ʿAsīr
The southwestern highlands — terraced mountain country between Tihāma and the Yemeni border.
- Type
- Region
- Terrain
- Terraced highlands
- Centre
- Abhā
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
Overview
ʿAsīr is high, cool and comparatively wet — mountain country farmed in terraces cut into the slopes, unlike most of the Peninsula. Abhā sits at its centre.
The name
The sources connect the name to the root ʿ-s-r (ع-س-ر), 'difficulty' — read as a description of the terrain rather than of its people.
Setting
The region rises straight out of Tihāma: a traveller can pass from the hot coastal plain to cold highland in a few hours' climb, which is why the two are described as different worlds in the geographies.
Frequently asked questions
What is ʿAsīr known for?
Terraced mountain farming and a cool, comparatively wet highland climate unlike most of the Peninsula. Abhā is its centre.
Sources
- ياقوت الحموي، معجم البلدان، 626هـ — مادة: عسير
- الحسن الهمداني، صفة جزيرة العرب، 334هـ — في ذكر السراة
Last reviewed: 2026-07-27