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	Aqaba Governorate (محافظة العقبة)
	Aqaba Governorate
Country	Jordan
Cities	Petra, Wadi Rum
Capital	Aqaba
Area	6,583 km2 (2,542 sq mi)
Population	107,115 (2006)
Density	16.3 /km2 (42 /sq mi)
Timezone	GMT +2
- summer (DST)	+3
Area code	+(962)3

The city of Aqaba is the capital of Aqaba Governorate

Aqaba (Arabic: العقبة al-ʻAqabah‎) is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south of Amman, capital of Jordan. Its capital is Aqaba. It is the forth largest governorate in Jordan by area and is ranked 10th by population.

Wadi Rum

Aqaba, the port at the Red Sea, plays an important role in the economic life of Jordan and has many attractions to offer the vacationer. The Jordanian-Saudi border originally ran a few kilometers south of Aqaba. In 1965 the late King Hussein exchanged 12 km (7 mi) of the valuable coastal strip for 6,000 km (3,700 mi) desert. The port is Jordan's most important import/export hub. The industrial port lies well away from the beaches and the hotels, so that tourist activities are not affected.

[edit] History

The Red Sea Summit in Aqaba on June 4, 2003

Lawrence of Arabia

The city of Aqaba was inhabited since 400 BC, and is known for Lawrence of Arabia and the Battle of Aqaba.

The greatest archaeological treasure of the region is Petra. Petra lies on the eastern slope of Mount Hor in Wādī ʻAraba, a section of the Great Rift Valley that runs from the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.

[edit] Economy

A train coming from the port of Aqaba

The governorate population depends heavily on tourism as a major source of income. The port of Aqaba is the only sea port for Jordan. Almost all of Jordan's foreign trade comes through Aqaba. During the Iraqi-Iranian War, Iraq used the port of Aqaba for its foreign trade.

[edit] Administrative Departments

Aqaba is divided into three departments according to article 15 of the Administrative Divisions System of the year 2000 by the Ministry of Interior:

	Department	Arabic Name	Subdivisions	Administrative Center
1	Capital Department (Al-Qasabah)	لواء قصبة العقبة	includes the city of Aqaba and three nearby villages	Aqaba
2	Wadi Araba Department	قضاء وادي عربة	includes nine villages	Al-Reeshah
3	Al-Quwairah	لواء القويرة	includes 15 villages	Al-Quwairah

Nahias of Aqaba

Coordinates: 29°31′25″N 35°00′26″E / 29.52361°N 35.00722°E / 29.52361; 35.00722

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