Zarqa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zarqa
الزرقاء
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City
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Coubter-clockwise from top:
View of Zarqa, Jabal Tariq quarter, The Zarqa Chamber of Commerce |
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 Zarqa
Location in Jordan
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| Country |  Jordan |
| Governorate | Zarqa Governorate |
| Settled | 1902 |
| Municipality | 1929 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 60 km2 (20 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 619 m (2,031 ft) |
| Population
(2015)
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| • Total | 635,160 |
| • Density | 10,600/km2 (27,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | +3 |
| Area code(s) | +(962)5 |
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Zarqa (Arabic: الزرقاء) is a major city in Jordan. It is the capital of the Zarqa Governorate. The name "Zarqa" means "the blue city". In 2015, about 635,160 people lived there. This makes Zarqa the second-largest city in Jordan. Only Amman has more people.
Contents
History of Zarqa: A Growing City
People have lived in the Zarqa area since the first century AD. But the city of Zarqa itself started in 1902. It was founded by Chechen families. They moved there because of wars between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire. They built their homes along the Zarqa River.
How Zarqa Became Important
A train station was built in Zarqa around that time. It was part of the Hejaz Railway. This railway helped Zarqa grow into an important place. In 1905, the Ottoman government allowed the Chechen settlers to own their land. This helped the city's population grow quickly. By 1928, the new Jordanian government created Zarqa's first city council.
Zarqa's Military Past
After 1926, the British Army built military bases in Zarqa. This was for the Transjordan Frontier Force. Because of these bases, Zarqa became known as the "military city." The main offices for Jordan's Arab Legion were also in Zarqa.
Refugee Camps and New Residents
The oldest Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan is near Zarqa. It is called Zarqa Camp. The International Committee of the Red Cross set it up in 1949. This happened after many Palestinians left their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. At first, the camp had tents. Later, UNRWA replaced them with concrete homes.
More people came to Zarqa after the 1990–91 Gulf War. The Kuwaiti government asked many Palestinians to leave. More than half of these people moved to Zarqa or nearby Russeifa.
Zarqa Today: A Diverse City
Today, Zarqa is seen as a city with many different people. It has a large Palestinian population. The city is also a strong base for political groups like the Islamic Action Front. This party is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan.
A person named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was a leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, was from Zarqa. Also, many Jordanians who went to join conflicts in the Syrian Civil War came from Zarqa.
Geography and Climate of Zarqa
Zarqa is in the northeast part of Jordan. It sits in the Zarqa River basin. The city is about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Amman. Zarqa covers an area of 60 square kilometers.
Zarqa's Weather
Zarqa has a cold semi-arid climate. This means it is mostly dry with cool winters. The average yearly temperature is about 17.4°C (63.3°F). Around 182 mm (7.2 inches) of rain falls each year. Most of this rain happens in the winter. Zarqa is 619 meters (2,031 feet) above sea level. Sometimes, it even snows in the winter.
| Climate data for Zarqa | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.2 (55.8) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
28.6 (83.5) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
31.5 (88.7) |
27.7 (81.9) |
21.0 (69.8) |
14.9 (58.8) |
24.2 (75.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
16.6 (61.9) |
20.9 (69.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
25.0 (77.0) |
25.0 (77.0) |
23.7 (74.7) |
20.1 (68.2) |
14.6 (58.3) |
9.5 (49.1) |
17.4 (63.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.3 (43.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
13.2 (55.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
17.5 (63.5) |
17.4 (63.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
12.5 (54.5) |
8.2 (46.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
10.7 (51.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 42 (1.7) |
38 (1.5) |
31 (1.2) |
10 (0.4) |
3 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
4 (0.2) |
20 (0.8) |
34 (1.3) |
182 (7.2) |
Population and Districts of Zarqa
Zarqa is the second most populated city in Jordan. In 2015, about 635,000 people lived there. The larger Zarqa area, including nearby towns, had about 700,000 people in 2010. This makes it the third-largest metropolitan area in Jordan.
How Zarqa is Divided
The city of Zarqa is split into five main districts. These districts cover about 60 square kilometers. There are also two other districts that are influenced by 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 | Fourth District (Zawahreh) | 16 |
| 5 | Fifth District (New Zarqa) | 17 |
| 6 | Sports Complex District | 3.5 |
| 7 | Zarqa City Gardens District | 19 |
Economy and Transportation in Zarqa
Zarqa is a very important place for Jordan's economy. It is known as Jordan's industrial center. More than half of all factories in Jordan are located here. Factories choose Zarqa because land costs are lower. It is also close to the capital city, Amman.
Key Industries and Exports
Many important facilities for Jordan's economy are in Zarqa. This includes Jordan's only oil refinery. In 2011, about 10% of Jordan's total exports came from the Zarqa Governorate. This was worth over $512 million. Leather and clothing products made up about 52% of these exports. Chemical, farm, and medicine products were also important exports.
Getting Around Zarqa
The Hejaz Railway connected Zarqa to Amman and Syria from 1908 to 1920. Today, Zarqa is on a major highway. This road connects Saudi Arabia with Syria. The international highway between Amman and Baghdad also goes through the city.
Education in Zarqa
Zarqa has three universities. The biggest one is Hashemite University. The other two are Al-Balqa` Applied University and Zarqa University. There are also other colleges and research centers. Many high schools are in Zarqa, too. The Zarqa Secondary School for Boys is one of the oldest high schools in Jordan.
Sister Cities of Zarqa
Zarqa has "twin towns" or "sister cities." These are cities in other countries that have friendly relationships with Zarqa.
Famous People from Zarqa
Many notable people have come from Zarqa.
- Ahmad Alhendawi, a leader in the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
- Saleh Al-Sharabaty, an Olympic silver medalist in Taekwondo.
- Taghreed Hikmat, Jordan's first female judge and a Senator.
- Lobo Ismail, a singer.
- Amjad Nasser, a writer, journalist, and poet.
- Samih al-Qasim, a Palestinian Druze poet.
- Ayman Safadi, a Jordanian politician and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Images for kids
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View of Zarqa during curfew, April 2021
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Qurtobah area in Az-Zarqa
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The Zarqa Chamber of Commerce building
See also
In Spanish: Zarqa para niños
