Yanbu

Yanbu ( ), colloquially sometimes referred to as Yambu ( ), is a city and governorate in the Medina Province of western Saudi Arabia, located on the Red Sea coast. It is a major port and industrial center, known for its oil refineries and the Yanbu Industrial City. Yanbu is home to the province's only two ports, the Yanbu Commercial Port and the King Fahd Industrial Port, and is the second most populated city in the province after Medina.

Yanbu ( ), colloquially sometimes referred to as Yambu ( ), is a city and governorate in the Medina Province of western Saudi Arabia, located on the Red Sea coast. It is a major port and industrial center, known for its oil refineries and the Yanbu Industrial City. Yanbu is home to the province's only two ports, the Yanbu Commercial Port and the King Fahd Industrial Port, and is the second most populated city in the province after Medina.

Pre-modern era

Yanbu's history dates back at least 2,500 years, when it was a staging point on the spice and incense route from Yemen to Egypt and the Mediterranean region. Sharm Yanbu ( ), historically known as Charmuthas, which is a small peninsula located to the north of Yanbu was mentioned by the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus. The Invasion of Dul Ashir took place in Yanbu two or three months after prophet Muhammad's return from Buwat. He appointed Abu Salamah Ibn Abd al-Assad to take his place in Medina while he was away commanding another raid. Between 150 and 200 followers joined this operation to al-Ushayra, Yanbu in either the month of Jumada al-awwal or Jumada al-Thani. In this operation, Muhammad entered into an alliance with Banu Madlaj, a tribe inhabiting the vicinity of al-Ushayra. He also concluded another treaty that was made with Banu Damrah previously. All those treaties established good political connections for him.

Modern era

Yanbu served as a supply and operational base for Arab and British forces fighting the Ottoman Empire during World War I. On 27 July 1916 the Ottoman garrison surrendered in the Capture of Yanbu to the Arab revolutionary forces. It remained a small port town until 1975¹, when the Saudi government designated it as one of the country's two new industrial centers (the other being Al Jubayl in the Eastern Province). Extensive government and private development have taken place at the port and surrounding area, which is based on the petrochemical industry. During the 2026 Iran war, an Iranian missile attacked a refinery near Yanbu, causing some parts of Yanbu to be destroyed.

Yanbu Al-Nakhal

(The Palms) is a separate area, 47 kilometers from the city. The most notable village in Yanbu Al Nakhal is Jabriyya, where the local government office for the town is located. The village has a general hospital, a bank, three ATM machines, four well-serviced filling stations, a fire station, two notable malls, several recreational facilities among other things. The locals are friendly and helpful. There is almost everything you need for basic livelihood in the neighborhood, however, the options for residents pales in comparison to both the Royal Commission and Yanbu Al Bahr. The Radwah Mountain is very visible anywhere in the town. However, the town has neither hotels nor international schools, and locals and expatriates seeking foreign education for their children had to send them to international schools in the main city center, Yanbu Al Bahr, or in the Royal Commission.

Yanbu Al-Sina'iya

Yanbu Al-Sina'iya (literally "the industrial Yanbu") is the industrial city, established in 1975 by royal decree to create a Royal Commission to manage the effort to build a new modern city. It is the southernmost part of Yanbu city. Yanbu Al-Sina'iya is divided into two parts, the industrial area to the south, and a residential area (referred to as the Royal Commission by many locals) directly north and adjacent to the industrial area. The industrial area within Yanbu Al-Sina'iya is the area of all the major refineries and petrochemical installations and is still undergoing major growth. This area of Yanbu was a strip of undeveloped coastal desert land on the Red Sea and has been transformed into an industrial city. Yanbu Al-Sina'iya's residential section is near the Royal Commission Headquarters. It has amenities such as many international chain and local restaurants, two shopping malls, various shopping centers, supermarkets of various sizes, hospitals, banks, and coffee shops. The Movenpick Hotel, Yanbu's newest hotel, is located here, as is The Cove, a gated private residential housing compound built around a large private lagoon. Yanbu Al Sinaiyah is home to Yanbu Industrial College, created for training and imparting knowledge for the students and workforce of the industry. Yanbu International School was also located here, prior to its closing in 2018. The majority of Yanbu's Western expatriate population is found living in the Royal Commission. The rest of the residents of Yanbu Al-Sina'iya tend to be upper-middle and upper-class Saudi citizens, upper-class Asians, and upper-class Arab and Middle Eastern residents. The residential area of Yanbu Al-Sina'iya has a more modern, clean, and organized feel to it than the downtown area. It is also greener. A new waterfront project has been launched in the coastline of Yanbu Industrial City. The total area of this project is 12 km. The project consists of four phases. The first phase is made of a campground equipped with the needed facilities. The second phase is made up of gardens, marina and a number of islands. The third phase has a recreation area, hotel and other facilities. The fourth phase has an aquarium.

Education

Hospitals

Al-Ansari Hospital Yanbu National Hospital Royal Commission Medical Center Al Amal Hospital

See also

Saudi Ports Authority 2004 Yanbu attack Capture of Yanbu (1811) Yanbu University College Yanbu Industrial College Radhwa International School

References

External links

General information on Yanbu Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu

Video

City of Yanbu Palm Beach at Yanbu Yanbu sunrise Types and prices of fish in Yanbu

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378291587 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.