Qatif governorate, Administrative governorate in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia
The administrative territory sits along the western shore of the Persian Gulf and covers coastal settlements, Tarut Island, and inland oasis areas used for farming. This governorate forms part of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia with its administrative center in Qatif City and several other towns.
Archaeological evidence shows human settlement in this coastal area since at least 3500 BCE, when trade routes crossed the Gulf and extended inland. The towns developed over thousands of years as ports and meeting points for exchange between the Arabian Peninsula and Mesopotamia.
The population of 524,182 residents maintains agricultural practices in oasis areas while participating in modern industrial and public service sectors.
Major roads connect the towns with each other and with neighboring regions such as Dammam and Jubail, while the nearest international airport lies about thirty kilometers (19 miles) away. Visitors find accommodation and daily services in the coastal towns and oasis settlements throughout the area.
More than one thousand kilometers (621 miles) of pipelines run through the governorate, carrying oil from offshore fields to refineries and loading facilities. Off the coast lie thirty-four artificial drilling islands that form part of the large-scale extraction operations in this region.
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