Arabic Al- 1E24; ij 0101; z
Region of western Saudi Arabia.
It occupies an area of 134,600 sq mi (348,600 sq km) along the Red Sea coast of the Arabian Peninsula , from Jordan to 02BD; As 012B; r province. Its northern portion was inhabited by the 6th century BC. In the 7th century AD two of its cities, Mecca and Medina , were the birthplace of Islam ; they remain Islam's holiest cities. In 1258 the region fell to the Maml 016B; k dynasty and in 1517 to the Ottomans. In 1916 Sharif Husayn ibn Al 012B; revolted and proclaimed himself king of the Hejaz. Ibn Sa 016B; d , the ruler of Nejd , assumed the title in 1926, and in 1932 he united Hejaz, Nejd, and other districts to form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.