The Zarqa River (Arabic: نهر الزرقاء‎) is the second largest tributary of the lower Jordan River, after the Yarmouk River. It is the third largest river in the region by annual discharge, and its watershed encompasses the most densely populated areas east of the Jordan River. It rises in springs near Amman, and flows through a deep and broad valley (which is identified with the biblical Jabbok River) into the Jordan, at an elevation 1,090 meters (3,580 ft) lower. The river is heavily polluted and its restoration is one of the top priorities for the Jordanian Ministry of the Environment.

Geologically, the Zarqa river is about 30 million years old. At the river's origin is 'Ain Ghazal, a major archaeological site that dates back to the Neolithic period. Archeological finds along the course of the river indicate the area was rich in flora and fauna in the past. The Zarqa river is well known for its amber deposits that date back to the Hauterivian of the lower Cretaceous (135 m.y.). A remarkable flora and fauna was reported from this amber reflecting a tropical paleoenvironmental prevailing conditions during the time of resin deposition (Kaddumi, 2005; 2007).

Az-Zarqāʔ (Arabic: الزرقاء‎; BGN: Az Zarqāʼ; local pronunciation ez-Zergā, ez-Zer'a, or ez-Zarka) is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman. Zarqa is the capital of Zarqa Governorate (Arabic محافظة الزرقاء Muħāfazat az-Zarqā). Its name means "the blue one".

Zarqa is Jordan's industrial centre, located in the zarqa River basin, 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, situated only 25 km south west of Zarqa. Although inhabited since the first century A.D., 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.

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.

Ali Khattab (July 4, 1977) is an Egyptian composer and guitarist. In his works, he combines the elements of two musical worlds and traditions: The Arab-Oriental and the Gypsy-Andalusian, flamenco. From the age of seventeen, the time when he first starts performing on stage, everything he does is meant to lead him to one place: the cradle of flamenco, Jerez de la Frontera. From then on, Ali spends a lot of time in Andalucia, meeting and performing with influential flamenco musicians, singers, guitarists, and dancers who introduce him to the true universe of flamenco. Following a tour in Spain and the middle east, Ali Khattab's first album named "Al Zarqa", (Blue eyed brunette) was released in March 2010 in Madrid, Spain. In a recent radio interview the artist explained that his music as the name of his album is like a blue eyed brunnete a mix of two worlds in perfect harmony.

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