Azraq, Jordan
Azraq
الأزرق | |
|---|---|
Town | |
Muwaffaq Salti Airbase |
Azraq (
Arabic: الأزرق meaning "blue") is a small town in Zarqa Governorate in central-eastern Jordan, 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of Amman. The population of Azraq was 9,021 in 2004.[1] The Muwaffaq Salti Air Base
is located in Azraq.
History
Prehistory
Lower Palaeolithic, around 500–300,000 years ago.[3] The spring-fed oasis provided a more or less constant source of water throughout this period, and probably acted as a refugium for humans and other animals at times when the surrounding area dried out.[4] The oasis itself changed as the climate fluctuated: at times a permanent lake, a marsh, or a seasonal playa.[4]
During the
Epipalaeolithic
period the oasis was also an important focus of settlement.
Later history
Azraq has long been an important settlement in a remote and now-arid desert area of Jordan. The strategic value of the town and its castle (
Qasr Azraq
) is that it lies in the middle of the Azraq oasis, the only permanent source of fresh water in approximately 12,000 km2 (4,600 sq mi) of desert. The town is also located on a major desert route that would have facilitated trade within the region.
Umayyad
period a water reservoir was constructed in southern Azraq.
During the Arab Revolt in the early 20th century, Qasr Azraq was an important headquarters for T. E. Lawrence.[5][6]
The
refugees of the Syrian Civil War, was opened in 2014 and is located 20 km (12 mi) west of Azraq.[7] The site had been previously used during the Gulf War of 1990–91 as a transit camp for displaced Iraqis and Kuwaitis.[8]
Demographics
According to the Jordan National Census of 2004, the population of Azraq was 9,021, of whom 7,625 (84.5%) were Jordanian citizens. 4,988 (55.3%) were males, and 4,033 (44.7%) females. The next census was conducted in 2014.
Wildlife reserve
Azraq is also the site of one of Jordan's seven protected nature reserve areas (set up by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature): the Azraq Wetlands Reserve in Azraq al-Janoubi (South Azraq).
The separate and larger
Shaumari
reserve is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of the town.
See also
- Azraq Wetland Reserve
- Qasr Azraqand Qasr Ain es-Sil
- Druze in Jordan
References
- ^ Department of Statistics-Jordan 2004 Census Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ISSN 0075-8914.
- JSTOR 41492296.
- ^ ISSN 1040-6182.
- ^ Lawrence, T.E. (1935). Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Garden City: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. pp. 414, 434–436, 559, 582–587.
- ISBN 9780300226393.
- The Huffington Post. Associated Press.
- ^ Oddone, Elisa (30 April 2014). "Azraq Refugee Camp officially opened". The Jordan Times.
Further reading
- Janssens, Sylvie; Thill, Zack (8 July 2013). "Water in Azraq (Jordan): a fluid link between state and society". Journal des anthropologues. Association française des anthropologues (132–133): 317–338. ISSN 1156-0428.
External links
