Al-Jouf History and Civilization
The Al-Jouf region is located in the northwestern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The region covers 139,000 km populated by roughly 361,000 people. Sakaka City is the administrative capital of Al-Jouf with a population of 11,400 people. The importance of Al-Jouf stems from its strategic location representing the northern gate of Saudi Arabia and the largest land port in the Middle East. Historically, Al-Jouf was an ancient route for trade and pilgrims between the Arabian Peninsula, Levant, and Egypt. The region is considered a tourist destination due to its greenery and nature full of palm and olive trees. Important historical sites in this area include Omar ibn Al-Khattab Mosque and Marid Palace in Dumat Al-Jandal.
Due to the historical and geographical importance of the region, Jouf University was established under a decree by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in 1426 AH (2005) to support development in the area and to act as one of the most important pillars of renaissance in the Kingdom.
