Zarqa

Name	Zarqa City
Native name	مدينة الزرقاء
Settlement type	City
Imagesize	300px
Flag size	180px
Pushpin map	Jordan
Pushpin label position	bottom
Pushpin mapsize	300
Pushpin map caption	Location in Jordan
Coordinates region	JO
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	Governorate
Subdivision name1	Zarqa Governorate
Government type	Municipality
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Muhammed Al-Gweri
Leader title1
Established title	Settled
Established date	1902
Established title2	Municipality
Established date2	1929
Unit pref	Imperial
Area total km2	60
Area land km2
Population as of	2004
Population total	395227
Population blank1 title	Ethnicities
Timezone	UTC+2
Utc offset	+2
Timezone dst	UTC+3
Utc offset dst	+3
Elevation footnotes
Elevation m	619
Postal code type
Area code	+(962)5
Website	http://www.zm.gov.jo

Zarqa (; BGN: Az Zarqāʼ; local pronunciation ez-Zergā, ez-Zer'a, or ez-Zarka) is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman. With a population of 440,227, it is the country's third largest city after Amman and Irbid. Zarqa is the capital of Zarqa Governorate (Arabic Muhāfazat az-Zarqā). Its name means "the blue one".

Overview

Zarqa is Jordan's industrial centre, 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. The city of Zarqa was established by immigrants from the Caspian Sea region at the beginning of the twentieth century, initially on the banks of the Zarqa River, the population grew steadily with the construction of the Hejaz railway by the ottomans. The bases of the Jordanian army, formerly called the Arab Legion, were located in Zarqa.

History

The first settlement in the city was in 1902 by Chechen immigrants who were displaced from the wars between the Ottoman and Russian Empires. They settled along the Zarqa River. At that time a station on the Hejaz railway was built in the new settlement, this railway station turned Zarqa into an important hub. On April 10, 1905 the Ottoman governor issued a decree that allowed the Chechen immigrants to own lands which they settled on. The population then quickly grew in size. On November 18, 1928 the new Jordanian government issued a decree to establish the first municipal council for Zarqa.

After the Jordan 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".

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Population |- | 1903 | 1000 |- | 1928 | 6000 |- | 1952 | 28456 |}

Districts of Greater Zarqa Municipality

The city of Zarqa is divided into five districts that all together have an area of about 60 km2, and another two districts within the radius of influence of the city.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! ! 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 | Forth District (Zawahreh) | 16 |- | 5 |Fifth District (New Zarqa) |17 |- | 6 | Sports Complex District | 3.5 |- | 7 | Zarqa City Gardens District | 19 |}

Transport

A new railway will be constructed to connect Amman with Az-Zarqa. The project is now being devoped by a Spanish engineering company and will be paid with Kuwaiti funds.

Education

There are three universities in Zarqa: Hashemite University, Al-Balqa Applied University-Zarqa college, and Zarqa Private University.

See also

Railway stations in Jordan

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

References

External Links

Zarqa Discussion Forum

Category:Populated places in Jordan Category:Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan