Afif

Afif (Arabic: عفيف‎) is a city in central Saudi Arabia, in the Najd region. It is located at 23°54′36″N 42°55′13″E / 23.91°N 42.92028°E / 23.91; 42.92028Coordinates: 23°54′36″N 42°55′13″E / 23.91°N 42.92028°E / 23.91; 42.92028, and is situated approximately half-way between Riyadh and Mecca. The modern town was established in the 1910s as a hijra, or "settlement", for the nomadic tribes of the area, particularly the tribe of 'Utaybah (see Ikhwan). It has since then grown into a small city of some 90,000 people, not counting the surrounding towns and villages, which together with 'Afif form the 'Afif Governorate. The city once served as a gateway between the central and western regions of Saudi Arabia.The city is also known to be the first landing site of the first airplane owned by King Abdulaziz the first king of Saudi Arabia.It should also be noted that a majority of King Abdulaziz's army came from Afif including members from the tribe that founded the town 'Utaybah including Hnboj bin Hamad and Omar bin Rubaian

Points of interest

• LORAN-C transmitter Afif