HEJAZ

kingdom of Arabia, on the shores of Red Sea (25° N., 38° E.), bounded N. by Syria, E. by Nefud desert and Nejd, S. by Tehama. Contains Tehama range of mts., and is almost all stony desert; N. portion desolate and thinly populated; in S.more cultivation, dates, wheat, and barley being chief products. Chiefly interesting on account of sacred cities of Mecca and Medina, which it contains along with seaports Jiddah and Yambu; railway connecting cities of Hejaz with Damascus under construction, and completed as far as Medina in 1908. After the participation of Turkey in the Great War, 1915, this region was the scene of severe and prolonged fighting. For recent history, see ARABIA AND Hu ein [BN