Zarqa Govrenorate

Location o Zarqa Govrenorate

The Zarqa River

Zarqa Governorate (Arabic محافظة الزرقاء az-Zarqā, local dialects ez-Zergā or ez-Zer'a, "The Blue Ane") is the third lairgest govrenorate in Jordan in population. The caipital o Zarqa govrenorate is Zarqa Ceety, which is the lairgest ceety in the govrenorate. It is locatit 25 km east o the Jordanian caipital Amman. The seicont lairgest ceety in the govrenorate is Russeifa.

Zarqa Govrenorte hosts the lairgest military an air bases for the Jordan airmed forces in the kinrick.

History

The Nabatean Palace Qasr Al-Hallabat

The wetlands in Azraq

Qasr Amra, A Warld Heritage Site

The land o Zarqa Govrenorate haes been inhabitit syne the Bronze Age, maist prominent wur the Ammonite kinrick an the Nabateans constructit Al-Hallabat Palace, which then wis uised as a fort bi the Romans. The maist significant historical remains are the Umayyad desert pailaces, sic as Qasr Amra, a Warld Heritage site, Qasr Al Hallabat, an Qasr Shabib.

Efter the construction o the Hidjaz railwey bi the Ottoman Turks at the beginnin o the 1900's, Zarqa became a strategically important hub that connects Damascus tae Medina, the ceeties alang the railwey stairtit flourishin. Later, Jordan's Arab Legion led bi Glubb Pasha haed its main bases in Zarqa.

Geography

Zarqa Govrenorate borders Mafraq Govrenorate frae the north an northeast, Amman Govrenorate frae the sooth an soothwast, Jerash an Balqa Govrenorates frae the wast. It an aa shares an internaitional mairch wi Saudi Arabie in its sooth eastren edge.

Demographics

The census o 2004 shows that the population o Zarqa Govrenorate for that year wis 727,268 o whom 94.5% is considered urban population an 5.5% is a rural population. Jordanian ceetizens made up 97% o the population. The female tae male ratio wis 46% tae 54%.

Admeenistrative Depairtments

A Jordanian F-16 in the Azraq base

Depairtments o Zarqa Govrenorate bi population (2004)

	Depairtment	Arabic name	population (2004)	Admeenistrative Center
1	Caipital Depairtment (Al-Qasaba)	لواء قصبة الزرقاء	450,102	Zarqa
2	Russeifa Depairtment	لواء الرصيفة	268,237	Russeifa
3	Hashemiyya Depairtment	لواء الهاشمية	46311	Hashemiyya

Economy

Due tae its close location tae the populated ceeties in Jordan, Zarqa Governorate haes the lairgest nummer o factories in Jordan, Jordan's anly ile refinery plant is locatit in zarqa.

The lairgest air base in the kintra, Muwaffaq al Salti Airbase is locatit in Azraq. Thare are twa varsities in Zarqa Governorate, Hashemite University, an Zarqa Private University.