Al-Hofuf ( ', also spelled Hofuf or Hufuf''', also known as "Al-Hasa", "Al-Ahsa" or "Al-Hassa")
Overview
The city proper has a population of 150,000 and is part of a larger populated oasis area of towns and villages, with a total population of around 600,000. It is located inland from the
Persian Gulf, southwest of
Abqaiq and the
Dhahran–
Dammam–
Al-Khobar metropolitan area on the road south to
Haradh. It is the closest city to the famous
Ghawar oil field, one of the world's largest conventional (land-based) fields.
Legend places Hofuf as the burial place of Laila and Majnoon, the star-crossed pair of the most popular love story in the Arab and Muslim world. The Queen of Sheba is also fabled to have visited this city from her Sabaeans in South Arabia. German explorer Hermann Burchardt photographed the city in 1904.[Today, photos of Hofuf made by the photographer are held in the Ethnological Museum of Berlin; Hofuf (click on photo to enlarge); Hofuf in 1904.]
History
Hofuf was the headquarters of the Ottoman administration since 1871 when it was captured by the Ottoman Empire. It remained under Ottoman control until 1913, when it was captured by members of the
Wahhabi movement, under
Ibn Saud. In 1932, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded and Hofuf has been among the kingdom's cities since.
Economy
Historically, Hofuf made textiles out of
wool, silk, and cotton. The town was also renowned for its fruit of the date palm, the Arabs considering the
khalasi variety of dates, locally grown in Hofuf, and also the
fardh variety of
Oman, among the best.
[ Western Arabia and the Red Sea, Naval Intelligence Division, London 2005, p. 488 ] As of 1920, the city was known for making
coffee pots from silver and
brass.
Climate
Al Hofuf has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification
BWh) with long, very hot summers and mild, short winters.
Education
The faculties of agriculture, veterinary medicine and animal resources for King Faisal University are located in the city (the others being in
Dammam). The Hofuf campus also has facilities where Saudi women can study medicine, dentistry and home economics.
Transportation
Airport
The city is mainly served by King Fahd International Airport which is 160 km away in
Dammam. Hofuf is also home to a small airport of its own, Al-Ahsa International Airport, which mainly offers domestic flights and flights to
Dubai. During Operation Desert Shield and the
Gulf War in 1991, Al-Ahsa Airport also served as an air base for the French Air Force.
Railway
The city has a railway station connecting the city with the capital Riyadh to the west and Dammam to the north. All railways in Saudi Arabia are operated by Saudi Arabia Railways.
Notable people
External links
-
Hofuf on www.The-Saudi.net
-
Jabal Qarah , Splendid Arabia: A travel site with photos and routes
