low C = 5.2
| year low C = 15.5
| Jan record low C = -6.3
| Feb record low C = -5.0
| Mar record low C = 0.0
| Apr record low C = 1.0
| May record low C = 12.0
| Jun record low C = 17.0
| Jul record low C = 21.1
| Aug record low C = 20.1
| Sep record low C = 14.8
| Oct record low C = 7.5
| Nov record low C = -2.9
| Dec record low C = -5.0
| year record low C = -6.3
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 10.1
| Feb precipitation mm = 6.2
| Mar precipitation mm = 5.7
| Apr precipitation mm = 6.4
| May precipitation mm = 1.7
| Jun precipitation mm = 0.0
| Jul precipitation mm = 0.0
| Aug precipitation mm = 0.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 0.0
| Oct precipitation mm = 4.2
| Nov precipitation mm = 11.6
| Dec precipitation mm = 8.0
| year precipitation mm = 54.0
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 2.0
| Feb precipitation days = 1.3
| Mar precipitation days = 1.2
| Apr precipitation days = 1.3
| May precipitation days = 0.5
| Jun precipitation days = 0.0
| Jul precipitation days = 0.0
| Aug precipitation days = 0.0
| Sep precipitation days = 0.0
| Oct precipitation days = 1.0
| Nov precipitation days = 1.8
| Dec precipitation days = 1.3
| year precipitation days = 10.5
| source 1 = NOAA{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/SaudiArabia/CSV/Arar_40357.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Arar
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = February 6, 2024}}
}}
Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ed Sports City
Prince Abdullah bin Musa'ed Sports City, opened in 1981, is a multi-purpose stadium in Arar. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Arar FC. The stadium has a capacity of 6,000 people.{{cite web |date= |title=مدينة الأمير عبدالله بن مساعد الرياضية بعرعر |trans-title=Prince Abdullah bin Musaed Sports City in Arar |url=https://www.mos.gov.sa/ar/facilities/sportsfacilities/Pages/pabm-city.aspx |access-date=2020-09-11 |publisher=The Ministry of Sports |language=ar}}
Notable people
- Amjed Bedewi, diplomat.
- Bander Faleh, football player.
- Ibn al-Khattab, a leader of the Chechen Mujahideen.
- Aziz Farhan Al-Enizi, Islamic Scholar
References
{{Portal|Saudi Arabia}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Saudi cities}}
Category:1951 establishments in Saudi Arabia
Category:Populated places established in 1951
Category:Populated places in Northern Borders Province