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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°E / 32.55889; 36.01472
Country	Jordan
Province	Irbid Governorate
Municipality established	1927
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Hussein Abu Ashshih
Elevation	502 m (1,647 ft)
Population
• Total	164,211
Time zone	GMT +2
• Summer (DST)	+3
Area code	+(962)2
Website	http://www.ramthacity.gov.jo

Ar Ramtha, (Template:Lang-ar), articulated by its people as Ar Romtha Template:Lang-ar is a city situated in the far northwest of Jordan. It covers 40km in a flat location 30 km north-east of Jordan River and Irbid. In the 2017 census, Ar Ramtha had a population of approximately 164,211, making it the eleventh largest city in Jordan, and the city has grown since then.

Name

Ar Ramtha is named after a local desert plant, al-ramath (Template:Lang-ar). During its occupation by the Roman Empire, the city was known as Ramatha.

History

Prehistoric time of Ar Ramtha

The stable climate in Ar Ramtha and its surrounding areas attracted many animals to live in neighborhood of Ar Ramtha, as well the simple conditions for managing a stable long life there attracted humans to make those regions their earliest choices to gather in groups of hunters and to live in rocky caves. Artifacts and graves in the area show that Ar Ramtha has been inhabited since the Bronze Age (even earlier), but the lack of study of the region gives us no exact information about when humans had selected the land for living.

Roman

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.

Ottoman

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.

Geography

North west of Ar Ramtha is the second largest source of shale oil in Jordan, which if it is used in producing oil, can enhance economics in Jordan significantly.

Climate

Romtha experiences a Mediterranean climate, it has four wonderful seasons with huge variety of life's colors. The summer is hot and long (four months in average), but it has cool nights. Temperatures range in summer from 27 °C (81 °F) - 33 °C (91 °F). Spring and fall temperatures are ideal for a human's body, they range from 17 °C (63 °F) - 23 °C (73 °F). The winter sees nighttime temperatures sometimes below0 °C (32 °F), with snowfall once or twice a year. The yearly average number of days with rain is 77. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Romtha was -18 °C in the blizzard of 1992.

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 Hussein Al-Salman, Mitaab Al-Saggar. New singers from the young artists have been on the scene like Rami Elkhaled.

The bible age

During the battle of Ramoth Gilead between Israel and Arameans, Ahab of Israel joined Jehoshaphat in the battle but was mortally wounded by an arrow and died (1 Kings 22:1-36). Later in an incident occurred when Ahaziah and Joram fought against Hazael, king of Syria and Joram was wounded (2 Kings 8:28). In this city, Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, was anointed by one of the sons of the prophets (9:1, 4).

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, KAUH 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

1. "The General Census - 2015" (PDF). Department of Population Statistics.
2. "Population of Jordan 2017" (PDF).
3. Hütteroth and Abdulfattah, 1977, p. 214
4. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jo.html
5. "Jordan Meteorological Department". Jordan Meteorological Department. Retrieved February 12, 2009.

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

• google-map
• Deraa-map; 22L
• Around Romtha Guide
• 360 degrees panorama from the Citadel Hill in central Amman
• Amman interactive map
• Amman photo Gallery
• Amman photo Slideshow

v t e Irbid Governorate of Jordan
Capital	Irbid
Departments	Al-Qasbah Bani Obaid Department Al-Mazar Al-Shamali Department Ar Ramtha Department Koura Department Al-Aghwar Al Shamaliyyeh Department Bani Kinanah Department Taybeh Department Wasatieh Department
Cities and towns	Al-Husn al-Mazar al-Shamali al-Shuna al-Shamalyah Ar-Ramtha al-Shajara Aydoun Bushra Der Abi Saeed Habaka Huwwarah Johfiyeh Kafr al-Maa Kufr 'Awan Kufr Rakeb Malka Maru Natifah Samma Umm Qais Zoubia
Others	Capitolias/Beit Ras Pella Husn Camp

Template:Largest cities of Jordan

• Populated places in Irbid Governorate
• Geography of Jordan