Duba, Saudi Arabia

Not to be confused with Dubai.

Duba ضبا
City
Duba harbor
Duba
Coordinates: 27°20′57.3″N 35°41′46.2″E
Country	Saudi Arabia
Region	Tabuk Province
Area
• Metro	11,680 km^2 (4,510 sq mi)
Population  (2022 census[1])
• City	39,543
• Metro	54,917 (Duba governorate)
Time zone	UTC+3 (AST)

Duba (Arabic: ضبا) is a city in the Tabuk Province of Saudi Arabia. The city is located on the northern Red Sea coast. Local citizens describe it as The Pearl of the Red Sea. As of 2022, it had a population of 39,543.^[2]

History

The first reference to Duba, under this name, is from 1203. The Valley of Salma and Valley of Kafafah were already known many centuries before.^{[citation needed]}

The Egyptian scholar Ptolemy mentioned a trade route leading from Kafafah to Lihyan (today's Al-`Ula). The Syrian scholar and poet, Sheikh Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, wrote about Duba in 1790, in his account of traveling to Mecca for the Hajj.^{[citation needed]}

Historically part of Madian; the city is mentioned in Muslim scriptures. According to the Quran, Prophet Moussa settled in Madian (the region starts from Jordan river and extends to the city of Duba). The settlement of Prophet Shuaib as it is called is said to be located near Maqna where an ancient well can still be seen. The well is said to be the one where Moussa fed the flock.^{[citation needed]}

The Ottoman Turks fortified the city, protecting the route from Egypt to Arabia.^{[citation needed]}

The Arab Revolt had taken control of Duba from the Ottomans by mid-1917.^[3]

After the Saudi conquest of the city in 1933, King Abdulaziz built his castle there in the same year.^{[4][dubious – discuss][self-published source]}

Geography

Duba is located in the northwest of Saudi Arabia on the coast of the Red Sea on the Egyptian road of the Hajj, about 300 km from the intersection of Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. Duba includes 3 valleys, Dahkan to the north, and Salma and Kafafah on the south. It is about 800 km from Jeddah and Mecca via the coastal highway that passes through the major port and industrial city of Yanbu.

Duba is a port city and ferries and ships operate from here for Egypt and Jordan. The Hurghada and Safaga ports of Egypt can be reached within about 3 hours (minimum) by ferry. It is strategically located at the starting point of Gulf of Aqaba that ends at Umm al-Rashrash, Palestine and Aqaba, Jordan. It is an important economic epicenter in the country, with many merchants passing Duba each year.

Duba is also serving as hub for Neom. It is located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the planned site on the Neom Industrial City.^[5]

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh).^[6]

Climate data for Duba
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	22.4 (72.3)	24 (75)	26.4 (79.5)	29.2 (84.6)	32.5 (90.5)	34.6 (94.3)	35.6 (96.1)	35.8 (96.4)	34 (93)	31.8 (89.2)	27.7 (81.9)	23.5 (74.3)	29.8 (85.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)	16.9 (62.4)	18.2 (64.8)	20.7 (69.3)	23.5 (74.3)	27.2 (81.0)	29.4 (84.9)	30.6 (87.1)	30.8 (87.4)	29 (84)	26.4 (79.5)	22.2 (72.0)	18 (64)	24.4 (75.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	11.4 (52.5)	12.5 (54.5)	15.1 (59.2)	17.9 (64.2)	21.9 (71.4)	24.3 (75.7)	25.6 (78.1)	25.8 (78.4)	24 (75)	21 (70)	16.8 (62.2)	12.6 (54.7)	19.1 (66.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	1 (0.0)	1 (0.0)	1 (0.0)	0 (0)	1 (0.0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.0)	4 (0.2)	2 (0.1)	11 (0.3)
Source: Climate-Data.org (altitude: 15m)[6]

Transportation

There is no local public transport within the city. Most of the city is within walking range. Rental car facilities are present for day trips (or even more for nearby attractions). Some individuals do operate their cars as private taxis but they are difficult to trace.

The neighboring cities Tabuk (180 km) and Al Wajh (about 160 km) have airport facilities that connect the region with major national and international airports of Saudi Arabia.

Saptco Saudi Road Transport offers bus services from Jeddah and Mecca to Tabuk via Duba. It takes about 12 hours to reach Duba from Jeddah.

In Art and literature

Duba is the subject of a painting by Samuel Austin, an engraving of which was published in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833 as Thubare, a Port on the Arabian Coast. along with a poetical illustration by Letitia Elizabeth Landon that recalls the story of the Fairy Pari-Banou and Prince Ahmed.^[7]

See also

• List of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia

External links

• Official site
• City of Duba on YouTube

References

1. "Duba governorate". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
2. Port of Dhiba (Duba), Saudi Arabia
3. Sass, Erik (6 July 1917). "WWI Centennial: Arabs Take Aqaba, Kerensky Offensive Fails". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017.
4. Hisham Muhammad Ali Ajimi (2005). قلاع الأزنم والوجه وضباء بالمنطقة الشمالية الغربية من المملكة العربية السعودية دراسة معمار [The Castles Of Al-Aznam - Al-Wajh And Dhaba In The Northwestern Region Of The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia - An Architectural Study] (in Arabic). pp. 79–82.
5. "Parsons Corporation Awarded NEOM Contract". U.S Saudi Businesses Cooperation. Archived from the original on 2021-04-30.
6. "Climate: Duba - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
7. Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1832). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1832). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833. Fisher, Son & Co.

27°20′57.3″N 35°41′46.2″E