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Mafraq
Mafraq (Arabic: المفرق Al-Mafraq, local dialects: Mafrag or Mafra; lit. 'crossroads') is the capital city of Mafraq Governorate in Jordan, located 80 km to the north of the national capital, Amman. It is located at a crossroads, with a road north going to Syria and another road to the east going to Iraq. It had 56,340 inhabitants in 2004.
Mafraq was first settled[clarification needed] in the 4th century BC.[citation needed] It is located about 17 km west of the historic Nabataean and Byzantine town of Umm el-Jimal, which was built in the 1st century.
In pre-Ottoman times, what is now the city of Mafraq was named Fudain,[when?] which comes from the word for fortress[which?] in Arabic.[citation needed] The Ottoman Turks renamed the city "Mafraq", which means "crossroads" in Arabic.[when?][citation needed]
In Ottoman times, there was a pilgrims' inn or khan there, known as Khan or Qal'at el-Mafraq, which was part of the Syrian Hajj route, used annually by Muslims on their way to Medina and Mecca. The city gained more significance after the establishment of the Hejaz Railway connecting Damascus (and by extension Istanbul) to Medina in 1908.
Mafraq was the location of a British military base and airport during the British post-WWI Mandate. During the Second World War, the city's military base hosted British troops from India, Australia and other British colonies. It later became the base for the Arab Legion during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Mafraq is the headquarters of the Third Division of the Jordanian Army. King Hussein Air College and an air base of the Royal Jordanian Air Force are also located in the city.
In 1945, the Municipality of Mafraq was established, with Ali Abdeyyah as its first mayor.
As of 2016, 50% of the population of Mafraq were Syrian refugees.
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Mafraq
Mafraq (Arabic: المفرق Al-Mafraq, local dialects: Mafrag or Mafra; lit. 'crossroads') is the capital city of Mafraq Governorate in Jordan, located 80 km to the north of the national capital, Amman. It is located at a crossroads, with a road north going to Syria and another road to the east going to Iraq. It had 56,340 inhabitants in 2004.
Mafraq was first settled[clarification needed] in the 4th century BC.[citation needed] It is located about 17 km west of the historic Nabataean and Byzantine town of Umm el-Jimal, which was built in the 1st century.
In pre-Ottoman times, what is now the city of Mafraq was named Fudain,[when?] which comes from the word for fortress[which?] in Arabic.[citation needed] The Ottoman Turks renamed the city "Mafraq", which means "crossroads" in Arabic.[when?][citation needed]
In Ottoman times, there was a pilgrims' inn or khan there, known as Khan or Qal'at el-Mafraq, which was part of the Syrian Hajj route, used annually by Muslims on their way to Medina and Mecca. The city gained more significance after the establishment of the Hejaz Railway connecting Damascus (and by extension Istanbul) to Medina in 1908.
Mafraq was the location of a British military base and airport during the British post-WWI Mandate. During the Second World War, the city's military base hosted British troops from India, Australia and other British colonies. It later became the base for the Arab Legion during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Mafraq is the headquarters of the Third Division of the Jordanian Army. King Hussein Air College and an air base of the Royal Jordanian Air Force are also located in the city.
In 1945, the Municipality of Mafraq was established, with Ali Abdeyyah as its first mayor.
As of 2016, 50% of the population of Mafraq were Syrian refugees.