== Etymology ==
== Etymology ==
Decedents from the city Rafha say that its original king was named Rafha, which is where its name comes from.
Decedents from the city Rafha say that its original king was named Rafha, which is where its name comes from. However, some say the name “Rafha” originates from a nearby hill (known locally as a qārah) situated to the northwest of the current city. The hill itself was named after a woman called Rafha, who lived with her family in the vicinity. According to local tradition, there was a small depression (known as a quwayrah) to the east of the area that was also called Rafha. When a well was later dug beside this location, it was named “Bir Rafha” (Rafha Well). Over time, the entire settlement came to be known by this name.
==Climate==
==Climate==
City and Governorate in Northern Borders, Saudi Arabia
Rafha (Arabic: رفحاء, romanized: Rafḥāʼ) is a city and governorate in northern Saudi Arabia. It is part of the Northern Borders Province and is located near the border with Iraq. As of the 2022 census, it has a population of 84,536.[1]
Rafha is the second-largest city in the Northern Borders Province, after Arar. It is situated approximately halfway between Hafar al-Batin and Arar, making it a key location in the province.
The site originates in the 15th Century AD.[2]
The city started to grow between 1949 and 1950, especially following the establishment of the Trans-Arabian pipeline. Those in charge of the pipeline decided to establish various stations to strengthen the pumping mechanism and rate in this area. The area, during this period, was initially called the “Pipeline Governorate”. The job opportunities available in this station gradually attracted people to it until these population centers turned into one of the main cities along the pipeline line. Additionally, Rafha was one of the richest and prosperous cities on earth during the golden period of islam.[3]
Even though people started to move in 1949,[3] the city itself was founded in 1950, under the reign of King Abdulaziz.[4] At this date, Mohammed Al-Alawi became the first governor of the area, and did so for the following 17 years, until 1967.[5]
By the 1950s, the “old market” in the area opened up to the public and supplied the population of the city and nearby towns in the region, becoming one of the significant landmark of the city.[6]
In total there were three official visits by two kings of Saudi Arabia, including King Abdulaziz and King Salman.[7]
The city hosted Iraqi refugees since the start of the Gulf War up to November 2008.[8]
Decedents from the city Rafha say that its original king was named Rafha, which is where its name comes from.
Köppen climate classification classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh).[9][10]
| Climate data for Rafha (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.8 (85.6) |
34.2 (93.6) |
42.0 (107.6) |
43.2 (109.8) |
46.0 (114.8) |
48.5 (119.3) |
51.1 (124.0) |
48.9 (120.0) |
46.5 (115.7) |
41.7 (107.1) |
36.4 (97.5) |
32.2 (90.0) |
51.1 (124.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 17.2 (63.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
25.3 (77.5) |
31.3 (88.3) |
37.3 (99.1) |
41.5 (106.7) |
43.1 (109.6) |
43.6 (110.5) |
40.5 (104.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
24.3 (75.7) |
18.8 (65.8) |
31.5 (88.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
13.1 (55.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
23.9 (75.0) |
29.8 (85.6) |
33.5 (92.3) |
35.1 (95.2) |
35.3 (95.5) |
32.3 (90.1) |
26.4 (79.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
12.2 (54.0) |
24.0 (75.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.9 (40.8) |
6.5 (43.7) |
10.8 (51.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
21.6 (70.9) |
24.5 (76.1) |
26.0 (78.8) |
26.2 (79.2) |
23.4 (74.1) |
18.8 (65.8) |
11.4 (52.5) |
6.5 (43.7) |
16.4 (61.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −5.8 (21.6) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
3.0 (37.4) |
12.1 (53.8) |
17.1 (62.8) |
19.5 (67.1) |
19.0 (66.2) |
12.2 (54.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 13.1 (0.52) |
8.6 (0.34) |
12.5 (0.49) |
10.1 (0.40) |
3.3 (0.13) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.9 (0.11) |
18.2 (0.72) |
9.9 (0.39) |
78.6 (3.09) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 13.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 64 | 54 | 43 | 36 | 25 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 32 | 49 | 61 | 37 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization,[11] Jeddah Regional Climate Center (humidity 1985-2010)[12] | |||||||||||||
Rafha Domestic Airport serves the governorate, offering scheduled domestic flights and connecting Rafha to major cities within Saudi Arabia.
- ^ a b “Places in Rafḥā’ (Northern Borders Region, Saudi Arabia) – Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information”. www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ “مدينة رفحاء موقع تاريخي وموطنٌ للسكان منذ القرن الخامس عشر الميلادي – المنصة العربية Alarabiya” (in Arabic). 17 April 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ a b “هذه بلادنا رفحاء مطر عايد العنزي الطبعة الأولى 2001م – الصفحات: 346 صفحة”. sto1or.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ “Rafha Governorate”. Saudipedia. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ NB (21 July 2024). “دليلك للتعرف على مدينة رفحاء عقاراتها ومرافقها | مدونة بيوت السعودية”. Bayut.sa (in Arabic). Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ “عام / سوق رفحاء القديم .. عبق الماضي وعراقة التاريخ”. spa.gov.sa (in Arabic). Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ التومي, عويد (12 May 2023). “تعرف على زيارات الملوك التفقدية لمحافظة رفحاء على مر التاريخ”. صحيفة سبق الالكترونية (in Arabic). Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ “ShareThis Homepage”. ShareThis. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ “Average Temperature, weather by month, Rafha weather averages”. en.climate-data.org. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ “Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table”. en.climate-data.org. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ “World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Rafha”. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
- ^ “Climate Data for Saudi Arabia”. Jeddah Regional Climate Center. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
