Irbid مدينة إربد Arabella (Ancient Greek)
—  City  —
Flag of Irbid Flag
Nickname(s): Bride of the North in Arabic: عروس الشمال
Irbid
Coordinates: 32°33′0″N 35°51′0″E / 32.55°N 35.85°E / 32.55; 35.85
Country	Jordan
Province	Irbid Governorate
Founded	5000 B.C.
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Ghazi Kofahi
Area
• City	30 km2 (10 sq mi)
• Metro	410 km2 (158.30 sq mi)
Elevation[1]	620 m (2,034 ft)
Population (2004)[2][3]
• City	292,040
• Metro	650,000
Time zone	GMT +2
• Summer (DST)	+3 (UTC)
Area code(s)	+(962)2
Website	http://www.irbid.gov.jo/

Irbid (Arabic: إربد‎), known in ancient times as Arabella or Arbela, is the capital and largest city of the Irbid Governorate. It also has the second largest metropolitan population in Jordan after Amman, with a population of around 660,000, and is located about 70 km north of Amman on the northern ridge of the Gilead, equidistant from Pella, Beit Ras (Capitolias), and Umm Qais.

The city of Irbid is the second largest city in Jordan by population (after Amman). Metropolitan Irbid is the second largest. The province of Irbid Governorate has the second largest population, and the highest population density in the kingdom.

The city is a major ground transportation hub between Amman, Syria to the north, and Mafraq to the east.

The Irbid region is also home to several colleges and universities, the two most prominent being Jordan University of Science and Technology and Yarmouk University.

History[link]

Pottery dating from the Bronze Age displayed in the Irbid Archaeological Museum

Artifacts and graves in the area show that Irbid has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Pieces of pottery and wall stones found at Tell Irbid were estimated to be made in the year 3200 B.C.^[4] In the Hellenistic period, Irbid, then known as Arabella was a major trade center. Before the advent of Islam, Arabella was famous for producing some of the best wines in the ancient world. The area in the region had extremely fertile soil and moderate climate, allowing the growing of high quality grapes.

After the Muslim conquests, it came under the rule of the Muslim Empire, the city became known as Irbid, and shifted from wine to olive oil production. Wheat was also an important product in the area.

Irbid is notable for being close to the site of the decisive Battle of Yarmouk, fought along the banks of the Yarmouk River roughly 30 kilometres north of the city. The battle was waged between the Islamic Caliphate led by Umar and the Byzantine Empire. It set the stage for the departure of Byzantine armies from Greater Syria and the beginning of the expansion of the Islamic Caliphate.

Present-day[link]

Irbid today combines the bustle of a provincial Middle Eastern town and the youthful nightlife of a typical college town. University Street, which defines the western border of the Yarmouk University campus, is popular with locals as well as with the occasional foreign visitors who stop to relax in any of its numerous restaurants and cafés.

Though not usually a major tourist destination itself, Irbid is home to two notable museums: the Museum of Jordanian Heritage and the Jordan Natural History Museum, both on the campus of Yarmouk University. Furthermore, Irbid's strategic location in northern Jordan makes it a convenient starting point for tourists interested in seeing the northern Jordan Valley; visiting Umm Qais, Beit Ras (Capitolias), Pella, Ajloun, Umm el-Jimal, and other historical sites; or traveling on to Syria.

Geography[link]

The traditional Jordanian costume of Irbid.

Situated in northern Jordan, in a fertile plateau. As of 2010, the city limits of Irbid had an area of 30 km² of which most of it is classified as Residential areas making up 74.3% of the total area, followed by the Services areas occupying 9.5%, then Empty or unoccupied areas of 7.7%, then 4.2% is classified as Commercial areas, and 3.3% as Industrial areas, and finally Green areas (gardens) occupied 1% of the total city area.

Border Cities[link]

• Umm Qais
• Al koura
• Mafraq
• Ar Ramtha

Climate[link]

Irbid has a typical climate of the Levant region, the average highest and lowest temperatures are given below.

Districts of Greater Irbid Municipality[link]

Irbid is divided into 23 city districts forming smaller cities within the metropolitan sphere of influence of Irbid:

Jordan University of Science and Technology campus

Huwwarah district

The Safeway shopping center in Irbid

Al-Arabi Sports Club in Irbid

Yarmouk University

Cities, Towns, and Villages Many villages surround the city of Irbid including:

• Al-Taybeh (الطيبة)
• Natfeh (ناطفه)
• Habaka (حبكا‎)
• Kufr-Rahta (كفررحتا)
• Al-Mazar Al-Shamali (المزار الشمالي)
• Bushra or Bishra (بشرى)
• Hareema (حريما)
• Al'aal (علعال)
• Kufr Asad (كفرأسد)
• Kufr Aan (كفرعان)
• Jumha (جمحة)
• Kufryuba (كفر يوبا)
• Zahar (زحر)
• Qum (قمّ)
• Sammou' (سمّوع)
• Izmal (زمال)
• Kufrelma (كفر الماء)
• Sawm (سوم)
• Saydoor (صيدور)
• Kufr Soom
• Sama al-Rousan (سما الروسان)
• Ibser Abu Ali
• Assarieh
• Aidoon
• Al Husn
• Baleela, Kitim
• Beit Ras (بيت راس)
• Dowgarah
• En-Nu`aymeh
• Habaka
• Houfa Al-Westiyyah
• Qumaim
• Huwwarah
• Imrawah
• Al Ramtha
• Sal
• Samad (صمد)
• Al Shajara
• Al Turrah
• Hatim (حاتم العودات)
• Fou'ara
• Zoubia
• Rehaba
• Kufor Alma (كفرالماء )
• Kharja
• Dair Yousef
• Dair Abos'eed
• Kufor Kefia
• Summer
• E'nbeh
• Bayt Yafa (بيت يافا)
• Dair Esse'neh (دير السعنة)
• Mandah
• Marw (مرو)
• Zabda
• Malka (ملكا)
• Bait Idis (بيت ايدس)

Education[link]

As of 2007, there were 70,000 registered students in Irbid's 10 universities, community colleges and institutes, of whom 8,000 were international students from 47 countries.^[5] This high concentration of institutions of higher education has played a key role in carving a unique identity of the city. The largest universities in Irbid are:

• Yarmouk University^[6]
• Jordan University of Science and Technology ^[7]
• Irbid National University^[8]
• Al-Balqa` Applied University (Irbid campus) ^[9]
• Jadara University^[10]

Private Schools in Irbid:

• Islamic School ^[P] (Al-Madares Al-Islamiya)
• Rosary Sisters School
• Al-Manara Schools ^[P]
• Dar Al Uloum Schools ^[P]
• Yarmouk University Model School ^[P]
• Irbid Model School ^[P]
• Jordan National Schools ^[P]
• Shoa'a Alammel School ^[P]
• Al-Nahda Private School ^[P]
• Khawla Bint Alazwar ^[P]
• Greek Catholic School
• Al-Arabiya Model School
• Adventist School
• Jeel Al Jadeed School
• Irbid International Schools - soon

Economy[link]

Most of the city's economy is based on the services sector, that is directly or indirectly related to the higher education institutions in the city, as an example there are 26 book publishing companies in the city. The number of internet cafes per capita is the highest in the world that took Irbid to the Guinness Book of World Records. Irbid is considered the cultural capital of Jordan.^[11] There is one Qualifying Industrial Zone in Irbid.

Sports[link]

The Irbid-based club Al-Hussein (Irbid) was ranked fourth in the Jordanian football premier league in 2008. Its home matches are held in Prince Hassan Youth City's Stadium. The other major football club in Irbid is Al-Arabi. Established in 1945, it is one of the oldest athletic clubs in the country. As of 2008, there are 22 cultural and sport clubs registered in Irbid. Irbid hosted the 1999 Pan Arab Games.

Twin towns - Sister cities[link]

• Iaşi, Romania
• Gaziantep, Turkey
• Zhengzhou, China

Bibliography[link]

• El-Khouri, Lamia, "Roman and Byzantine Settlements in the Region of West Irbid," Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 139,3 (2007), 166-185.

External links[link]

• Beautiful Natural Scenes From Al-Koura Department - Irbid
• Irbid News
• Greater Irbid Municipality
• Irbid Guide
• Irbid Discussion Forum (Arabic)
• Al Husun FM Radio Station
• Jordan Cars

References[link]

Coordinates: 32°33′N 35°51′E / 32.55°N 35.85°E / 32.55; 35.85

v t e Palestinian refugee camps1 locations and populations as of 2005  Gaza Strip 986,034 refugees  Jordan 2,127,877 refugees  Lebanon 404,170 refugees  Syria 432,048 refugees  West Bank 699,817 refugees Al-Shati (Beach) 76,109 Bureij 30,059 Deir al-Balah 20,188 Jabalya 175,646 Khan Yunis 60,662 Maghazi 22,536 Nuseirat 64,233 Rafah 90,638 Canada Camp disbanded Amman New 390,805 Baqa'a 120,100 Husn 19,573 Irbid camp 35,512 Jabal el-Hussein 100,674 Jerash 30,696 Marka 41,237 Souf 21,911 Talbieh 4,041 Zarqa 180,344 Beddawi 15,695 Burj el-Barajneh 19,526 Burj el-Shemali 18,134 Dbayeh 4,223 Dikwaneh destroyed Ein el-Hilweh 44,133 El-Buss 9,840 Jisr el-Basha destroyed Mar Elias 1,406 Mieh Mieh 5,078 Nabatieh destroyed Nahr el-Bared 28,358 Rashidieh 24,679 Sabra Shatila 11,998 Tel al-Zaatar destroyed Wavel 7,357 Dera'a 5,916 Dera'a (emergency) 5,536 Hama 7,597 Homs 13,825 Jaramana 5,007 Khan Dunoun 8,603 Khan Eshieh 15,731 Neirab 17,994 Qabr Essit 16,016 Sbeineh 19,624 Latakia 6,534 Yarmouk 350,550 Ein Al-Tal 4,329 Abu Dis Aida 3,260 Am'ari 8,083 Aqabat Jabr 5,197 al-'Arrub 9,180 Askar 31,894 'Azza 1,828 Balata 41,681 Deir Ammar 2,189 Dheisheh 10,923 Ein Beit al-Ma' 6,221 Ein as-Sultan 1,888 Far'a 12,836 Fawwar 7,072 Jalazone 9,284 Jenin 35,050 Kalandia 9,188 Nur Shams 8,179 Shuafat (Shu'fat) 9,567 Tulkarm 17,259 1 The UNRWA definition of a "Palestinian refugee" is a person "whose normal place of residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948, who lost both their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict ... UNRWA's definition of a refugee also covers the descendants of persons who became refugees in 1948." [2] Palestinian exodus · United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)