Tafilah Governorate
Encyclopedia
Tafilah 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 ).
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 Kerak 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
.
and 31 other towns and villages, of whom 73,767 were Jordanian citizens (98%). The male to female ratio was 51 to 49.
Article 11 of the Administrative Divisions System of the Jordanian ministry of Interior divides Tafilah Governorate into three departments as follows:
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, located about 180 km south-west of Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan's capital.
Tafilah Governorate is bordered by Karak Governorate
Karak Governorate
Karak is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south-west of Amman, Jordan's capital. Its capital is Al Karak. It borders Madaba and the Capital Governorates to the north, Ma'an Governorate from the east, Tafilah Governorate from the south, and the Dead Sea form the west.-Ancient History:The...
to the north, Ma'an Governorate
Ma'an Governorate
Ma'an is one of the governorates of Jordan, it is located south of Amman, Jordan's capital. Its capital is the city of Ma'an. This governorate is the largest in the kingdom of Jordan by area.-History:...
to the east and south, Aqaba Governorate
Aqaba Governorate
Aqaba is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south of Amman, capital of Jordan. Its capital is Aqaba. It is the fourth largest governorate in Jordan by area and is ranked 10th by population....
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
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. 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
Tafilah Governorate has been inhabited by the EdomitesEdom
Edom or Idumea was a historical region of the Southern Levant located south of Judea and the Dead Sea. It is mentioned in biblical records as a 1st millennium BC Iron Age kingdom of Edom, and in classical antiquity the cognate name Idumea was used to refer to a smaller area in the same region...
since the 11th century B.C. The entire land covered by Tafilah Governorate was the stronghold of the Edomites with the town of Busaira
Bozrah
Botsra, Botzrah, Bozrah is an ancient biblical city in southern modern-day Jordan, now Bouseira 20 Km to the south of Tafilah,between Tafilah and Shoubak.-History:...
as the capital of Edom
Edom
Edom or Idumea was a historical region of the Southern Levant located south of Judea and the Dead Sea. It is mentioned in biblical records as a 1st millennium BC Iron Age kingdom of Edom, and in classical antiquity the cognate name Idumea was used to refer to a smaller area in the same region...
. The valley known as Wadi Al-Hasa
Wadi Zered
The Wadi Zered is a wadi in western Jordan. Also known in Jordan as Wadi-Hasa. In ancient times it was the boundary between Moab and Edom. Mentioned in the Torah ....
formed the boundary between Edom
Edom
Edom or Idumea was a historical region of the Southern Levant located south of Judea and the Dead Sea. It is mentioned in biblical records as a 1st millennium BC Iron Age kingdom of Edom, and in classical antiquity the cognate name Idumea was used to refer to a smaller area in the same region...
and the neighboring kingdom of Moab
Moab
Moab is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in Jordan. The land lies alongside much of the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. The existence of the Kingdom of Moab is attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over...
in present-day Karak Governorate
Karak Governorate
Karak is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south-west of Amman, Jordan's capital. Its capital is Al Karak. It borders Madaba and the Capital Governorates to the north, Ma'an Governorate from the east, Tafilah Governorate from the south, and the Dead Sea form the west.-Ancient History:The...
. Currently Wadi Al-Hasa
Wadi Zered
The Wadi Zered is a wadi in western Jordan. Also known in Jordan as Wadi-Hasa. In ancient times it was the boundary between Moab and Edom. Mentioned in the Torah ....
forms the boundary between Tafilah and Karak
Karak Governorate
Karak is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south-west of Amman, Jordan's capital. Its capital is Al Karak. It borders Madaba and the Capital Governorates to the north, Ma'an Governorate from the east, Tafilah Governorate from the south, and the Dead Sea form the west.-Ancient History:The...
Governorates, and itself belongs administratively to Kerak Governorate.
Almost all towns in Tafilah Governorate date back to the Edomite period, the capital city of Tafilah
Tafilah
At-Tafilah is a town with a population of 39,000 people in southern Jordan, located southwest of Amman. It is the capital of Tafilah Governorate. It is well-known for having green gardens which contain olive and fig trees, and grape-vines...
held the Edomite name of Tophel
Tophel
Tophel or Tofel was an Edomite town mentioned in the Hebrew Bible: "These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan — that is, in the Arabah — opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab." . It is identified as Tafilah in Jordan north to...
.
Edom
Edom
Edom or Idumea was a historical region of the Southern Levant located south of Judea and the Dead Sea. It is mentioned in biblical records as a 1st millennium BC Iron Age kingdom of Edom, and in classical antiquity the cognate name Idumea was used to refer to a smaller area in the same region...
often allied with Moab
Moab
Moab is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in Jordan. The land lies alongside much of the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. The existence of the Kingdom of Moab is attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over...
and Ammon
Ammon
Ammon , also referred to as the Ammonites and children of Ammon, was an ancient nation located east of the Jordan River, Gilead, and the Dead Sea, in present-day Jordan. The chief city of the country was Rabbah or Rabbath Ammon, site of the modern city of Amman, Jordan's capital...
, and later with the Nabataeans
Nabataeans
Thamudi3.jpgThe Nabataeans, also Nabateans , were ancient peoples of southern Canaan and the northern part of Arabia, whose oasis settlements in the time of Josephus , gave the name of Nabatene to the borderland between Syria and Arabia, from the Euphrates to the Red Sea...
until their fall to the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
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 TafilahTafilah
At-Tafilah is a town with a population of 39,000 people in southern Jordan, located southwest of Amman. It is the capital of Tafilah Governorate. It is well-known for having green gardens which contain olive and fig trees, and grape-vines...
and 31 other towns and villages, of whom 73,767 were Jordanian citizens (98%). The male to female ratio was 51 to 49.
Administrative Divisions
| Department | Arabic Name | Regions | Population (2004) | Administrative Center | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capital Department (Al-Qasaba) | لواء قصبة الطفيلة | includes the city of Tafilah and 19 other towns and villages | 46,892 | Tafilah Tafilah At-Tafilah is a town with a population of 39,000 people in southern Jordan, located southwest of Amman. It is the capital of Tafilah Governorate. It is well-known for having green gardens which contain olive and fig trees, and grape-vines... |
| 2 | Bisaira Department | لواء بصيرا | includes 9 towns and villages | 19,343 | Busaira Bozrah Botsra, Botzrah, Bozrah is an ancient biblical city in southern modern-day Jordan, now Bouseira 20 Km to the south of Tafilah,between Tafilah and Shoubak.-History:... |
| 3 | Al-Hasa Department | لواء الحسا | includes three towns and villages | 9,032 | Al-Hasa |
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:- BusairaBozrahBotsra, Botzrah, Bozrah is an ancient biblical city in southern modern-day Jordan, now Bouseira 20 Km to the south of Tafilah,between Tafilah and Shoubak.-History:...
Also known as Bozra, was the capital of the kingdom of EdomEdomEdom or Idumea was a historical region of the Southern Levant located south of Judea and the Dead Sea. It is mentioned in biblical records as a 1st millennium BC Iron Age kingdom of Edom, and in classical antiquity the cognate name Idumea was used to refer to a smaller area in the same region... - Sela: another Edomite city at the far southern edge of Tafilah Governorate
- TophelTophelTophel or Tofel was an Edomite town mentioned in the Hebrew Bible: "These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan — that is, in the Arabah — opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab." . It is identified as Tafilah in Jordan north to...
: The present-day city of TafilahTafilahAt-Tafilah is a town with a population of 39,000 people in southern Jordan, located southwest of Amman. It is the capital of Tafilah Governorate. It is well-known for having green gardens which contain olive and fig trees, and grape-vines...
is built on the ruins of this edomite town. - The ancient copper mines at Wadi Faynan.
- The DanaDana, JordanDana is a small village near the city of Tafilah, in central-western Jordan. It is situated on the edge of a large natural gorge, Wadi Dana and enjoys spectacular view over Wadi Araba....
natural reserve - The Afra hot water springs
- The Bubeita hot water springs