Al-Qassim Region
| Al-Qassim | |
|---|---|
| Region | |
| القصيم | |
 |
|
 Map of Saudi Arabia with Al-Qassim highlighted |
|
| Capital | Buraidah |
| Boroughs | 11 |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud |
| Area | |
| • Total | 58,046 km2 (22,412 sq mi) |
| Population (2010 census) | |
| • Total | 1,215,858 |
| • Density | 21/km2 (54/sq mi) |
| ISO 3166-2 | 05 |
Al-Qassim Region (Arabic: منطقة القصيم Minṭaqat al-Qaṣīm [ælqɑˈsˤiːm], local Najdi Arabic pronunciation: [ælgəˈsˤiːm] ), also spelled Qassim, Al-Qaseem, Al-Qasim, or Gassim internationally, is one of the thirteen administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Located at the heart of the country, and almost in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, it has a population of 1,370,727 and an area of 58,046 km². It is known to be the "alimental basket" of the country, for its agricultural assets.
Al-Qassim is the richest region per capita in Saudi Arabia. It is the seventh most populated region in the country after Jizan and the fifth most densely populated. It has more than 400 cities, towns, villages, and Bedouin settlements, ten of which are recognized as governorates. Its capital city is Buraydah, which is inhabited by approximately 49% of the region's total population. The governor of the province from 1992 to 29 January 2015 was Prince Faisal bin Bandar, succeeded by Prince Faisal bin Mishaal.
Al Qassim is derived from the word "Qassimah" (Arabic: قصيمة), a reference to قصائم الغضا, meaning the region's sand dunes from which the white saxaul trees grow. The region is known to contain a large group of Calligonum plants such as comosum (locally known as arta).
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