Zarqa
Encyclopedia
Az-Zarqāʔ is a city in Jordan
located to the northeast of Amman
. With a population of more than one million 1000,000. It is the country's second largest city after Amman. Zarqa is the capital of Zarqa Governorate
(Arabic محافظة الزرقاء Muħāfazat az-Zarqā). Its name means "the blue one".
, Russeifa
, and Zarqa, form one large metropolis with abolut 60% of Jordan's population. 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.
immigrants who were displaced from the wars between the Ottoman
and Russian Empire
s. 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 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". The headquarters of Jordan's Arab Legion
was in Zarqa.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Population
|-
| 1903
| 1000
|-
| 1928
| 6000
|-
| 1952
| 28456
|-
| 2004
| 450,102
|-
| 2009
| 950,000
|}
Zarqa is connected the Hejaz railway to Amman
and north to Syria
. A new railway is currently under construction to connect Amman
with Zarqa. Zarqa lies on the international highway that connects Saud Arabia with Syria, and on the international Amman
-Baghdad
highway.
Hashemite University
, Al-Balqa` Applied University
-Zarqa College, and Zarqa Private University
.
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
located to the northeast of Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
. With a population of more than one million 1000,000. It is the country's second largest city after Amman. Zarqa is the capital of Zarqa Governorate
Zarqa Governorate
Zarqa Governorate is the third largest governorate in Jordan by population. The capital of Zarqa governorate is Zarqa City, which is the largest city in the governorate. It is located 25 km east of the Jordanian capital Amman...
(Arabic محافظة الزرقاء Muħāfazat 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 tricities AmmanAmman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Russeifa
Russeifa
Russeifa, also spelled Russiefa, , making it the forth largest city in Jordan, after Amman, Irbid, and Zarqa.-Geography:The city of Russeifa is located in the Central region of Jordan, in the Zarqa River basin, on the Amman-Zarqa highway...
, and Zarqa, form one large metropolis with abolut 60% of Jordan's population. The city of Zarqa was established by immigrants from the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
region at the beginning of the twentieth century, initially on the banks of the Zarqa River
Zarqa River
The Zarqa River 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...
, 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
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
, were located in Zarqa.
History
The first settlement in the city was in 1902 by ChechenChechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
immigrants who were displaced from the wars between the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
s. They settled along the Zarqa River
Zarqa River
The Zarqa River 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...
. 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 Transjordan Frontier Force
Transjordan Frontier Force
The Transjordan Frontier Force was formed, on 1 April 1926, as a para-military border guard to defend Trans-Jordan's northern and southern borders. The TJFF was also an Imperial Service regiment whose Imperial Service soldiers agreed to serve wherever required and not just within the borders of...
was formed in 1926, military bases were constructed in the city by the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and the city later became known as the "military city". The headquarters of Jordan's Arab Legion
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
was in Zarqa.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Population
|-
| 1903
| 1000
|-
| 1928
| 6000
|-
| 1952
| 28456
|-
| 2004
| 450,102
|-
| 2009
| 950,000
|}
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.| 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
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
and north to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. A new railway is currently under construction to connect Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
with Zarqa. Zarqa lies on the international highway that connects Saud Arabia with Syria, and on the international Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
-Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
highway.
Education
There are three universities in Zarqa:Hashemite University
Hashemite University
The Hashemite University is a university in Zarqa, Jordan. It is named after the Jordanian royal family — the Hashemites — and was established by royal decree in 1992.- History :...
, Al-Balqa` Applied University
Al-Balqa` Applied University
Al-Balqa` Applied University is a government-supported university located in Salt, Jordan, was founded in 1997, a distinctive state university in the field of Bachelor and Associate degree Applied Education, at the capacity of more than 21,000 student distributed into 10,000 at the Bachelor...
-Zarqa College, and Zarqa Private University
Zarqa Private University
Zarqa University formally Zarqa Private University is a university in the city of Zarqa, in Jordan's Zarqa Governorate. It was established in 1994, about 6 Km to the east of the city center. At the university's first academic semester, there were only 150 students. In the scholastic year 2010/2011...
.