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Khamis Mushait

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Khamis Mushayt is a large city in south-west Saudi Arabia. It sits in the Asir Province. The city is located just east of Abha.

507 Cameron skyline of village - USACE-p15141coll5-15663
507 Cameron skyline of village - USACE-p15141coll5-15663

It is a very important place for the Shahran tribe. This city is also a major center for trading goods. It is the fourth largest trading center in the whole country. Many people visit to buy things at the local markets.

There are many special places to visit in the city. You can explore the Khamis Souk or the Spice Souk. The Silver Souq is also famous for its silver jewelry.

507 Cameron skyline of village - USACE-p15141coll5-15663
507 Cameron skyline of village - USACE-p15141coll5-15663

If you need a place to stay, there are hotels like the Trident Hotel. The Mushayt Palace Hotel is another option. You can also find the Al-Hayat Hospital and the Khamis Mushayt Mosque here. The city is surrounded by many green farms that grow crops.

The history of the city is very old. It has used the name Khamis Mushayt since the 1760s. The name comes from the Al-Mushayt family name. A man named Mushayt once protected this city. He was also known as Mushayt Ibn Salem. He was the head of the Shahran tribe and guarded the market.

507 Cameron skyline of village - USACE-p15141coll5-15663
507 Cameron skyline of village - USACE-p15141coll5-15663

Khamis Mushayt has changed a lot over the years. Before the 1970s, it was a small town. It had fewer than 50,000 people living there. Now, the population is much larger. In 2017, the metro population was about 1,353,000 people. This makes it the fifth-largest city in Saudi Arabia. It follows Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, and Medina in size.

The city also has a large military airbase. It is called King Khalid Air Base. US Army and Air Force engineers built it during the 1960s and 1970s. The base has a paved runway for planes. It even has special facilities for F-15 jets. During the Gulf War in 1991, the US Air Force used this base. They launched bombers from here toward Baghdad. The weather in the city is a hot desert climate.

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