Tafilah Governorate

Tafilah Governorate (محافظة الطفيلة)
Governorate
Location of Tafilah Governorate
Nickname: The land of Edom
Country	Jordan
Cities	Busaira, Al-Hasa
Capital	Tafilah
Area	2,209 km2 (853 sq mi)
Population	89,400 (2012)
Density	40.5/km2 (105/sq mi)
Timezone	GMT +2
- summer (DST)	+3
Area code	+(962)3

Tafilah (Arabic: الطفيلة‎‎) is one of the governorates of Jordan, located about 180 km south-west of Amman, Jordan's capital.

Tafilah Governorate is bordered by Karak Governorate to the north, Ma'an Governorate to the east and south, Aqaba Governorate to the south, and by Israel to the west. The area of this province constitutes 2.5% of the area of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It is divided into three departments. The population as of 2005 is about 82,000 (i.e. 1.6% of Jordan's population in 2005) living in 32 towns and villages across the governorate ( making it the least populated governorate of Jordan ).

History

the ruins of Bozrah, the capital of Edom in Busaira

The famous Dana Gorge in Tafilah Governorate

The Edomite kingdom at its peak, Busaira in Tafilah Governorate was the capital of Edom

Tafilah Governorate has been inhabited by the Edomites since the 11th century B.C. The entire land covered by Tafilah Governorate was the stronghold of the Edomites with the town of Busaira as the capital of Edom. The valley known as Wadi Al-Hasa formed the boundary between Edom and the neighboring kingdom of Moab in present-day Karak Governorate. Currently Wadi Al-Hasa forms the boundary between Tafilah and Karak Governorates, and itself belongs administratively to Karak Governorate.

Almost all towns in Tafilah Governorate date back to the Edomite period, the capital city of Tafilah held the Edomite name of Tophel.

Edom often allied with Moab and Ammon, and later with the Nabataeans until their fall to the Roman Empire.

Demographics

The population of Tafilah Governorate is estimated to be about 81,000 for the year 2008. The Jordan National Census of the year 2004 shows that Tafilah Governorate had a population of 75,267 in 2004 living in the city of Tafilah and 31 other towns and villages, of whom 73,767 were Jordanian citizens (98%). The male to female ratio was 51 to 49.^[1]

Administrative Divisions

Dana Biosphere Reserve

Nahias of Tafilah

Article 11 of the Administrative Divisions System of the Jordanian ministry of Interior divides Tafilah Governorate into three departments as follows:^[2]

Economy

The governorate depends mainly on agriculture and tourists from other parts of the country visiting the natural reserves and hot water springs in it. The total area of fruit and olive farms in the governorate in 2008 was 42.210 km² of which more than 31 km² were of olive farms. Town of Rashadiya has the highest elevation in the province at 1500m above sea level and receives an annual rain fall of 240 mm.

Touristic and Archeological Sites

Some of the historic and natural sites in Tafila Governorate are:

• Busaira Also known as Bozra, was the capital of the kingdom of Edom
• Sela: another Edomite city at the far southern edge of Tafilah Governorate
• Tophel: The present-day city of Tafilah is built on the ruins of this edomite town.
• The ancient copper mines at Wadi Faynan.
• The Dana natural reserve
• The Afra hot water springs
• The Bubeita hot water springs

References

1. 1 2 2004 census
2. ↑ Ministry of Interior Administrative Divisions (Arabic)

		Karak Governorate
	Southern District		Ma'an Governorate
		Tafilah Governorate
		Aqaba Governorate

Governorates of Jordan
North Region	Ajloun Irbid Jerash Mafraq
Central Region	Amman Balqa Madaba Zarqa
South Region	Aqaba Karak Ma'an Tafilah

Coordinates: 30°50′09″N 35°36′44″E / 30.83583°N 35.61222°E / 30.83583; 35.61222