Wadi Hanifa
Wadi Hanifa, historically known as Wadi al-Arad, is a wadi in the Najd region, Riyadh Province, in central Saudi Arabia. The valley runs for a length of from northwest to southeast, cutting through the city of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. A string of towns and villages lie along the valley, including Uyaynah, Irqah and Diriyah. The historical city of Riyadh itself is on the northeastern side of the wadi, but the city has now expanded across Wadi Hanifa, with the sub-municipalities of Al-Shifa and Al-Urayja on its southwestern side.
History
In ancient times, the wadi was known as al-Irdh. Its current name is derived from that of the Banu Hanifa, the principal Arab tribe in the area at the time of the Islamic conquest of Arabia.In pre-historic times, rain fell heavily in the region. This is reflected in the local folk tradition that claims that during the reign of the ancient kingdom of Al-Yamamah, the area was once covered with oases and fertile farmland.