Amman

Amman, the capital and largest city of Jordan, exemplifies the intricate history of human civilization, with a population of four million as of 2021. Located in the Levant region, Amman is the fifth-largest city in the Arab world and the tenth-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East. This vibrant metropolis is Jordan’s principal city, encapsulating the nation’s economic, political, and cultural core.

Amman’s history begins with the start of human habitation; the first evidence comes from the eighth millennia BC in “Ain Ghazal.” Renowned for containing the earliest known human form sculptures, this ancient site provides a window into the creative and spiritual life of our far-off forebears. Time passed and the city changed through several iterations, each profoundly altering its terrain and character.

Known as RabatAman in the second millennium BC, the city was the capital of the Ammonite Kingdom. Rising on one of the hills of the city, the Amman Citadel was the focal point of this ancient polity; its remnants are clear today as evidence of the city’s ongoing history. Further transformation came from the Hellenistic era when the city was renamed Philadelphia in the third century BC and among the ten Greco-Roman towns of the Decapolis. Classical architecture and urban planning, features of which the current cityscape still shows, first emerged during this time.

Another change occurred when Islam emerged in the 7th century AD; the Rashidun Caliphate gave the city its present name, Amman. The next Islamic age was one of both wealth and decadence; the city went through phases of development and abandonment. A reoccurring motif throughout Amman’s history, this cyclical pattern of rise and fall reflects the larger geopolitical changes that have molded the area over millennia.

Maybe one of the most important chapters in Amman’s recent past started in 1878 when Ottoman officials started settling Circassian people in the region. For the city, which had been mostly deserted since the 15th century, this signaled the start of a fresh period of expansion and prosperity. The flood of fresh people gave the historic place vitality and prepared the ground for early 20th-century fast growth. Amman’s first municipal council was established in 1909 at this time of rebirth, therefore establishing the groundwork for contemporary urban administration.

For Amman, especially following its elevation as the capital of Transjordan in 1921, the 20th century brought before unheard-of transformation and expansion. This turning point in the history of the city set off a wave of migration from other Jordanian and Levantine towns, therefore changing the demographic and cultural scene of Amman. Several waves of refugee influxes confirmed the city’s status as a sanctuary for displaced people: Syrians since 2011, Palestinians in 1948 and 1967, Iraqis in 1990 and 2003. Every one of these movements has added to the rich, varied fabric of Amman’s people, therefore functioning as a microcosm of the Middle Eastern experience.

Geographically, Amman offers a remarkable study in urban growth and adaptation to natural terrain. Originally constructed on seven hills evocative of ancient Rome, the city has grown to include 19 hills using 22 separate regions controlled by the Greater Amman Municipality. The physical variety of the city’s neighborhoods has resulted in a distinctive naming system wherein the hills (jabal) or valleys (wadi) they occupy often inspire the names for them. Notable instances with unique character and mood include Wadi Abdoun and Jabal al-Luweibdeh.

Furthermore, resulting from the city’s growth is a clear contrast between East and West Amman. The abundance of historical sites in the eastern section of the city functions as a cultural archive that regularly organizes different kinds of events. On the other hand, West Amman represents the contemporary image of the city as she is its economic engine. This east-west split reflects not only geographical differences but also social inequalities and several phases of city development.

Amman’s natural surroundings are shaped by its location on the East Bank Plateau, a raised area cut by three main wadis. The city’s height, between 700 and 1,100 meters above sea level, helps to explain its fluctuating temperature and breathtaking views. Notable geographical features abound in the surroundings: Al-Salt and al-Zarqa to the northwest and northeast, Madaba to the west, al-Karak and Ma’an to the southwest and southeast, respectively. Historically, Amman’s strategic location has made it a vital crossroads for commerce and cultural interchange.

Though mostly desert, Amman’s natural surroundings include some green areas. Aleppo pine, Mediterranean cypress, and Phoenician juniper are among the various varieties of trees found in the city that provide splashes of lush life to the metropolitan scene. One of the few natural water sources left in this semi-arid region, the Zarqa River best illustrates the valuable resource water is.

Amman has been very important in the travel business worldwide in recent years. The city received about one million tourists in 2018 to maintain its ranking as the 12th most visited Arab city globally and the 89th most visited city overall. This expanding tourist industry is evidence of Amman’s increasing attraction as a location providing a special mix of historical legacy and modern conveniences.

Amman’s business scene is defined by fast development and growing worldwide integration. Based on the Globalization and World Cities Research Network’s classification of the city as a beta−global city, its significance in the regional and worldwide economy is emphasized. One of the best cities in the Middle East and North Africa, Amman excels in labor, economic, environmental, and sociopolitical aspects. With this reputation, Amman has become a desirable site for multinational companies looking to set regional headquarters; it ranks among the top options in the Arab world just behind Dubai and on level with Doha.

As Amman develops and expands, infrastructural development has taken front stage. Among the various public transit options the city receives are the Amman Bus, Amman Bus Rapid Transit, and Amman-Zarqa Bus Rapid Transit. These projects show the city’s will to increase urban mobility and sustainability, which are fundamental elements for a metropolis of such size and aspiration.