Amman Governorate

Amman Governorate (محافظة العاصمة)
Governorate
256px Amman Governorate
Country	Jordan
Subdivisions	9  - Capital Department  - Marka Department  - Al-Qwesmeh Department  - University Department  - Wadi Al Seer Department  - Naour Department  - Sahab Department  - Al Jizah Department  - Muwaqqar Department
Capital	Amman
- elevation	777 m (2,549 ft)
- coordinates
Area	7,579 km2 (2,926 sq mi)
Population	2,473,400 (2012)
Density	326.3 / km2 (845 / sq mi)
Governor	Samir Mubaidhin
Timezone	GMT +2
- summer (DST)	+3
Area code	+(962)6
Urban	94%
Rural	6%

File:Umm Rasas decorative mosaic2.JPG

Byzantine mosaic in the Church of Saint Stephen in Umm ar-Rasas.

'Ain Ghazal Venus which dates back to 7250 BC, is the oldest statue ever made by a human civilization. It is housed in the Jordan Archaeological Museum

Amman Governorate, officially known as Muhafazat al-Asima (Arabic محافظة العاصمة, English translation: The Capital Governorate), is one of the governorates in Jordan. The governorate's capital is the city of Amman, which is also country's capital. The administrative center of the governorate as well as all government offices and parliament are located in the Abdali district.

The Amman Governorate has the largest population of the 12 governorates of Jordan. It borders Zarqa Governorate to the north and north east, the governorates of Balqa and Madaba to the west, Karak and Ma'an governorates to the south. It also shares an international border with Saudi Arabia from the east.

History

The land covered by the Amman Governorate has been inhabited since the prehistoric age, ruins of civilizations as early as 7250 BC have been discovered at 'Ain Ghazal near Amman, the site itself is one of the largest prehistoric settlements in the Middle East.

Amman was the capital and stronghold of the Ammonites, which they called Rabbath Ammon, the Ammonites ruled almost the entire land of the Capital Governorate. After the Romans took control of the region, Amman was renamed as "Philadelphia", and was one of the ten Roman Decapolis cities. Following the Arab Muslim conquests, Philadelphia reclaimed the name Amman. The Byzantine site at Umm ar-Rasas was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2004.

Geography

The climate of the Amman Governorate is that of the Eastern Mediterranean climate. However since Amman is located on a hilly plateau, the average annual precipitation and temperature generally may vary significantly from one location to another, even within the city of Amman. For instance, it may be snowing in the Sweileh district which has an elevation of 1050 m above sea level, but cloudy with no rain in the Amman city center, which has an elevation of 780 m. The Amman Governorate is the third largest governorate in Jordan by area and the largest by population.

Demographics

The Jordan national census of 2004 indicates that the total population of the Amman Governorate was 1,942,066 growing from 1,576,238 in the 1994 census at an average annual growth of 2.1%.

Estimates of the year 2009 put the population at about 2,380,000. However, this estimate is based on natural growth rate and does not take into account the influx of Iraqi refugees after the invasion of Iraq. Other estimates put the population of the Amman Governorate at about 2.5 to 2.8 millions. The next census is scheduled to be held in 2015.

Demographics of Amman Governorate (2004 Census)
Female to Male ratio	48.58% to 51.42%
Jordanian citizens to foreign nationals	88% to 12%
Urban population	94%
Rural population	6%
Total population	1,942,066

Administrative divisions

Nahias of Amman

Article 4 of the administrative divisions system of the Jordanian Ministry of Interior states that the CAmman Governorate is divided into nine nahias, five of these nahias include the districts of Metropolitan Amman.

Nahia of the Amman Governorate by population (2004)

	Nahia	Arabic Name	Subdivisions	population (2004)	Administrative Center
1	Capital Nahia (Al-Qasaba)	لواء قصبة عمان	includes six of Amman metropolitan districts	552,511	Abdali
2	Marka Nahia	لواء ماركا	includes four of Amman metropolitan districts	483,819	Marka
3	Al-Qwesmeh Nahia	لواء القويسمة	includes three of Amman metropolitan districts	257,260	Al Juwayyidah
4	University Nahia	لواء الجامعة	includes six of Amman metropolitan districts	279,359	Al Jubayhah
5	Wadi Al Seer Nahia	لواء وادي السير	includes three of Ammman metropolitan districts and 12 other towns and villages	173,792	Wadi Al Seer
6	Naour Nahia	لواء ناعور	includes 25 towns and villages	66,220	Naour
7	Sahab Nahia	لواء سحاب	includes 7 towns and villages	57,037	Sahab
8	Al Jizah Nahia	لواء الجيزة	Includes 62 towns and villages	42,051	Al Jizah
9	Muwaqqar Nahia	لواء الموقر	includes 26 towns and villages	30,017	Al Mushaqqar

Rank	District	Neighborhoods	Area (km2)	Population (2004)
1	Al-Madinah	2	3.1	38,465
2	Basman	6	13.4	223,816
3	Marka	4	23	99,818
4	Al-Nasr	5	28.4	150,000
5	Al-Yarmouk	3	5.5	207,866
6	Ras Al-Ein	3	0.68	118,232
7	Bader	5	0.01	250,000
8	Zahran	5	13.8	60,000
9	Al-Abdali	4	15	120,000
10	Tareq	4	25	100,000
11	Qweismeh	13	45.9	156,781
12	Kherbet Al-Souk	16	0.5	100,000
13	Al-Mgablein	8	23	60,000
14	Wadi Al-Seer	11	80	136,000
15	Badr Al-Jadeedah	7	19	15,000
16	Sweileh	4	20	69,400
17	Tla' Al-Ali	8	19.8	129,812
18	Jubeiha	9	25.9	71,828
19	Shafa Badran	14	45	35,000
20	Abu Nseir	6	50	50,000
21	Uhod	9	250	40,000
22	Al-Jeezah	27	558	57,000
23	Sahab	10	12	60,000
24	Al-Muwaqqar	5	250	60,000
25	Husban Al-Jadeedah	5	55	30,000
26	Na'our	26	87	50,000
27	Marj Al-Hamam	16	53	50,000

Towns and villages

File:Amman Hotel Regency.jpg

Abdali District forms the heart of Amman

File:WadiSeerMainDrag.jpg

Wadi Al Seer Department

Abdoun, Abu `Alandah, Adh Dhuhaybah, Al `Al, Al `Amiriyah, Al `Arid, Al `Arudah, Al Bahhath, Al Bassah, Al Bunayyat al Janubiyah, Al Bunayyat ash Shamaliyah, Al Hawwasiyah, Al Hummar, Al Jizah, Al Jubayhah, Al Judayyidah, Al Jumayyil, Al Juwayyidah, Al Lubban, Al Mabrak, Al Mahattah, Al Manakhir, Al Mathluthah, Al Muqabalayn, Al Mushaqqar, Al Mushayrifah, Al Mushayrifah, Al Muwaqqar, Al Qartu`iyah, Al Qastal, Al Qunaytirah, Al Qurayyat, Al Quwayjiyah, Al Quwaysimah, Al Yadudah, `Ammuriya, An Naqubah, An Nuwayjis, `Ara`ir, Ar Rabahiyah, Ar Rajib, Ar Riwaq, Ash Shufatah, Ash Shumaysani, Ash Shuqayq, As Samik, As Saqrah, Ath Thughrah, `Atruz, At Tunayb, Barazin, Barzah, Barzah, Bayt Zir`ah, Biddin, Bilal, Buqay` al Qababi`ah, Dab`ah, Dhiban, Dhuhaybah, Dulaylat al Hama'idah, Dulaylat al Mutayrat, Halaq ash Shuqayq, Hawwarah, Hisban, `Iraq al Amir, Jalul, Jawa, Juraynah, Khilda, Khirbat `Assaf, Khirbat as Sahilah, Khirbat Badran, Khirbat Khaww, Khirbat Siran, Khuraybat as Suq, Kufayr Abu Sarbut, Kufayr al Wakhyan, Kufayrat Abu Khinan, Madaba, Ma`in, Manja, Marka, Mukawir, Mulayh, Murayjimat Ibn Hamid, Natl, Na`ur, Qasr al Hallabat, Qubur `Abd Allah, Qurayyat Falhah, Qurayyat Nafi`, Qurayyat Salim, Rujaym Salim, Rujm ash Shami, Rujm ash Shara'irah, Sahab, Shunat Ibn `Adwan, Sufah, Sumiya, Suwaylih, Tabarbawr, Tila` al `Ali, Umm al `Amad, Umm al Birak, Umm al Hanafish, Umm al Kundum, Umm al Qanafidh, Umm ar Rasas, Umm as Summaq, Umm Juraysat, Umm Nuwarah, Umm Qusayr, Umm Qusayr, Umm Rummanah, Umm Shujayrah al Gharbiyah, Umm Zuwaytinah, `Urjan al Gharbiyah, `Urjan ash Sharqiyah, `Uyun adh Dhi'b, Wadi as Sir, Yajuz, Zaba'ir `Udwan, Zuwayza

Education

As of 2010, there were 24 universities and community colleges in the Amman Governorate the University of Jordan is the oldest university established in the governorate, it is also Jordan's first university, other universities are the Arab Open University which is owned and run by the Arab League and Princess Sumaya University for Technology which was named after Princess Sumaya of Jordan. Petra University was ranked 20th in the Arab World by Webometrics, Philadelphia University (Jordan) is the largest private university in the Amman Governorate.

External links

• Maplandia.com