Zarqa

Zarqa City مدينة الزرقاء
—  City  —
The Zarqa Center of Commerce
Zarqa City Location in Jordan
Coordinates: 32°05′N 36°06′E / 32.083°N 36.1°E / 32.083; 36.1
Country	Jordan
Governorate	Zarqa Governorate
Settled	1902
Municipality	1929
Government
- Type	Municipality
- Mayor	Muhammed Al-Gweri
Area
- Total	23.2 sq mi (60 km2)
Elevation	2,031 ft (619 m)
Population (2004)
- Total	395,227
Time zone	UTC+2 (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (UTC+3)
Area code(s)	+(962)5
Website	http://www.zm.gov.jo

Zarqa (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. 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".

The train station at Zarqa

Zarqa from a train on the Hejaz Railway

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. Migration to Zarqa has steadily progressed since the 1940s. More than 50% of Zarqa's population migrated from the West Bank following the Six Day War. Zarqa's climate is desert-like, to a much greater degree than nearby Amman. Qasr Shebib is a prominent local landmark.

A new settlement that will house more than one million people has been approved by the Jordanian government. This will be constructed by Mawared, a Jordanian real estate company with connections to the military. New office buildings will also be constructed by corporations from the Persian Gulf.

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". ^[1]

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.

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 is going to 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

• FallingRain Map – elevation = 568m (Red dots are railways)

Coordinates: 32°05′N 36°06′E / 32.083°N 36.1°E / 32.083; 36.1

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