Qatif in the 21st Century: An Ongoing Struggle with Urban Encroachment

"The Qatif oasis one of the largest settlements in Saudi Arabia, rivaled in size only by the inland oasis of Al Ahsa", remarked the great world scholar of geography Charles H. Ebert, distinguished professor at the University at Buffalo in an article published in 1965 by the American Geographical Society (source). In his valuable article, Ebert provides a detailed description of the Al-Qatif region and it's geographical limits and topographical landmarks.  He describes Qatif as

"The region is the most intensely utilized irrigated land along the Saudi Arabian coast of the Persian Gulf. The relative ease with which abundant water can be obtained from the aquifers coupled with the availability of a sizable area of level land provides a partial explanation for the notable role this region has come to play as the leading coastal oasis of the Eastern Province."

The Qatif Region as highlighted in Professor Charles Ebert's 1965 article published in the Journal of Geographical Review by the American Geographical Society (source). He specifically indicated that Qatif's influence extends from Jubail in the north all the way to Abqaiq in the south.

He was particularly concerned with the highlighting the risks and solutions to the potential problems surrounding the oasis. He mentioned that

"A clear need exists for a long-range water-conservation policy."

In addition to all the provided detailed recommendations he suggested in the article, professor Ebert emphasized that his suggestions should be implemented in a way to "ensure the smallest amount of communal upset and dislocation in the way of life of the people of Qatif, a factor that should not be underrated".

A colored picture taken in 1952 showing the Hammam of Tarout in Tarout Island. The picture summarizes the "the way of life of the people of Qatif" that professor Ebert was concerned with preserving. (source)

Professor Ebert also emphasized encroachment as an imminent threat to the ancient oasis, highlighting that

"Although time seems to stand still in the quiet palm gardens of Al Qatif, the proximity of rapidly growing administrative and commercial centers cannot be overlooked. One of these is the port town of Al Khobar, near Dhahran, which has grown into an important commercial center that reflects the increasing demand for shopping and other service facilities for the people associated with the nearby oil industry. Other rapidly growing towns are Dammam, capital of the Eastern Province, Safwa and Al Jubail, and the Aramco centers of Dhahran, Abqaiq, and Ras Tanura. These growing settlements, and their increasing requirements for foodstuffs, will place an ever greater demand on the production capacity of Qatif's agriculture".

The growing small settlements and towns that professor Ebert mentioned in his article grew exponentially to become one of the most heavily urbanized areas of Saudi Arabia, as seen below.

The modern Qatif Oasis is under the menace of urban encroachment, as it is situated at the heart of the Eastern Province conurbation of of Khobar-Dhahran-Dammam-Ras Tanura all the way to Jubail.

In the closing of his article, professor Ebert warned that problems of encroachment and water-conservation "must be overcome if the soils, and thereby Qatif itself, are to be saved from eventual destruction". Such warnings were never widely publicized, and therefore failed to resonate among the people of the Eastern province, and in particular the people of Qatif, to whom Ebert made particular reference.
However, Ebert emphasized that it is the responsibility of the authorities in Qatif to legislate and implement policies in favor of his suggestions. The reality of Qatif's "green landscape" seen from the aerial view below reflects the failure of the Eastern Province's authorities and Saudi Arabian government in ensuring the preservation of a vibrant "oasis lifestyle" which has been completely lost as a result of urban encroachment and lack of a water-conservation program.

The green-landscape of the Qatif Oasis has been effectively reduced to narrow areas that are increasingly depleted due to negligence and urban encroachment.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, public awareness of environmental hazards has increased exponentially, especially with the spread of the internet and rise of social media within Qatif. However, despite such environmental activism and public awareness campaigns, the influence of urban encroachment remains the greatest threat on the surviving agricultural areas of the Qatif Oasis. The below images, which compare changes in the area between 2005 & 2012, provide significant evidence on the scale and growing rate of urban encroachment in Qatif.

Professor Charles Ebert recommended that "part of the oasis land" should be allocated "to deep, effective drainage channels" so that Qatif can "be saved from eventual destruction".
Let's look at what happened to the existing ancient drainage channels, re-built by the Ottomans, between 2005 and 2012.

The ancient drainage channel network, re-built by the Ottomans, were systematically buried in the first decade of the 21st century. This picture is for the channel beside what used to be the factories of Al Matrood Dairy Company, now named to UND (United National Dairy Company).

Urban Encroachment around the agricutlural lands between Saihat and Anak.

Urban Encroachment around the agricutlural lands between Saihat and Anak.

Urban Encroachment around the agricutlural lands between Saihat and Anak.

Urban Encroachment around the agricutlural lands between Saihat and Anak.

In 1965, Professor Ebert was very optimistic that "indications are that the people, encouraged by visible success, will follow the new ways that will ensure the continuity of their existence. " However, the sad reality, confirmed by the following satellite images, confirm that the people of Qatif are still actively participating in the reduction of agricultural lands, supported by the Eastern province authorities and the government of Saudi arabia.

The expansion of Al-Qudaih village came at the expense of agricultural lands.

The reduction in agricultural lands between the towns of Al-Qudaih and Al-Awamiyah.

The rural areas around Al-Awamiyah has been subject to urban encorachment from 2005 to 2012.

The rural and agricultural lands around the city of Safwa also suffered urban encroachment between 2005 & 2012.

The Saudi government has actively destroyed all the rural areas of Qatif, including the site of the ancient spring of Ain al kaaba around the Al-Jish village, which was built a thousand years ago by the Qarmatians. This picture is not exactly for the spring, but for the surrounding area.

Notice the reduction and desertification of green-lands.

Loss of agricultural land in the center.

The villages of Al-Mallahah, Umm Al-Hammam and Al-Jish increased their urban area at the expense of agricultural land.

While areas from land-reclamation projects have remained absent of any urbanization due to corruption issues, the agricultural lands became the only alternative for building urban dwellings.

Changes in agricultural lands around the Al-Khuwaildiyah village from 2005 to 2012.

Changes in agricultural lands south of the town of Al-Qudaih from 2005 to 2012.

Urbanization in rural areas.

Agricultural lands turned into urban dwellings around Al-Riyadh street in the village of Al-Jaroudiya.

Little remains of the agricultural lands around the city of Qatif. This image is for the areas south of al-Majidiah commercial & Warehouses area.

Even  the village of Halat Mahish was affected. 

Urbanization in Al-Jaroudiya is taking place at the expense of agricultural land.

Agricultural lands between Saihat and Anak.

Negligence of green areas has resulted in them being converted to barren lands, as clearly marked in the top of the images.

Rural areas around Al-Mallaha village. 

Rural areas around Al-Mallaha village. 

Additional evidence of urban encorachment.

Negligence has reduced most of  the green areas to barren lands.

The area of Qatif's ancient Fortified City and the surrounding palm-tree forests have been converted to urban areas.

Evidently, there exists a desperate need for a well-organized public campaign to push the government to legislate laws and policies for the protection of the surviving agricultural lands of the Qatif Oasis.  In particular, the government of Saudi Arabia should allocate a reasonable part of the green areas as a national sanctuary and a natural reserve. A protected area of the Qatif oasis would preserve the unique wildlife, flora, fauna and geographical features, and would help ensure the systematic conservation of the oasis, providing an ideal environment for study and research.

The Central Coastal Conurbation of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province: Rampant Urbanization on the Expense of Vital Coastal Wetlands

The town of Qatif, labeled as "elKatif", is marked as the largest and most signficant city on the Arabian gulf. Also clearly marked is the peninsula of Ras Tannurah, the city of Hofuf as in "el Hofhuf" and Al-Hasa as in "El Hassa". This map defines the region of "El Katif" as extending from Half Moon Bay south of Dhahran all the way to Ras Al-Khair (Also called Ras Al-Zour, Ras Azzour) labeled as "Ras el-Ghas". This map was published in Paris in 1842 by French cartographer and engraver Pierre M. Lapie. (Source).

Modern Qatif sits in the heart of the Central Coastal Conurbation (CCC) of the Eastern Province (CCCEP) urban area on the shores of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf, which includes the metropolitan area of Dhahran-Khobar-Dammam all the way to Ras Tanura and Jubail, an area known to be as Historical Qatif until the end of World War II.

Qatif town labeled as "el Katif", Saihat as "Seihat", Ras Tannurah and Djilla Assagn all included in the region of "el Katif". This 1848 map was made by by the French cartographer and engraver Pierre M. Lapie. (source).

The newly established urban areas were associated with the oil industry, the economic nucleus of the region, and the entire middle east. The growth of the oil industry attracted numerous people from all over Saudi Arabia to satisfy the demand for labor. The growth in job opportunities reflected an increase in the population of the Dammam-Khobar-Dhahran metropolitan area which grew from 3,200 in 1932 to 320,000 in 1982 (source). This is considered to be an explosive population growth of 100 times in just 50 years, compared to the Qatif oasis population which only grew five times in 80 years. Qatif's population in 1904 was 26,000 according to Lorimer, the British Political Resident in Turkish Arabia, compared to 108,000 in 1982 (source). 

Under the modern state of Saudi Arabia, the region defined as "Historical Qatif" became defined as the Central Coastal Region, extending from Half-Moon Bay south of Dhahran all the way to Jubail in the north. (source)

With a population of 2.5 million people (60% of the Eastern Province), the central coastal conurbation (CCC) has developed into a linear multi-nuclear coastal metropolis, in which the component settlements became highly interrelated.

The Central Coastal Conurbation of the Eastern Province has been subject to one of the highest urbanization rates in Saudi Arabia, resulting in major changes in the coastal layout of the area.

Saudi Arabia's national development policies has encouraged the growth of the coastal region's population and economic activity, leading to the extension of urban boundaries towards the sea rather than looking toward the rural hinterland. The trajectories of the economic expansion of the the coastal cities were coupled with organized land reclamation master-plans for the whole region. 

Map showing all former and current mangrove sites as well as areas of reclaimed land around the Qatif Oasis and the Qatif-Tarut Bay in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. (KFUPM, 1990, source) 

Professor Faez Al-Shihri at the Department of Urban & Regional Planning, College of Architecture & Planning at the University of Dammam has dedicated several years of his graduate research to studying the impact of development on the Qatif Oasis. His research can be reviewed in his PhD thesis (here). Dr. Al-Shihri along with professor John Benson at the school of Architecture in the University of New Castle, summarized some of the impacts on Qatif's vital coastal lands in a study published in the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (source), as follows:

Agricultural land, however, was not the only terrain to be affected by urban development; even the configuration of the coastline was altered, resulting in the loss of 1750 ha to landfilling over the last three decades. Al-Qatif, Sayhat, and Anak in particular have experienced urban development because of their coastal locations, as has the island of Tarut. Tarut, indeed, has been especially affected by urban growth and by the construction of the corniche road. The loss of sub-tidal habitat in Tarut bay is of particular concern. The seagrass beds and mangrove strands of the bay are known to be spawning and nursery grounds for commercially important fish and shrimps. Dredging and landfilling in Tarut bay are undoubtedly reducing the extent of the seagrass biotope, with unknown consequences for the total marine ecosystem or the sustained yield of local fisheries. Some of the last stands of mangroves are located in Tarut bay and some have already been eliminated by landfilling. Mangrove strands help to form a complex ecosystem since the roots of these trees trap sediment and provide a habitat for many minute organisms during all or part of their life cycles. Mangrove strands also supply a unique biotope for specialised macro-invertebrates and fish. Clearly, when their habitat and communities are covered by landfilling, these creatures are lost forever to the marine ecosystem. Landfilling consequences may also stretch far beyond the area of immediate impact because of effects on water flow patterns, levels of salinity, temperature, oxygen supply, the suspension of sediment, increases in turbidity, and the possible release of sediment-bound toxicants. 

As a result of land reclamation from the seabed, the size of Tarut Island increased from 1260 ha in 1958 to 2850 ha in 1993. The alteration of the coastline has already eliminated many employment opportunities in prawn and lobster fishing and carries a similar threat to pearling activities. The long-term ecological consequences are yet to be studied. Landfilling has also resulted in blocking the flow of water and has slowed the natural flushing action, which can make the area more susceptible to water pollution. Because of tides and other water movements, litter and other material has spread along locations like Tarut and Al-Qatif. This can interfere with the movements of animals, such as turtles, across beach areas. 

The scale of Reclamation around the coastal oasis of Qatif in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (source).

Indeed, under the guise of developing the region's coastline, the Saudi government has actively expanded the complex interrelated urban area of the CCC through massive land-reclamation projects.

Although the consequences of such projects are still under-reported, they were still mentioned in Saudi Arabia’s “First National Communication” in fulfillment of Article 12 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (source). The report, submitted in 2005, mentioned

"The land reclamation processes have contributed to destruction of some environmentally sensitive areas, threatening many coastal natural resources which have been considered as the essential primary food web for marine living organisms. Accordingly, fish catch yields and reserves are likely to be affected."

Although the 2005 report claims that  Coastal Land Reclamation "projects of any alteration and negative affect either sea-ward and/or land-ward along the coastal line is prohibited by regulation, however it is permitted under special conditions", land-reclamation projects continued to take place, as evident from the comparison of satellite images between 2005 and 2012 (see below).

The city of Qatif was subject to intense land reclamation. You can see major changes in the coatal areas from 2004 (top) & 2012 (bottom).

The gradual reduction of the Qatif Bay from 2004 (top), 2005 (middle), 2012 (bottom)

Land reclamation to the coast of the town of Sanabis in the north of Tarout island. Urban encroachment can be detected too in the right of the picture.

Land reclamation in the west of Tarout island resulted in the drying of the largest area of wetlands in the island.

Land reclamation in the town of Darin in Tarout Island 2005 (top) & 2012 (bottom).

The land scape of Darin, which consisted of an island, has been completely changed via land-reclamation.

A bridge is being currently built in the Bay of Safwa , bridging the town of Safwa to the  Rahima and Ras-Tanura peninusla. The environmental consequences on fishery and vegetation are still unknown.

From 2004 to 2012, the coast of Qatif, Anak, Saihat and Dammam has been subject to additional land-reclamation.

The mangrove wetlands on the coast of Dammam has been completely lost due to additional reclamation projects for the sake of urbanization. 

Old land-reclamation projects in Dammam have been expanding in recent years.

The “Second National Communication” in fulfillment of Article 12 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), claims that there exists a National Coastal Committee which has an advisory role to government authorities with the power to grant or withhold approvals for coastal development. If such committee has an active and vital role in the approval of such land-reclamation projects, then it is their responsibility to provide detailed justification to the public regarding to all the past and future land-reclamation projects. Especially that the government report to the UNFCCC clearly highlights land-reclamation as a major factor impacting biodiversity (source).

Qatif's Heritage & Environment in the Last 50 Years: A Legacy of Devastation

Fifty years ago, Qatif's ancient Fortified City and its surrounding eco-system of palm-tree forests, mangrove wetlands and Tarout Island's Bay could have been assigned as Saudi Arabia's first World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, due to the Oasis' historical, cultural and archaeological significance along with its unique natural habitat and topography.

However, during the last five decades, the coastal oasis of Qatif was subject to systematic destruction of its Fortified City under the guise of urbanization, along with intensive deforestation of mangrove & palm-tree forests in the form of urban encroachment and land-reclamation. Such losses are at the heart of the grievances of the people of Qatif.

Just months before his death, Major Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger (known as Mubarak Bin London) expressed his deep sorrow on the modern transformation of Arabian life describing it as a "tragedy" and an "Arabian Nightmare". While he was complaining about the lack of variety and forced uniformity that modernity has brought to Arabia, he remarked that the "discovery of oil in Arabia is the biggest disaster that can happen" (Source). Some people would disagree, but many in Qatif couldn't agree more.

The Northern Walls of Qatif's Fortified City which bordered the palm-tree forest of "Shammasiya", as captured by Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger on May 8, 1945. (Source)

In the midst of World War II,  during his travels in the Middle East and before crossing the Empty Quarter to Oman, the world-renowned British Scholar Sir Wilfred Thesiger visited Qatif. During his visit, he captured the above view for the wall surrounding Qatif's Fortified City from the northern side where it bordered the "Shammasiya" palm-tree forest.

The images captured by Wilfred Thesiger (see image 1, image 2,  image 3) summarized the sustainable harmony between heritage, culture and the environment which existed for over 5000 years, but have been systematically extinguished during the past fifty years.

Qatif's Fortified City housed numerous buildings, and was surrounded by sea and palm-trees, as seen in top of the picture, which was taken inside Qatif's Fortified City. (source)

Aerial View of Satellite towns (Shuwaika, Kuwaikib, Dbeibiya..etc) South of the Qatif Fortified City(appearing in the top of the image). The picture was taken in 1955 from Aramco Archives (source).

Until the end of World War II, little changed in "Ottoman" Qatif. The discovery of the Qatif Oil Field just after World War II in 1946 accelerated the spread of what has been a slowly seeping influence of  Arabian American Oil Co. (or Aramco).

In particular, it was in the 1950's, after the death of the Kingdom's founder, king Abdulaziz (Ibn Saud), that the influence of modern Saudi Arabia has permeated Qatif. 

Agatha Voorbrood settles herself before her easel to paint a Safwa lake Scene (Ain Daroosh), December 11, 1957. Source: Saudi Aramco Digital Library.

An Aerial View of Qatif's Fortified City in the 1950's (Aramco Archive). Source

Changes in urban development, which included the destruction of the wall surrounding the fortified city in the 1960's, remained gradual until the 1970's.

Qatif's Fortified City before demolition. (Source)

Qatif Fortified City Seen captured from the City's Waterfront, which is surrounded by forests of Palm Trees, taken in 1970's. (Source)

As seen in the picture, Qatif's waterfront (marked by mangrove forests) remained only a few footsteps away from the fortified city until the end of the 1970's.

Qatif's Wetlands in the East of Saudi Arabia have been completely devastated and transformed into housing projects. This photo was taken in the 1970's, just before the desertification / urbanization of the land. (source)

Qatif's natural topography was completely devastated during -"oil boom" era, which started after the 1973 Energy Crisis. The era marked the most dramatic transfers of wealth in human history for the government of Saudi Arabia. The "explosive growth" and the shining glare of modern urban life was so shockingly fascinating that Qatif's society couldn't forsee the terrible consequences that rapid urbanization will have on their natural unique environment.

Only few building exist of what used to be called the Fortified City of Qatif (seen in the left side of the picture). Taken in 2013.

Under these circumstances, the Saudi government initiated a massive urbanization project that inadvertently resulted in the complete demolition of Qatif's Fortified City, in exchange for money.

Under the guise of modernization and urban allure, the government, encouraged by agents with special interests and a voracious appetite for money, participated in the destruction of Qatif's iconic ancient Fortified City replacing it with flat ugly deserts. For more than 20 years, the land remained a neglected desert until the government of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia decided to convert the deserted space to a public park (as seen below).

Most of Qatif's Fortified City has been converted to parking, roads and a small (underdeveloped) park. Taken in 2013.

On the other hand, as a result of intensive land reclamation projects, Qatif's ancient water -front (historically known as the Gulf of Qatif) has been completely reduced to small streams of water, transforming Tarout Island to a peninsula, as seen below.

The effect of land reclamation on Tarout Island and the Gulf of Qatif is unparalleled in Saudi Arabia.

Such aggressive systematic urban enroachment and land reclamation resulted in the loss of natural vegetation, causing massive  deforestation of mangrove along Qatif's shorelines and drastic reduction of Palm-tree forests, which used to surround the area.

A recent Satellite view of Tarout Bay in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. At the center of the picture is Tarout Island, right across of what used to be Qatif's Fortified City. The image was captured by NASA Earth Observatory (Source)

Urban enroachment and land reclamation are a wide-spread problem in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. However, Qatif was the region to be the most adversely effected area in the country and the Arabian Gulf in large. It resulted in stripping the ancient oasis of its identity: destruction of the oasis natural habitat and loss of topographical landmarks along with the loss of the city's most important archaeological sites. 

Harvard Course: The Anthropology of Arabia

Steven C. Caton, is the Khalid Bin Abdullah Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud Professor of Contemporary Arab Studies at Harvard University. He teaches a class on " The Anthropology of Arabia".
The first lecture in this class can be viewed as a video, using this link:
http://cm.dce.harvard.edu/2014/01/13714/L01/index_H264SingleHighBandwidth-16x9.shtml