Tubas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Tubas is also the plural form of Tuba, a musical instrument.
| Tubas | ||
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| Arabic | طوباس | |
| Government | City | |
| Also Spelled | Toubas (officially) | |
| Governorate | Tubas | |
| Population | 16,100 (2006) | |
| Jurisdiction | 295,123 dunams (295.1 km²) | |
| Head of Municipality | Auqab Daraghma | |
Tubas (Arabic: طوباس) is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank located northeast of Nablus, on the road to Jenin a few kilometers west of the Jordan River. It is currently under the administration of the Palestinian National Authority and is the muhfaza (seat) of the Tubas Governorate. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, The city had a population of approximately 16,100 in mid-year 2006.[1]
It was annexed by Jordan during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War as was all of the West Bank. While in Jordanian control it was a part of the Nablus Governorate until 1967 after its capture by Israeli forces in the Six-Day War.
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[edit] History
The city's name Tubas derives from the Canaanite word Tubas Svoys or "illuminating star". It was known by the Ancient Romans as Thepas. Archaeological remains such as cemeteries and olive presses indicate that Tubas was inhabited during the Roman era of rule in Palestine.[2]
The modern city was founded in the late 1800s, when groups of Arabs belonging to the Daraghmeh clan who were shepherds and farmers living in the Jordan Valley migrated westward to the site because it was fertile, near several springs and had fertile ground. In the next 100 years, Arabs from Najd, Syria, Jordan and nearby Nablus came to settle the area.[2]
[edit] Demographics
Tubas had a population of 3,349 in 1922 which rose to 4,097 in 1931, according to a British Mandate census. In Sami Hadawi's 1945 land and population survey, Tubas had a population of 5,530. About 1,100 residents fled Tubas after the 1967 Six-Day War, while 260 emigrated there and in 1981 its population 5,300.[3]
In the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics' first official census in 1997, Tubas had a population of 11,760 inhabitants. The gender make-up was 50.8% male and 49.2% female. Tubas has an overwhelmingly young population with 52.7% of the city's residents below the age of 20. People between the ages of 20-34 constitute 24.7%, between the ages of 35 and 64 constitute 17.7% of the population while 4.9% are above the age of 64.[4] The census also revealed that 6.1% of the city's residents were refugees.[5]
In the PCBS' latest projection, Tubas had a population of 16,087 inhabitants in mid-year 2006, increasing by 32.6% from 1997 and 3.2% from 2005. The city represents roughly a third (33.4%) of the Tubas Governorate's total population. The city's original inhabitants — the Daraghma family — constitute 70% of Tubas, while the Sawafta make-up 25%, the Husheh make-up 3% and the Fuquha represent the remaining 2%.[2]
[edit] Economy
Currently, the agriculture sector constitutes the primary economic sector for Tubas' residents. According to the PCBS, in 1999, approximately 52% of the citizens are within the working age (15-64). Of the city's labor force, 48% are females.[6]
The economical situation of the city, during the 1993-99 period, was prosperous, however since the start of the al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000-01, Tubas' income level has decreased by 70%. A major factor that has resulted from the uprising was the confiscation of agricultural land located within the city's or its governorate's jurisdiction by Israeli settlements or military authorities. Unemployment rate increased dramatically from 20% in 1999 to 70% after the year 2000.[6] Prior to the Intifada, 35% of the total labor force worked in Israel.[7]
[edit] Government
Tubas has been governed by a municipal council since 1953, when it was granted permission to do by Jordanian authorities who controlled the West Bank at the time. The council is made up of 15 members including the mayor and is headquartered in the municipal hall in the center of the town. The municipality has over 60 employees.[2]
[edit] Education
In 2004, Tubas had nine schools, 4,511 students and 191 teachers. The illiteracy rate was 14%. The city also contains five health centers run by various organizations including the Palestinian Red Crescent.[7] There are three kindergartens, three elementary schools, two secondary schools and one high school. The al-Quds Open University also has a campus in Tubas.[2]
[edit] Public structures
Tubas contains six mosques. The main mosques are the Abd ar-Rahan Mosque, the al-Tawled Mosque, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque, Shaheed Mosque. There is also a Greek Orthodox monastery in the northern part of the city. The Sawafta family has an old palace in the city as well.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Projected Mid -Year Population for Tubas District by Locality 2004- 2006
- ^ a b c d e f Tubas City Profile Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem. February 2006.
- ^ Welcome to Tubas British Mandate Census and Sami Hadawi's Village Statistics of 1945 via PalestineRemembered.
- ^ Palestinian Population by Locality, Sex and Age Groups in Years (1997) Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ Palestinian Population by Locality and Refugee Status (1997) Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ a b [idrinfo.idrc.ca/archive/corpdocs/119922/Word/6-119922-Chapter04.doc Spatial and Socioeconomic analysis at micro level: Tubas city, population, living conditions, and urban trends] Palestinian Ministry of Local Government (MLG). MLG cites the mayor and municipal council of Tubas and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
- ^ a b Toubas (2005) Health Work Committees.
[edit] External links
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