Editing Najd (section)

== Geography ==
{{More citations needed|section|date=February 2025}}

=== Boundaries ===
The exact boundaries of Najd cannot be precisely determined due to varying geographical and political limits throughout history.{{sfn|King|1977|p=90}} It is roughly bounded by the [[Hejaz]] region in the west, the [[Nafud desert]] in [[Al-Jawf Province|al-Jawf]] to the North, [[ad-Dahna Desert]] in [[Al-Ahsa Governorate|al-Ahsa]] of [[Eastern Arabia]] to the east, and the [[Empty Quarter]] to the south.{{sfn|King|1977|p=90}}{{sfn|AlOboudi|2015|p=284}}

Medieval Muslim geographers spent a great amount of time debating the exact boundaries between Hejaz and Najd in particular, but generally set the western boundaries of Najd to be wherever the western mountain ranges and [[lava]] beds began to slope eastwards, and set the eastern boundaries of Najd at the narrow strip of red sand dunes known as the [[Ad-Dahna Desert]], some {{convert|100|km|abbr=on}} east of modern-day [[Riyadh]]. The southern border of Najd has always been set at the large sea of sand [[dune]]s known today as [[Rub' al Khali]] (the Empty Quarter), while the southwestern boundaries are marked by the valleys of Wadi Ranyah, Wadi Bisha, and Wadi Tathlith.

The northern boundaries of Najd have fluctuated greatly over time and received far less attention from the medieval geographers. In the early Islamic centuries, Najd was considered to extend as far north as the River [[Euphrates]], or more specifically, the "Walls of [[Khosrau II|Khosrau]]", constructed by the [[Sassanid Empire]] as a barrier between Arabia and [[Iraq]] immediately prior to the advent of Islam. The modern usage of the term encompasses the region of [[Al-Yamama]], which was not always considered part of Najd historically, and became incorporated into the larger definition of Najd in the past centuries.

=== Topography ===
[[File:Lake at Wadi Hanifah (5218227168).jpg|thumb|Lake at the 120&nbsp;km long [[Wadi Hanifa]] valley that cuts through Riyadh]]
Najd is a [[plateau]] ranging from {{convert|762|to|1525|m|ft|abbr=on}} in height and sloping downwards from west to east. The eastern sections (historically better known as Al-Yamama) are marked by oasis settlements with much farming and trading activities, while the rest has traditionally been sparsely occupied by [[nomad]]ic Bedouins. The main topographical features include the twin mountains of Aja and [[Salma Mountains|Salma]] in the north near Ha'il, the high land of Jabal Shammar and the [[Tuwaiq]] mountain range running through its center from north to south. Also important are the various dry river-beds (''[[wadi]]s'') such as [[Wadi Hanifa]] near Riyadh, Wadi Na'am in the south, Wadi Al-Rumah in the [[Al-Qassim Province]] in the north, and [[Wadi ad-Dawasir]] at the southernmost tip of Najd on the border with Najran. Most Najdi villages and settlements are located along these wadis, due to ability of these wadis to preserve precious rainwater in the arid desert climate, while others are located near [[Oasis|oases]].

[[File:Saudi-desert.gif|thumb|left|The [[An Nafud]] desert in the outskirts of Riyadh with the Jabal [[Tuwaiq]] in the background]]
Historically, Najd itself has been divided into small provinces made up of constellations of small towns, villages and settlements, with each one usually centered on one "capital". These subdivisions are still recognized by Najdis today, as each province retains its own variation of the Najdi dialect and Najdi customs. The most prominent among these provinces are Al-'Aridh, which includes Riyadh and the historical Saudi capital of [[Diriyah]]; Al-Qassim, with its capital in [[Buraidah]]; [[Sudair]], centered on [[Al Majma'ah]]; Al-Washm, centered on [[Shaqra (Saudi Arabia)|Shaqra]]; and [[Jebel Shammar]], with its capital, Ha'il. Under modern-day [[Saudi Arabia]], however, Najd is divided into three administrative regions: [[Ha'il Province|Ha'il]], Al-Qassim, and [[Riyadh Province|Riyadh]], comprising a combined area of {{convert|554000|km2|abbr=on}}.

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