| Aqaba Governorate (محافظة العقبة) | |
 Aqaba Governorate
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| Country |  Jordan |
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| Cities | Petra, Wadi Rum |
| Capital | Aqaba |
| Area | 6,583 km2 (2,542 sq mi) |
| Population | 107,115 (2006) |
| Density | 16.3 /km2 (42 /sq mi) |
| Timezone | GMT +2 |
| - summer (DST) | +3 |
| Area code | +(962)3 |
Aqaba (Arabic: العقبة al-ʻAqabah) is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south of Amman, capital of Jordan. Its capital is Aqaba. It is the forth largest governorate in Jordan by area and is ranked 10th by population.
Aqaba, the port at the Red Sea, plays an important role in the economic life of Jordan and has many attractions to offer the vacationer. The Jordanian-Saudi border originally ran a few kilometers south of Aqaba. In 1965 the late King Hussein exchanged 12 km (7 mi) of the valuable coastal strip for 6,000 km (3,700 mi) desert. The port is Jordan's most important import/export hub. The industrial port lies well away from the beaches and the hotels, so that tourist activities are not affected.
Archaeological Treasures
The greatest archaeological treasure of the region is Petra. Petra lies on the eastern slope of Mount Hor in Wādī ʻAraba, a section of the Great Rift Valley that runs from the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.
The ancient city of Petra is located at the north eastern part of Aqaba Governorate.
Economy
The governorate population depends heavily on tourism as a major source of income. The port of Aqaba is the only sea port for Jordan. Almost all of Jordan's foreign trade comes through Aqaba. During the Iraqi-Iranian War, Iraq used the port of Aqaba for its foreign trade.
Administrative Departments
Aqaba is divided into 3 nahiyas:
- Al-Aqaba
- Al-Quwayra
- Wadi Araba
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Coordinates: 29°31′25″N 35°00′26″E / 29.52361°N 35.00722°E
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