- For the town in the West Bank, see Aqabah, West Bank. For the city in southern Jordan see Aqaba and for the nearby Palestinian town see 'Aqqaba.
| العقبة al-ʻAqabah |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Government | |
| - The Chief Commissioner | |
| Area | |
| - Total | 375 km² (144. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 8 sq mi) |
| Population (2008 est. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. )[1] | |
| - Total | 95,408 |
| Data refers to Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority | |
| Time zone | Jordan Standard Time (UTC+2) |
| - Summer (DST) | observed (UTC+3) |
| Website: http://www.aqaba.jo | |
Contents |
Overview
Aqaba (Arabic: العقبة, Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of Jordan. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time Daylight saving time ( DST UTC+3 is used in the following locations Moscow Time Eastern European Summer Time West Asian Summer Time Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern It is the capital of Aqaba Governorate. Aqaba (العقبة al-ʻAqabah is one of the Governorates of Jordan, located south of Amman, capital of Jordan Aqaba is strategically important to Jordan as it is the country's only seaport. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo The town borders Eilat, Israel and there is a border post where it is possible to cross between the two countries (see Wadi Araba Crossing). Eilat (Hebrew אילת should not be confused with the nearby kibbutz of Eilot (Hebrew אילות For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Wadi Araba Border Crossing ( تقاطع وادي عربة, מעבר-גבול ערבה) is an international border crossing between Aqaba, Jordan Both Aqaba and Eilat are at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba. The Gulf of Aqaba ( Arabic: خليج العقبة transliterated: Khalyj al-'Aqabah in Israel known as the Gulf of Eilat ( Hebrew
The town is best known today as a diving and beach resort. However, industrial activity remains important to the area, and the town is an exporter of phosphate and some shells. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. A seashell, also known as a sea shell, is the Common name for a hard protective outer layer a shell or in some cases a " test " that was created The town is also an important administrative center within the far south of Jordan.
Demographics
According to the Jordan national census of 2004, Aqaba city had a population of 80,059 [2] making it the 5th largest municipality in Jordan (after Greater Amman, Zarqa, Greater Irbid, and Rusaifa). However, as of 2008, Aqaba will start conducting its own census independently from the Jordan national census, and is planned to be conducted every three years (on contrast, the Jordan national census is held once every 10 years, with the next census scheduled in 2014) The Aqaba census is planned to provide statistics on population (permanent,non-permanent,and nationality ) and infrastructure. [3]
History
Aqaba has been an inhabited settlement since 4000 BC profiting from its strategic location at the junction of trading routes between Asia, Africa, and Europe. The early settlement was presumably Edomite in ancient times. The Edomite language was a Canaanite language spoken by the Edomites in southwestern Jordan in the first millennium BC It was a center of the Edomites, and then of the Arab Nabataeans, who populated the region extensively. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan
The Bible refers to the area in (1 Kings 9:26) "King Solomon also built ships in Ezion-Geber, which is near Elath in Edom, on the shores of the Red Sea. King Solomon ( Ge'ez: ስለሞን Arabic: ar سليمان, Sulayman, all from the Triliteral root S-L-M, "peace" Ezion-Geber or Asiongaber ( Classical Hebrew: עֶצְיֹן גֶּבֶר pronounced "Etzyón-Gaver" was a city of Idumea, a biblical seaport The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. " This verse probably refers to an Iron Age port city on the same ground as modern Aqaba. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man.
The Ptolemaic Greeks called it Berenice, and the Romans Aila and Aelana. The Ptolemaic dynasty (sometimes also known as the Lagids, from the name of Ptolemy I's father Lagus) was a Hellenistic Macedonian royal family Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 During Roman times, the great long distance road the Via Traiana Nova led south from Damascus through Amman, terminating in Aqaba, where it connected with a west road leading to Palestine and Egypt. The Via Traiana Nova (previously known as the King's Highway) was rebuilt by Trajan. Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics.
Soon after Muhammad's time, it became part of the new Caliphate, and thereafter passed through the hands of such dynasties as the Umayyads, Abbasids, Fatimids, and Mamluks. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history The early days of the Islamic era saw the construction of the city of Ayla, which was described by the geographer Shams Eddin Muqaddasi as being next to the true settlement, which was lying in ruins close by. Muhammad ibn Ahmad Shams al-Din Al-Muqaddasi (محمد بن أحمد شمس الدين المقدسي also Transliterated as Al-Maqdisi and el-Mukaddasi The ruins of Ayla (unearthed in the 1980s by an American-Jordanian archeological team) are a few minutes walk north along the main waterfront road.
During the 12th century, the Crusaders occupied the area and built their fortress of Helim, which remains relatively well-preserved today. Eilat (Hebrew אילת should not be confused with the nearby kibbutz of Eilot (Hebrew אילות The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents In addition to building a stronghold within Aqaba, the Crusaders fortified the small island of Ile de Graye (now known as Pharaoh's Island - about 7 kilometers offshore). See also Pharaoh's Island in the River Thames. Pharaoh's Island refers to an island on the northern Gulf of Aqaba The island now lies in Egyptian territorial waters.
By 1170, both Aqaba and the island had been recaptured by Saladin. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سهلاحهدین ئهیوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c The Mamluks took over in 1250 and rebuilt the fort in the 14th century under one of the last Mamluk sultans, Qansah al-Ghouri.
By the beginning of the 16th century, the Mamluk dynasty had fallen into decline and the area came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Under the Ottomans, the city declined in status, for 400 years remaining a simple fishing village of little significance.
During World War I, the occupying Ottoman forces were forced to withdraw from the town after a raid led by T.E. Lawrence and the Arab forces of Sharif Hussein in 1917, making the territory part of the Kingdom of Hejaz, under the rule of Prince Faisal. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Sayyid Hussein bin Ali, GCB (1854 &mdash June 4, 1931) ( حسین بن علی; Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī) was the Sharif Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Kingdom of Hejaz (1916 to 1925 was a state in the Hejaz region ruled by the Hashemite family The capture of Aqaba helped open supply lines from Egypt up to Arab and British forces afield further north in Transjordan and Palestine, and more importantly alleviated a threat of a Turkish offensive onto the strategically important Suez Canal. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation
Aqaba was ceded to the British protectorate of Transjordan in 1925. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect The Emirate of Transjordan ( Arabic: ar إمارة شرق الأردن) was a former Ottoman territory incorporated into the British Mandate of Palestine Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
In 1965, King Hussein attempted to give Aqaba room to grow by trading land with Saudi Arabia. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan (حسين بن طلال Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl) ( November 14, 1935 – February 7, 1999) was In return for 6000 square kilometers of desertland in Jordan's interior, the Saudis traded 12 kilometers of prime coastline to the south of Aqaba. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi In addition to the extra land for expansion of the port, the swap also gave the country access to the magnificent Yamanieh coral reef.
Aqaba was a major site for imports of Iraqi goods in the 1980s until the Persian Gulf War. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989.
In August 2000, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Law was passed by the Jordanian Parliament. The law established the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)[1] as the statutory institution empowered with regulatory, administrative, fiscal and economic responsibilities within the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ).
On August 20, 2005, an early-morning rocket attack nearly struck a U. S. Navy ship docked there causing damage to nearby facilities in the city; the attack also hit the nearby Israeli town of Eilat. Al-Qaeda, or an affiliate, claimed responsibility [2].
Tourism
Aqaba is well known for its beach resorts and luxury hotels, which service those who come for fun in the sand as well as watersports like windsurfing and Scuba diving. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Windsurfing is a surface water sport using a windsurf board also commonly called a sailboard usually two to five meters long and powered by a single sail Scuba diving is swimming underwater, or taking part in another activity while using a Scuba set. It also offers activities which take advantage of its desert location. Its many coffee shops offer mansaf and knafeh, and baqlawa desserts. Mansaf ( Arabic, منسف) is a dish originating from the Bedouin tribes of ancient Palestine (modern day Israel West Bank Gaza and Jordan Kanafeh (Arabic كنافة) kadayıf ( Turkish) kadaif (Albanian kataifi, kadaifi (Greek κα(νταΐφι is a Baklava is a rich sweet Pastry featured in many Cuisines of the former Ottoman, Arab, and Iranian countries Another very popular venue is the Turkish Bath (Hamam), in which locals and visitors alike come to relax after a hot day. The Turkish bath (hamam from حمّام) is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the
In 2006, the Tourism Division of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) which runs the city held a public awareness campaign to encourage Jordanians to visit the city as tourists. The campaign consisted mainly of writing articles printed in the local media to encourage people from all over Jordan to visit the city. At of the end of the campaign ASEZA officials praised it, and said many locals came to Aqaba that year, something that will no doubt continue in the following year.
Today, the campaign has gone international to different countries of Europe. The aim is to encourage those from as far as Sweden and Norway to Spain, UK, Poland and Italy to come to Aqaba. Its already bearing fruit.
Aqaba has been chosen for the sight of a new waterfront building project that would rebuild Aqaba with new man-made water structures, new high-rise residential and office buildings, and more tourist services to place Aqaba on the investment map and challenge other centers of waterfront development throughout the region.
Economy
Aqaba's economy is skyrocketing because of the economic zone. New skyscrapers are being constructed, but most are still on its leveling stage. New projects like Tala Bay and Saraya al Aqaba are well under construction which will provide high-end vacation and residential homes to locals and foreigners alike.
There are numerous hotels that reside in Aqaba but new hotels are also under construction.
Aqaba is the only seaport of Jordan so virtually all of Jordan's exports depart from here.
Over ten billion dollars worth of investment is pouring into Aqaba by Gulf and European investors which shadows Eilat, the prosperous Israeli Red Sea resort only several miles away.
Transport
The Hejaz railway system no longer functions for travellers, therefore the popular routes in and out from Aqaba are buses from Amman (and other major Jordanian cities), taxis (to the city of Eilat, Israel, through the Wadi Araba Crossing), boats to Egypt (down the Gulf to the city of Nuweiba or Sharm el-Sheikh) or by air via Aqaba Airport. History A railway had been suggested in 1864 to relieve the suffering of the hajis on their forty day journey through the wilderness of Midian the Nafud and the Hejaz Mountains The Wadi Araba Border Crossing ( تقاطع وادي عربة, מעבר-גבול ערבה) is an international border crossing between Aqaba, Jordan This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Nuweiba (نويبع is a coastal town in the eastern part of Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. Sharm el Sheikh (شرم الشيخ Sharm al-Shaykh) often known simply as "Sharm" is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in Aqaba Airport (also known as King Hussein Int´l Airport) (مطارالملك الحسين الدولي is an Airport located in the vicinity of Industrial Direct flights to Aqaba are now available from Amman, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dubai, and Alexandria.
Bus services are plentiful between Amman and Aqaba. JETT and Trust International are the most common lines. These buses use the Desert Highway, which features particularly beautiful scenery in the Wadi Rum region and in the descent into Aqaba.
See also
- Aqaba Flagpole
- Wadi Araba Crossing
- ASEZA
- Ezion-Geber
- Lawrence of Arabia
- Eilat
- Taba
- Aqaba Hotels
External links
References
- ^ http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&geo=-110&srt=npan&col=aohdq&pt=c&va=&srt=pnan
- ^ http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&geo=-110&srt=npan&col=aohdq&pt=c&va=&srt=pnan
- ^ http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20071204032822/SecMain/pagHomepage/chnJordan%20News/obj224035D9-8F1A-11D4-867000D0B74A0D7C/
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