Ar Ramtha
| Ar-Ramtha City مدينة الرمثا | |
|---|---|
| City | |
|
The City Hall | |
  Ar-Ramtha City | |
| Coordinates: 32°33′32″N 36°0′53″E / 32.55889°N 36.01472°ECoordinates: 32°33′32″N 36°0′53″E / 32.55889°N 36.01472°E | |
| Country |
 Jordan |
| Province | Irbid Governorate |
| Municipality established | 1927 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Mayor | Hussein Abu Sheeh Al-Zoubi |
| Elevation | 502 m (1,647 ft) |
| Population (2010)[1] | |
| • Total | 120,367 |
| Time zone | GMT +2 |
| • Summer (DST) | +3 (UTC) |
| Area code(s) | +(962)2 |
| Website | http://www.ramthacity.gov.jo |
Ar Ramtha, also known as Al-Ramtha (Arabic: الرمثا) is a city situated in the far northwest of Jordan. It covers 40km2, and has a population of 120,365 people.
Name
Ar Ramtha is named after a local desert plant, al-ramath (Arabic: الرمثا). During its occupation by the Roman Empire, the city was known as Ramatha.
History
The Roman Empire utilized Ar Ramtha as a remote hub to cross-link their colonies. The ruins of buildings and ancient Roman antiquities have been discovered at different parts of Ar Ramtha. During the Islamic expansion, Ar Ramtha, which was in the Houran territory, was a port for Muslim scholars crossing between Syria and Al-Hijaz. Historically and sociologically, the city is the twin to Daraa city in Syria, which is located on just the other side of the border.
In 1596 it appeared in the Ottoman tax registers under the name of Ramta, being part of the nahiya of Butayna in the Qada of Hauran. It had an entirely Muslim population consisting of 16 households and 3 bachelors. They paid a fixed tax-rate of 40% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, goats and bee-hives; a total of 2,740 akçe. Half of this was Waqf income.[2]
Economy
Ar Ramtha's economy relies on commerce and import and export trading. The Al Hassan industrial estate houses several outsourcing companies supported by foreign shareholders with most of the products sold to American and European markets.
Culture
The city is famous for the inherited ritual-poetries recited in wedding ceremonies and public affairs. Dabke is a famous dance. Mijwez music originated in Ar Ramtha. Famous artists from Ar Ramtha are Nayef El-Zubi, Hussein Al-Salman, Lil ZeeJo (Rapper), Anas Allaham, Anwar alshare, Mitaab Al-Saggar and the rapper Malik emad.
Sport
This city has two sports clubs, Al-Ramtha SC, a football club which is also a member of the premium Jordan League, and Ittihad Al-Ramtha, another football club which is a member in the first division in Jordanian Football League.
Education
The city is home to the Jordan University of Science and Technology, which includes a large University hospital that provides medical treatment in the region, and offers chances to medical students in the university to intern and learn during their study years.
References
- ↑ Entry at "the world gazeteer" Archived May 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Hütteroth and Abdulfattah, 1977, p. 214
Bibliography
- Hütteroth, Wolf-Dieter; Abdulfattah, Kamal (1977). Historical Geography of Palestine, Transjordan and Southern Syria in the Late 16th Century. Erlanger Geographische Arbeiten, Sonderband 5. Erlangen, Germany: Vorstand der Fränkischen Geographischen Gesellschaft. ISBN 3-920405-41-2.
External links
| Capital | |
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| Departments |
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| Cities & Towns | |
| Others | |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Governorate | Pop. | ||||||
 Amman  Zarqa |
1 | Amman | Amman Governorate | 1,349,260 |  Irbid  Russeifa | ||||
| 2 | Zarqa | Zarqa Governorate | 502,900 | ||||||
| 3 | Irbid | Irbid Governorate | 313,800 | ||||||
| 4 | Russeifa | Zarqa Governorate | 289,800 | ||||||
| 5 | Al Quwaysimah | Amman Governorate | 176,400 | ||||||
| 6 | Wadi as-Ser | Amman Governorate | 158,900 | ||||||
| 7 | Tilā' al-'Alī | Amman Governorate | 147,400 | ||||||
| 8 | Ajloun | Ajloun Governorate | 125,000 | ||||||
| 9 | Aqaba | Aqaba Governorate | 111,600 | ||||||
| 10 | Khuraybat as-Sūq | Amman Governorate | 110,600 | ||||||