Saudi Arabia designates 21 cities and sites as 'Healthy Cities' after meeting global standards

Twenty-one cities and sites across Saudi Arabia have been recognized under the 'Healthy Cities' initiative after meeting 80 international standards and being accredited as healthy cities by the World Health Organization, reflecting the growing adoption and geographic spread of the healthy city concept in the Kingdom.

The Riyadh and Asir regions topped the list with four sites each. Riyadh region includes Diriyah, Al-Zulfi, Al-Ghat, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, while Asir region features Abha, Mahayel Asir, Tareeb, and King Khalid University.

In Makkah region, the list includes Jeddah, Taif, and Al-Jumum. Al-Qassim region features Unaizah and Riyadh Al-Khubara, while Al-Baha region includes Baljurashi and Al-Mandaq.

The list also covers Al-Khobar in the Eastern Province, Madinah in Madinah region, Hail in Hail region, Tabuk in Tabuk region, Al-Aridah in Jazan, and Sharurah in Najran.

This distribution highlights the presence of healthy cities across various regions of the Kingdom, including cities, governorates, and university communities, based on a model that fulfills specific international standards to promote a healthy and supportive environment.

With the inclusion of 21 cities and sites, the map of healthy cities in Saudi Arabia continues to expand, indicating the growing implementation of health and environmental quality standards in several regions.