The Asir National Park in Abha covers over 1 million acres in southern Saudi Arabia. In this park, one can find the summit of Saudi Arabia's highest mountain (9,544ft) Jebel Sawdah. The area of Abha is very popular because of its cool weather and can get crowded with vacationers in the summer. Many visitors view the Shada Palace which was built in 1927 but turned into a museum in 1987.
The city of Abha is home to approximately 156,000 residents over a 46 square-mile area. Some evidence has been found that this area has been inhabited as far back as the Neolithic period (4,000) years ago. This area has been shut off from the changes that have occurred elsewhere in Saudi because the Saudi government has tried to preserve the natural wildlife of Abha instead of industrializing it.
The region of Abha and the Asir National Park receives the most annual rainfall (23 inches) of all Saudi Arabia. The hills and valleys are full of lush greenery which usually isn't an expected sight in Saudi. Abha has traditionally been a land of farmers who grow grains (wheat, barley, and millet), onions, garlic, beans, radishes, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, and okra in the fertile plateaus. In the higher elevations, farmers grow bananas, papayas, pears, pomegranates, and grapes. Sheep and cows are also raised because there is abundant grazing land.