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 the country's capital. The administrative center of the governorate as well as all government offices and parliament are located in the Abdali district.

Amman Governorate
محافظة العاصمة
CountryJordan
CapitalAmman
Subdivisions
List
  • Capital Department
  • Marka Department
  • Al-Qwesmeh Department
  • University Department
  • Wadi Al Seer Department
  • Naour Department
  • Sahab Department
  • Al Jizah Department
  • Muwaqqar Department
Government
 • GovernorSaed Shihab
Area
 • Total7,579 km2 (2,926 sq mi)
Population
 (2015)
 • Total4,007,000
 • Density530/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneGMT +2
 • Summer (DST)+3
Area code+(962)6
Urban94%
Rural6%
HDI (2021)0.737[1]
high · 1st of 12
Byzantine mosaic in the Church of Saint Stephen in Umm ar-Rasas
ʿAin Ghazal Venus which dates back to 7250 BC, is among the oldest known large-scale statues of the human form. It is housed in the Jordan Archaeological Museum.

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

edit

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

edit

The climate of the Amman Governorate is that of the Eastern Mediterranean. 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

edit

The Jordan national census of 2015 shows that the population of the Capital Governorate passed 4 millions, of whom more than 36% (1.45 million) were foreign nationals. This constitutes a sharp increase from the population of the 2004 census. One factor that contributed to the sharp increase in population is the high influx of refugees from neighboring countries.[2]

The Jordan national census of 2004 indicated that the total population of the Capital Governorate at the time was 1,942,066, which grew from 1,576,238 in the 1994 census at an average annual growth of 2.1%.[3]

Demographics of Amman Governorate [4] 2004 Census 2015 Census
Female to Male ratio 48.58% to 51.42% 48.1% to 51.9%
Jordanian citizens to foreign nationals 88% to 12% 63.8% to 36.2%
Urban population 94% 96%
Rural population 6% 4%
Total population 1,942,066 4,007,000

The population of districts according to census results:[5]

District Population
(Census 1994)
Population
(Census 2004)
Population
(Census 2015)
Amman Governorate 1,576,238 1,942,066 4,007,526
Al-Jāmi'ah ... 279,359 743,980
Al-Jīzah 32,446 42,051 118,004
Al-Mūaqqar 18,239 30,017 84,370
Al-Quwaysimah ... 257,260 582,659
Mārkā ... 483,819 956,104
Nā'ūr (Na'our) 37,281 66,220 129,650
Qaṣabah 'Ammān ... 552,511 855,955
Saḥāb 49,060 57,037 169,434
Wādī as-Sīr 132,195 173,792 367,370
Khilda 63,468 121,634 250,327

Administrative divisions

edit

Nahias

edit
 
Nahias of the Amman Governorate
 
Amman subdistrict map (with districts)

Article 4 of the administrative divisions system of the Jordanian Ministry of Interior states that the Amman Governorate is divided into nine nahias,[dubiousdiscuss][6] five of which include the districts of Greater Amman Municipality.

Nahia of the Amman Governorate by population (2004)[7]
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 Amman 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

Towns and villages

edit
 
Abdali district forms the heart of Amman.
 
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, Buqa'i al-Qababiyah, 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

edit

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, and is Jordan's first university.[8] The Arab Open University[9] is owned and run by the Arab League. Princess Sumaya University for Technology was named after Princess Sumaya of Jordan.[10] Petra University was ranked 20th in the Arab World by Webometrics.[11] Philadelphia University (Jordan) is the largest private university in the Amman Governorate.[12]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  2. ^ "Census results 2015, published by the Department of Statistics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  3. ^ "DOS Jordan 1994 Census". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  4. ^ Jordan National Census of 2004 Table 3-1 Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Jordan: Administrative Division, Governorates and Districts". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Ministry of Interior Administrative Divisions". Archived from the original on 2011-03-10. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  7. ^ 2004 Census Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ University of Jordan
  9. ^ "Arabou-jo.edu". Archived from the original on 2011-02-21. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  10. ^ Princess Sumaya University for Technology
  11. ^ University of Petra, Jordan
  12. ^ Philadelphia University
edit