Rafha’s Development Traced to Trans-Arabian Pipeline Project of 1951

📷SPA

Rafha, August 31, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The establishment of Rafha Governorate is closely tied to the construction of the Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline), launched in 1951 and extending 1,648 kilometers from eastern Saudi Arabia to the Lebanese port of Sidon on the Mediterranean Sea. Considered one of the most significant engineering projects of the 20th century, the pipeline remains a landmark in the Kingdom’s development history.

Rafha, located in the far north of the Kingdom, is today the largest governorate in both area and population within the Northern Borders Region. The construction of the pipeline’s pumping station in Rafha drew Bedouins to settle and work there, marking the city’s beginnings. At that time, the area was referred to as the “Pipeline Governorate” before it was later renamed Rafha, with the pumping station standing as a symbol of progress and modernity for its era.

Although most of the Tapline’s structures were dismantled in 2008, its developmental impact continues to be felt. The pipeline played a central role in the settlement of Bedouins and the emergence of several urban centers along its route, including Arar, Rafha, Turaif, and Al-Uwayqilah, which still reflect its enduring legacy.