31°57N 35°52E, pop (2000e) 1 996 000. Industrial and commercial capital city of Jordan; in Amman governorate, East Bank, on the R Zarqa; capital of the Ammonite kingdom in Biblical times; capital of Transjordan, 1923; many refugees after the ArabIsraeli Wars; airport; railway; university (1962); noted for its locally-quarried coloured marble; food processing, textiles, paper, plastics; Roman amphitheatre (1st-c BC), archaeological museum.
| Amman (عمان) | |||
| The Jabal Amman area of Amman | |||
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| Location of Amman within Jordan. | |||
| Country | Jordan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Governorate | Capital Governorate | ||
| Mayor | Omar Maani | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | N/A km² | ||
| Elevation | 773 m (2,356 ft) | ||
| Population | |||
| - City (2005) | 2,125,400 | ||
| 1. Population refers to Greater Amman | |||
| Website: http://www.ammancity.gov.jo | |||
Amman, sometimes spelled Ammann (Arabic عمان ʿAmmān), is the capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a city of more than 1.6 million inhabitants (2000), and the administrative capital and commercial centre of Jordan. It is the capital city of Amman Governorate.
History
Throughout history, Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations. The first civilization on record is during the Neolithic period, around 6500 BC, when archaeological discoveries in 'Ain Ghazal, located in eastern Amman, showed evidence of not only a settled life but also the growth of artistic work, which suggests that a well-developed civilization inhabited the city at that time.
Philadelphia was renamed to Amman during the Ghassanian era, and flourished under the Caliphates (with nearby capital) of the Ummayads (in Damascus) and the Abbasids (in Bagdad).
In 1921, Abdullah I chose Amman as seat of government for his newly created state, the Emirate of Transjordan, and later as the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Amman remained a small city until 1948, when the population expanded considerably due to an influx of Palestinian refugees as a result of their expulsion from the newly-created state of Israel. During the last 10 years the amount of new building within the city has increased dramatically with new districts of the city being founded at a very rapid pace (particularly so in West Amman), straining the very scarce water supplies of Jordan as a whole, and exposing Amman to the hazards of rapid expansion in the absence of careful municipal planning.
On November 9th, 2005, coordinated explosions rocked three hotels in Amman, shocking and angering the population of the peaceful city.
Geography
Amman is located in a hilly area of north-western Jordan.
Because of the cooling effects of its location on a plateau, Amman enjoys four seasons of excellent weather as compared to other places in the region.
Transportation
The city's main airport, Queen Alia International Airport, is situated about 30 minutes south of Amman and hosts the majority of the air travel to and from the country.
By land, the city has frequent bus connections to other cities in Jordan as well as to major cities in neighboring countries; The city can suffer from considerable traffic congestion at peak hours, especially during summer months when affluent vacationers from the Gulf region summer in Amman to take advantage of its relatively mild weather.
Tourism
Much of Amman's tourism is focused in the older downtown area, which is centered around the old Souk (a colorful traditional market) and the King Hussein Mosque. For those seeking the atmosphere of the Old City, it is best to venture to the district east of Jabal Amman.
The Citadel hill of Amman, known as Jabal el Qala, has been inhabited for centuries, important as a military and religious site.
Since Amman resembles Rome, as it is situated on seven hills, the city was a favorite place for Roman soldiers and officials.
Amman is also home to some of the grandest mosques in the Middle East, though they compare less favorably to the ones to be found in Istanbul, Turkey. The most unusual mosque in Amman is the Abu Darweesh Mosque atop Jabal Ashrafieh (the highest point in the city). Despite this attack, tourism in Amman continues on a daily basis, and the city's tourist locations are generally well-policed. For example, despite this killing, there is little or no violent or petty crime in Amman, especially against visitors, who uniformly report feeling safe at all hours in practically all locations in the city.
Nearby places of interest
Amman is conveniently located for many Jordanian attractions favoured by tourists. It is a mere 45 minute trip by car to several interesting locations:
The Baptism Site (Al-Maghtas in Arabic) on the River Jordan where Jesus is believed to have been baptized by John the Baptist Mount Nebo where, according to Christians, Moses is supposed to have died The unique ultra saline waters of the Dead Sea, home to many first-rate resorts Jerash, a city of the Decapolis and considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East The Hellenistic ruin of Qasr al Abd, in the near-by valley of Wadi Seer The beaches at Aqaba, a shipping port and Jordan's only access to saltwater via the Red Sea.Gallery
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2002 picture of Central Amman (downtown) |
Abu Darweesh Mosque |
Amman cityscape at night |
A Coptic Church is an example of Amman's religious diversity |
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A Night View of Khelda, West End of Amman |
an over view of East Amman. |
snow in Amman. |
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