Aqaba

Aqaba is a city in Jordan. It is the only city on Jordan's coast. For this reason, it is a very important port city for the country. It is also the largest city on the Gulf of Aqaba. During World War I, T. E. Lawrence led Arab rebels across the Arabian Desert to attack and capture the city, which was controlled by the Ottoman Empire then. This was known as the Battle of Aqaba.

Excavations in Aqaba show that people have lived in Aqaba since 4000 BC. It had a thriving copper production industry. Copper is the main constituent of the alloy bronze, the key metal for making weapons during the bronze age.   

Aqaba is the only coastal city in Jordan. It is the largest city among all the cities of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is located in the far south of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the coast of the Red Sea, and is the center of the Aqaba Governorate. The city is about 330 kilometers south of the Jordanian capital, Amman. It is the fifth largest city in the Kingdom with population estimations at 150,000 people. The city covers an area of 375 square kilometers (144.8 sq mi). Aqaba plays a major role in the Jordanian economy. 

The port of Aqaba is an important sea crossing port for other countries neighboring Jordan. Because of its strategic location at the top of the northeastern Gulf of Aqaba branching from the Red Sea, which mediates the trade routes between the continents of Asia and Africa; All this has made Aqaba and its sea port an important area for thousands of years.  

Aqaba also has a land border with Haql city in Saudi Arabia just across Al-Durra borderline, and a maritime border with both Egypt and the city of Eilat through the Wadi Araba crossing. Both cities are located at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba.  

Aqaba is famous for being an attractive area for divers, with its beaches overlooking the Red Sea. The city includes many important industrial facilities, free trade zones, and King Hussein International Airport. It is an important administrative center in the far south of Jordan area, and only export point of phosphate. . 

 References 

Category:Cities in Jordan
Category:Port cities in the Arabian Peninsula
Category:Port cities and towns of the Red Sea