in the region for millennia, encouraging human habitation and agricultural efforts (date palm cultivation especially) since prehistoric times. The Saudi Ministry of Agriculture established a factory to process its rich date harvest at the rate of five tons daily. Other components of its agricultural output include rice, corn, citrus, and other fruits. In addition, intensive livestock raising, involving thousands of sheep, goats, cattle and camels and more than 15 major poultry farms producing more than 100 million eggs a year, make Al-Ahsa one of the major food producers for the kingdom. Manufacturing—both the traditional small-scale cottage industry kind (e.g. the traditional mantle and pottery) and large-scale industries such as cement and plastics—has also been strongly encouraged. Transportation Airport Al-Ahsa International Airport (IATA: HOF) is the city's main airport. The airport is located 25 km from the city center and serves weekly local flights to Jeddah, Al-Medina and international flights to Dubai. Roads The city is served by a modern major highway system; Al-Ahsa / Riyadh highway; that links the city to KSA central region. Al-Ahsa / Dammam highway; that links the city to the rest of KSA eastern region and Kuwait. Al-Ahsa / Abu Dhabi highway; that links the city to UAE and Oman. Railway The city has a railway station connecting the city with the capital Riyadh to the west and Dammam to the north Buses The main charter bus company in the kingdom, known as the Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO), offers trips both within the kingdom and to its neighboring countries. International Standings It has become the first city in the Persian Gulf region to be listed under the UNESCO's Creative Cities Network in the fields of crafts and folk art. It was also designated as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 2018. In 2019, Al-Ahasa was selected as the Arab Tourism Capital. Palm trees The Al-Ahsa region boasts over 30 million palm trees. The Ministry of Agriculture has set up a factory to process its rich output of dates, amounting to five tons daily. Main cities Al-Hofuf is the capital city of the Al-Ahsa province and has many traditional markets. Al-Mubarraz (also spelled Al-Mobarraz), in Arabic المبرز, is one of the two main cities of the governorate. Al-Oyoon (also spelled Al-Uyoon or Al-Oyoun) Al-Omran (also spelled Al-Umran), in Arabic العمران, has an area of more than 6 km² and a population of more than