List of governorates of Saudi Arabia

The governorates of Saudi Arabia are the second-level administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, subordinate to the 13 first-level provinces. Each governorate is headed by an appointed governor.

Classification

Governorates are categorized into two levels based on population, availability of public services, geographic and environmental factors, security considerations, and transportation infrastructure. These categories are:
This classification is established in Article 3 of the Provinces System issued by King Fahd in 1992 and amended in 1993.

History

The Provinces System was established in 1992 under a royal order by King Fahd, initially creating 118 governorates. This system aimed to decentralize governance and improve administrative efficiency by giving local authorities more oversight and responsibility.
In 2012, under the rule of King Abdullah, the number of governorates was increased to 136 to reflect the country's demographic and geographic developments.

Administration

Each governorate is led by a governor appointed by royal decree and assisted by a deputy governor. Governorates are further divided into administrative units called Markaz, also known as sub-governorates. These centers handle local service delivery and coordinate with provincial authorities.