Tafilah (Arabic: الطفيلة, romanized: 'aṭ-Ṭafīlah, [atˤ.tˤa.fiː.la]), also spelled Tafila, is a city with a population of 27,559 people in southwestern Jordan, located 183 kilometers (114 mi) 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. Tafilah was first built by the Edomites and was called Tophel.
There are more than 360 natural springs in the Tafilah nahia, including the natural reservoir of Dana and hot natural springs at Afra and Burbeita. There are two phosphate and limestones mines in the Tafilah nahia, which are one of the country's main income sources.
History
Iron Age to Crusader period
The oldest state formation in Tafilah and South Jordan was the kingdom of Edom, and Tafilah lies on the ruins of the Edomite city of Tophel. The capital of Edom was Bozrah, now known as Busairah, 23 km to the south of Tafilah. Tafilah was later annexed by the Nabatean kingdom, which had its capital at Petra. Following the Roman invasion, it was ruled by the Ghassanids, under Byzantine authority. Tafilah then came under Muslim rule, interrupted for a brief period of time by Crusader rule.
Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule
During the Arab Revolt, in January 1918, Tafilah and the region around it were captured in the Battle of Tafilah, thanks to what was described as a "brilliant feat of arms", by Arab troops under the command of T.E. Lawrence, Jaafar Pasha Al-Askari, and Prince Zeid bin Hussein.[2][3]
Population
In 1961, there were 4,506 inhabitants in Tafila.[4] By 2015, the population had grown to 27,559, resulting in a growth rate of 512.5% from 1961 to 2015.
Education
There is one university in Tafilah, Tafila Technical University. Founded in 1986 as a university college, it expanded to a university in 2005. The university as of the academic year 2009/2010 includes six colleges.[5]
Districts
The city of Tafilah is organized into six districts:
Ayes (منطقة العيص)
Baqee' (منطقة البقيع)
Wadi Zaid (منطقة وادي زيد)
Aima (منطقة عيمة)
Al Hussein (منطقة الحسين )
Ain Baida (منطقة العين البيضاء)
Mansoura (منطقه المنصورة)
Economy
Agriculture
The region's economy depends partially on agriculture. The towns in the governorate are mostly located at elevations exceeding 1000m above sea level, with Tafilah at 940m above sea level, and the governorate receives an average annual rainfall of 240 mm.
Natuaral Resources
Tafilah Governorate is rich in natural resources. Reserves in the governorate are estimated at one million tons of copper and half a million tons of manganese, and phosphate. Which Tafilah and Jordan economy depends on.
Tourism
Although Tafilah is rich in history, it attracts fewer tourists compared to other Jordanian cities. The main reason is that Tafilah is off the major tourist routes and highways that do not pass through or near the city. The two main highways connecting northern and southern Jordan through Tafilah Governorate are the Jordan Valley Highway (Highway 65) and the Desert Highway (Highway 15) which are far from Tafilah City; to reach Tafilah from the Desert Highway, travelers must take Tafilah Highway (Highway 60) west at Jurf Al Darawish.
Tafilah and its surrounding areas offer several interesting tourist attractions:
Afra Hot Springs: Located northwest of Tafilah City, about 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) away.
Dana Biosphere Reserve: With a history dating back hundreds of years, this site offers a unique experience as it is home to 703 plant species, 215 species of birds, 38 species of mammals and endangered species like the Nubian Ibex. Vistors can stay at hotels or camps nearby the site.[6]
Khirbet Al Darieh: Located north of Tafilah City, beside the King's Highway (Highway 35), about 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) away.
Sela' Castle,also known as Ruins of Sela: Near the district of Ain Al Baida, about 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) km away.
^Faulkner, Neil (2016). Lawrence of Arabia's War: The Arabs, the British and the Remaking of the Middle East in WWI. New Haven: Yale University Press. pp. 372–377. ISBN9780300226393.
