The wind whispers secrets through the ancient stones. This is Zarqa a city built on the whispers of history.
Zarqa isn’t just a city it’s a living tapestry woven from threads of displacement and resilience. Established in 1902 by Chechen immigrants fleeing the Russo-Ottoman wars Zarqa found its footing along the Zarqa River. A railway station soon transformed this nascent settlement into a vital hub. The Ottoman governor granted these settlers land ownership in 1905. The population exploded.
In 1928 Zarqa’s first municipal council was formed. A symbol of burgeoning local governance. The British Army established military bases here. Zarqa became known as the “military city”. It even housed the headquarters of Jordan’s Arab Legion.
Zarqa’s strategic location has always been pivotal. It lies along major highways connecting Saudi Arabia to Syria. It’s also on the Amman-Baghdad route. Today Zarqa remains strategically significant. It’s Jordan’s industrial heart housing over half of the country’s factories.
But Zarqa’s story isn’t just one of industry and strategic importance. It’s a story of refuge. Zarqa Camp near the city is the oldest Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan. It was established in 1949 by the International Committee of the Red Cross after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Initially tents UNRWA later provided concrete shelters. More refugees arrived after the 1990-91 Gulf War. The Kuwaiti government expelled many Palestinians suspected of supporting Saddam Hussein. Zarqa absorbed many of these displaced people.
In 1970 Zarqa became a stage for dramatic events. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine hijacked airplanes. Three were forced to land at Dawson’s Field a desert airstrip near Zarqa.
The city’s identity is complex. Zarqa is described as marginalized and conservative with a substantial Palestinian population. It’s a center of political Islamism a stronghold of the Islamic Action Front the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm. Sadly it was also the home of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi the first leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. A sobering reminder of the complexities of history.
Zarqa’s climate is semi-arid. Temperatures average 17.4 degrees Celsius. Around 182 millimeters of rain falls annually mostly in winter. Zarqa’s elevation is 619 meters. Snow sometimes falls.
Despite the challenges Zarqa thrives. Its three universities Hashemite University Al-Balqa Applied University and Zarqa University testament to its enduring spirit. This city a blend of industry history and resilience stands as a testament to Jordan’s complex and captivating past.