Jerash Governorate is one of 12 governorates in Jordan. It is located in the northwestern side of the country. The capital of the governorate is the city of Jerash. Jerash Governorate has the smallest area of the 12 governorates of Jordan, yet it has the second highest density in Jordan after Irbid Governorate. Jerash Governorate is ranked 7th by population.
History
In the first century of the Christian era this insignificant city experienced a fast ascent under Roman rule and the Pax Romana. It became part of the Decapolis and grew increasingly competitive with the older Petra as a commercial town. The inhabitants extracted iron ore from the nearby Ajlun mountains. Starting in the middle of the 1st century, this upswing led to active building and a rich abundance of architectural monuments, still impressive today. In the 2nd century, the Roman expansion wars in Asia led to further gains. Well-made roads were built to Pella, Philadelphia, Dion and to the provincial capital Bosra. Emperor Hadrian visited the city in the winter of 129-130. In the following centuries the political situation in this region changed fundamentally and the city's means declined. During this time also Christianity was on the ascendant and many churches were built. Gerasa had its own bishop—still today it is a Titularbistum—and bishop Placcus participated in the Council of Chalcedon. The mathematician Nicomachus of Gerasa came from this city. The Jerash Governorate was formed in 1994 from a portion of Irbid Governorate.
Jerash Governorate consists of a single district, Jerash Liwa, that is divided into three sub-districts :
Jarash Sub-district
Mastabah Sub-district
Borma Sub-district
Cities and towns
Aside from the city of Jerash that gives the governorate its name, the governorate has many cities and towns: Souf, Sakib, Borma, Al-Mastaba, El-Kitté, Al-Haddadé, Bellila, Deir Il-Liyat, Nahlé, Il-Kfeir, Rashaida, Raimoun, An-Nabi Houd, Al-Jazzazah, Jubbah, Mirse', Muqbila, Al-Msheirfeh, Qafqafa, and others.
The nationalcensus of 2015 shows that the population of Jerash Governorate was 237,059 making up 2.49% of the population of Jordan. Around 70,000 were non-citizens, a figure including refugees. This number is an increase by 54% on the population of the governorate in 2004, which was 153,602. Jordanian nationals made up 70.7% of the population in 2015. The foreign nationals who reside in Jerash Governorate made up only 2.38% of the foreign nationals in Jordan. The population in 2004 was distributed as follows: The population of districts according to census results:
District
Population
Population
Population
Jerash Governorate
123,190
153,602
237,059
Qaṣabah Jarash
123,190
153,602
237,059
Economy
The governorate's economy largely depends on commerce and tourism. Jerash is the second favorite tourist destination in Jordan. In addition to the historical sites, the governorate is also known for its forests that attract tourists. The governorate is also a main source of the highly educated and skilled workforce in Jordan. Jerash is equidistant from the largest three cities in Jordan, and this proximity makes the governorate a good business location. In addition, the province accounts of about 12% of olive oil production in Jordan.
