Aqaba

History: The port city of Aqaba is an ancient city at the meeting point between Asia and Africa. It dates back to 4000 BC signifying an important place in many civilizations that occupied the surrounding areas. In the 1st century BC, the Nabataeans occupied Aqaba and controlled its trading routes. During the Roman times, Aqaba became the starting point of the long road which connected major cities leading up to Rome. Passing through the hands of different dynasties and civilizations, Aqaba retained its importance due to its geostrategic location. Aqaba was also mentioned in the Bible as Eloth in 1 Kings 9:26 as the area near where King Soloman built ships on the shores of the Red Sea.

Geography: Aqaba is situated at the northeastern endpoint of the Red Sea. It is the capital of the Aqaba governorate and has a desert climate with warm winters and hot summers. Despite being a coastal city, Aqaba receives very little rainfall of 31.6mm per year. Being the only coastal city in Jordan, Aqaba has its own economic and political importance for Jordan. Not only is it well known for its warm water and rich marine life, but many large industries have made Aqaba their place of choice for manufacturing activities. Aqaba bears most of the sea-route trading and shipping activities of Jordan.

Demography: The total population of the governorate of Aqaba in 2013 was 142,300 forming 2.2% of the total Jordanian population. 20,000 lived in rural communities and 122,300 lived in urban areas.