Al-Ahsa
One of the world's largest date-palm oases, in eastern Saudi Arabia; known in classical sources as Hajar and al-Ahsa.
- Region
- Eastern Province
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Known for
- Great date-palm oasis (Hajar of the classical sources)
Overview
Al-Ahsa (al-Hasa) is a vast spring-fed oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia around the towns of Hofuf and Mubarraz. The classical geographers knew the district as Hajar and later al-Ahsa, and it has been continuously settled since antiquity.
History
Its springs and date groves made it the agricultural heart of eastern Arabia, and for long periods it was the seat of the region's ruling powers — among them, in recent centuries, the tribe of Bani Khalid.
Sources
- ياقوت الحموي، معجم البلدان، 626هـ — مادتا: هجر والأحساء
Last reviewed: 2026-07-09