๐ฏ๐ด Zarqa is the capital of Zarqa Governorate in Jordan. Its name means "the blue (city)". It is the most populous city in Jordan after Amman. Zarqa is located in the Zarqa River basin in north-east Jordan. The city is situated 15 miles (24ย km) north-east of Amman.
Although inhabited since the 1st century, the city of Zarqa was established 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. The railway station turned Zarqa into an important hub. On 10 April 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 18 November 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.
The city of Zarqa is divided into five districts that all together have an area of about 60ย kmยฒ (23ย sqย mi) and another two districts within the radius of influence of the city.
Transportation Zarqa is connected by the Hejaz Railway to Amman to the south and to Syria to the north. A new railway is under construction to connect Amman with Zarqa.
Zarqa lies on the international highway that connects Saudi Arabia with Syria and on the international Amman-Baghdad highway.
Industry Zarqa is Jordan's industrial centre. It is 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.
Several facilities that are vital to Jordan's economy are based in Zarqa, such as Jordan's only oil refinery plant. According to the Zarqa Chamber of Commerce, 10% of Jordan's total exports in 2011 came from Zarqa Governorate, amounting to more than US$512 million. Leather and garment products constituted about 52% of Zarqa'a exports, followed by chemical, agricultural and pharmaceutical products.
In September 2020, massive explosions occurred at an army munitions depot for mortars near Zarqa, caused by an electric short circuit.
Education There are three universities in Zarqa, the largest of which is Hashemite University. The other two are Al-Balqa` Applied University and Zarqa University. Other community colleges and research centres are based in Zarqa such as the Al-Zarqa Educational & Investment. Also, there are many secondary schools (or high schools) in Zarqa, most notably is the Zarqa Secondary School for Boys which is considered one of the oldest high schools in Jordan.
Zarqa has a population of over 635,160 people. Zarqa also forms the centre of the wider Zarqa Governorate which has a population of over 951,800 people.
To set up a UBI Lab for Zarqa see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork
Twin Towns, Sister Cities Zarqa has links with:
๐ฉ๐ฟ Oran, Algeria๐ฎ๐ฑ Rosh HaโAyin 32.083
๐ฎ๐ฑ Rosh HaAyin 32.083
๐ฎ๐ฑ Bene Beraq 32.083
๐ฎ๐ฑ Petah Tikva 32.09
๐ฑ๐พ Banghฤzฤซ 32.105
๐ฑ๐พ Benghฤzฤซ 32.117
๐ฎ๐ฑ Tel-Aviv-Yafo 32.08
๐ฎ๐ฑ Tel Aviv-Yafo 32.067
๐น๐ท ฤฐskenderun 36.174
Locations Near: Zarqa 36.1,32.0833
๐ฏ๐ด Amman 35.939,31.952 d: 21
๐ฏ๐ด Jerash 35.883,32.267 d: 28.8
๐ฏ๐ด Salt 35.733,32.033 d: 35
๐ฏ๐ด Al-Salt 35.733,32.033 d: 35
๐ฏ๐ด Deir Alla 35.6,32.183 d: 48.4
๐ฏ๐ด Irbid 35.842,32.559 d: 58.2
๐ธ๐พ Daraa 36.11,32.626 d: 60.3
๐ธ๐พ Izra 36.233,32.833 d: 84.3
๐ธ๐พ As-Suwayda 36.567,32.7 d: 81.4
Antipodal to: Zarqa -143.9,-32.083
๐ต๐ซ Papeete -149.566,-17.537 d: 18300.4
๐ฆ๐ธ Pago Pago -170.701,-14.279 d: 16652.3
๐น๐ด Nuku'alofa -175.216,-21.136 d: 16687.5
๐ผ๐ธ Apia -171.76,-13.833 d: 16533.2
๐บ๐ธ Hilo -155.089,19.725 d: 14132.3
๐บ๐ธ Maui -156.446,20.72 d: 13993.6
๐บ๐ธ Kahului -156.466,20.891 d: 13974.6
๐บ๐ธ Wailuku -156.505,20.894 d: 13973.4
๐บ๐ธ Maui County -156.617,20.868 d: 13973.6