Irbid today combines the bustle of a provincial Middle Eastern town and the youthful nightlife of a typical college town. The city is home to four major universities: Yarmouk University, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid National University and Jadara University. In addition, it is home for two campuses of Balqa Applied University and several private colleges. University Street, which defines the western border of the Yarmouk University campus, is popular with locals as well as with the occasional foreign visitors who stop by to relax in any of its numerous restaurants and cafés that open late into the night. Though not usually a major tourist destination itself, Irbid is home to two notable museums: the Museum of Jordanian Heritage and the Jordan Natural History Museum, both on the campus of Yarmouk University. Furthermore, Irbid's strategic location in northern Jordan makes it a convenient starting point for tourists interested in seeing the northern Jordan Valley; visiting Umm Qais, Beit Ras (Capitolias), Pella, Ajloun, Umm el-Jimal, La Foossi baitaras and other historical sites; or traveling on to Syria. Geography Irbid is situated in northern Jordan, on a fertile plateau. As of 2010, the city of Irbid encompassed an area of 30 km2, with residential areas making up 74.3% of the total area, followed by the Services areas occupying 9.5%, then Empty or unoccupied areas of 7.7%, then 4.2% is classified as Commercial areas, and 3.3% as Industrial areas, and finally gardens occupied 1% of the total city area. Border cities Um Qais Al Koura Mafraq Ar Ramtha Climate Irbid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa), common in the Levant region. Summers are hot at days with warm nights, while winters are cool and wet, with two snowy days on average. Districts of Greater Irbid Municipality Irbid is divided into 23 city districts forming smaller cities within the metropolitan sphere of influence of Irbid: Cities, Towns, and Villages Many villages surround the city of Irbid including: Birqish-Kufr Rakeb (برقش - كفر راكب) Irbid (اربد) Aṭ-Ṭaībah (الطيبة) Natfeh (ناطفه) Habaka (حبكا) Kufr-Rahta (كفررحتا) Al-Mazar Al-Shamali (المزار الشمالي) Hareema (حريما) Al'aal (علعال) Kufr Asad (كفرأسد) Kufr Aan (كفرعان) Jumha (جمحة) Kufryuba (كفر يوبا) Zahar (زحر) Qum (قمّ) Sammou' (سمّوع) Izmal (زمال) Kufrelma (كفر الماء) Sawm (سوم) Saydoor (صيدور) Kufr Soom (كفر سوم) Sama al-Rousan (سما الروسان) Ibser Abu Ali Assarieh (الصريح) Aidoon (ايدون) Al Husn (الحصن) Baleela (بليلة) Beit Ras (بيت راس)