The Hijaz
The western region along the Red Sea, holding Mecca and Medina — so named because it separates Najd from the coast.
- Type
- Region
- Name means
- The barrier (root ḥ-j-z)
- Separates
- Najd from Tihāma
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
The name
From the root ḥ-j-z (ح-ج-ز), 'to separate, to bar'. The Ḥijāz is the barrier: the mountain wall that divides the high interior of Najd from the coastal plain of Tihāma.
Extent
The western strip running along the Red Sea, taking in Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Ṭāʾif and the port of Yanbuʿ.
In genealogy
The Ḥijāz is named in the sources as the homeland of large tribes including Ḥarb, Juhaynah and Balī, and Thaqīf around Ṭāʾif. Its towns and pilgrim routes made it the most travelled region of the Peninsula, so its population history is correspondingly mixed.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Hijaz called that?
From the root ḥ-j-z, 'to separate'. Its mountain wall bars the high interior of Najd from the coastal plain of Tihāma.
Sources
- ياقوت الحموي، معجم البلدان، 626هـ — مادة: الحجاز
- ابن منظور، لسان العرب، 711هـ — مادة: حجز
Last reviewed: 2026-07-27