The city of Arar is less than an hour from the border with Iraq and two hours from the Harrat al Harrah Conservation nature preserve. Arar enjoys more rainfall than the desolate surrounding areas and has fertile pastures that are used for raising sheep and camels. Though the current city was originally built as an oil pumping station on the Aramco Pipeline and once housed only oil workers, its population has grown over the past 50 years to more than 145,000. Due to this growth, today the city is

home to a large shopping mall, a university for the whole Northern Borders area, and many restaurants. In the 1960s archaeologists uncovered evidence of an ancient city on the same site as the current city, giving the area a newfound history complete with artifacts. Visitors to the area will appreciate learning about the history while enjoying the greenery of this unique desert city.