Az Zarqa

Az Zarqa which is also known as Zarqa is a city in Jordan that is located to the northeastern part of Amman. It is Jordan’s second largest city and has a population of 792,665, as per the last census. Az Zarqa is Jordan’s mega industrial centre and more than 50 percent of Jordan’s factories and industries are located here. The low real estate prices and its proximity to the capital city of Amman have resulted in the growth of industries here in the city of Az Zarqa. Half of the Az Zarqa’s population has migrated from the West Bank after the Six-Day-War between the Israel army and the combined armies of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Az Zarqa has a desert-type of climate unlike Amman’s Mediterranean type of climate.

The town of Az Zarqa is the capital of Az Zarqa district. The town is a road hub with a power house and phosphate mines located close by. This is the only town which is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. In November 2002, the Caesarea Development Corporation started construction of a large earthen embankment which runs along the 160 meter-wide corridor between the Az Zarqa and the neighboring Caesarea. The construction was undertaken without informing the Az Zarqa Municipal Council. No satisfactory reason was given for the construction of the wall. With the existence of a national park in the north, there is no room for development of the town.

The population of Az Zarqa is primarily Muslim, though there is a Christian minority.   A new settlement that is likely to house more than 370,000 people has been approved by the Jordanian government. The construction is expected to be started shortly. The entire project is being funded by Saudi Arabian corporations. New office buildings are scheduled to be constructed shortly by Gulf corporations.