Zarqa
Zarqa
الزرقاء | |
---|---|
City | |
Coordinates: 32°05′N 36°06′E / 32.083°N 36.100°E | |
Country | Jordan |
Governorate | Zarqa Governorate |
Settled | 1902 |
Municipality | 1929 |
Government | |
• Type | Municipality |
• Mayor | Hijazi Assaf |
Area | |
• Total | 60 km2 (20 sq mi) |
Elevation | 619 m (2,031 ft) |
Population (2015) | |
• Total | 635,160 |
• Density | 11,000/km2 (27,000/sq mi) |
Time zone | +3 |
Area code | +(962)5 |
Zarqa (
History
Although the area has been inhabited since the first century AD, the city of Zarqa was only established in 1902, by
After the Transjordan Frontier Force was formed in 1926, military bases were constructed in the city by the British Army, and the city later became known as the "military city".[4] The headquarters of Jordan's Arab Legion were also located in Zarqa.
The oldest Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, known as
During the Black September conflict in 1970, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine members hijacked five airplanes, and forced three to land at Dawson's Field, an airstrip in the desert near Zarqa.
Zarqa is regarded today as a "marginalized" and "conservative" city,
Geography
Zarqa is located in the Zarqa River basin in northeast Jordan. The city is situated 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Amman, and its area is 60 square kilometers.[10]
Climate
Zarqa has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk). The average annual temperature is 17.4 °C (63.3 °F), and around 182 mm (7.17 in) of precipitation falls annually, mostly in winter months. Zarqa's elevation is 619 meters above sea level, and the city occasionally receives snowfall in winter.
Climate data for Zarqa | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.2 (55.8) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
28.6 (83.5) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
31.5 (88.7) |
27.7 (81.9) |
21.0 (69.8) |
14.9 (58.8) |
24.2 (75.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
16.6 (61.9) |
20.9 (69.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
25.0 (77.0) |
25.0 (77.0) |
23.7 (74.7) |
20.1 (68.2) |
14.6 (58.3) |
9.5 (49.1) |
17.4 (63.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.3 (43.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
17.5 (63.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
12.5 (54.5) |
8.2 (46.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
10.7 (51.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 42 (1.7) |
38 (1.5) |
31 (1.2) |
10 (0.4) |
3 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
4 (0.2) |
20 (0.8) |
34 (1.3) |
182 (7.2) |
Source: [11] |
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1903 | 1,000 | — |
1928 | 6,000 | +7.43% |
1952 | 28,456 | +6.70% |
1994 | 350,849 | +6.16% |
2004 | 395,227 | +1.20% |
2015 | 635,160 | +4.41% |
2021 | 735,744 | +2.48% |
With 700,000 people as of 2010, Zarqa has the third-largest metropolitan population in Jordan after Amman and Irbid. Zarqa city proper is the second-most populous in Jordan after Amman, with a population of about 635,000.
Districts of Greater Zarqa Municipality
The city of Zarqa is divided into five districts that have a combined area of about 60 km2 (23 sq mi), and another two districts within the radius of influence of the city.[clarification needed]
District | Area (km2) | |
---|---|---|
1 | First District (City center) | 2.96 |
2 | Second District (Althawra Al-Arabiya) | 11.3 |
3 | Third District (Ewajan) | 12.2 |
4 | Fourth District (Zawahreh) | 16 |
5 | Fifth District (New Zarqa) | 17 |
6 | Sports Complex District | 3.5 |
7 | Zarqa City Gardens District | 19 |
Economy and infrastructure
Transportation
From 1908-20, the
Zarqa lies on the international highway that connects Saudi Arabia with Syria, and the international Amman-Baghdad highway also passes through the city.[citation needed]
Industry
Zarqa is Jordan's industrial centre. It is home to over 50% of Jordanian factories. The growth of industry in the city is the result of low real estate costs and proximity to the capital Amman.[citation needed]
Several facilities that are vital to Jordan's economy are based in Zarqa, such as Jordan's only oil refinery plant. According to the Zarqa Chamber of Commerce, 10% of Jordan's total exports in 2011 came from Zarqa Governorate, amounting to more than US$512 million. Leather and garment products constituted about 52% of Zarqa'a exports, followed by chemical, agricultural and pharmaceutical products.[citation needed]
In September 2020, massive explosions occurred at an army munitions depot for mortars near Zarqa, caused by a short circuit.[12]
Education
There are three universities in Zarqa, the largest of which is
Twin towns
Notable people
- Ahmad Alhendawi, Secretary-General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
- Saleh Al-Sharabaty, Olympic silver medallist in Taekwondo
- Taghreed Hikmat, judge and Senator, first female judge in Jordan
- Lobo Ismail, singer
- Amjad Nasser, writer, journalist and poet
- Samih al-Qasim, a Palestinian Druze poet
- Ayman Safadi, a Jordanian politician who serves as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq
See also
References
- ^ "The General Census - 2015" (PDF). Department of Population Statistics.
- )
- OCLC 220247120.
- ^ "تاريــخ مديــنة الزرقــــاء | وحدة التنمية و التخطيط - محافظة الزرقاء". Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
- ^ "Zarqa Camp". UNRWA. United Nations. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Riedel, Bruce (2010). The Search for Al Qaeda: Its Leadership, Ideology, and Future. Washington: Brookings Institution Press. p. 89.
- ^ Pizzi, Michael (June 5, 2015). "Foreign fighters come home to roost in Jordan". Al Jazeera. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Cambanis, Thanassis (November 16, 2007). "Jordan's Islamists Seek Offices Their Allies Scorn". New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Hubbard, Ben (April 12, 2014). "In Jordan Town, Syria War Inspires Jihadist Dreams". New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Su, Alice (14 February 2014). "In the Middle East, Arabic Wikipedia is a flashpoint — and a beacon". Wired. Condé Nast. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Climate: Zarqa". 17 January 2018.
- ^ "Major explosion rocks arms depot in Jordan, but no casualties reported". France 24. 11 September 2020.