believed to have come from Zarqa - more than from any other area in the country. Geography Zarqa is located in the Zarqa River basin in northeast Jordan. The city is situated northeast of Amman, and its area is 60 square kilometers. Climate Zarqa has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk). The average annual temperature is , and around of precipitation falls annually, mostly in winter months. Zarqa's elevation is 619 meters above sea level, and the city occasionally receives snowfall in winter. Demographics With 700,000 people as of 2010, Zarqa has the third-largest metropolitan population in Jordan after Amman and Irbid. The city of Zarqa proper has the second-largest population after Amman, with a population of about 500,000. Districts of Greater Zarqa Municipality The city of Zarqa is divided into five districts that have a combined area of about , and another two districts within the radius of influence of the city. Economy and infrastructure Transportation From 1908-20, the Hejaz Railway connected Zarqa to Amman, to the south; and to Syria, to the north. A new railway is under construction to re-connect Amman with Zarqa. Zarqa lies on the international highway that connects Saudi Arabia with Syria, and the international Amman-Baghdad highway also passes through the city. Industry Zarqa is Jordan's industrial centre. It is home to over 50% of Jordanian factories. The growth of industry in the city is the result of low real estate costs and proximity to the capital Amman. Several facilities that are vital to Jordan's economy are based in Zarqa, such as Jordan's only oil refinery plant. According to the Zarqa Chamber of Commerce, 10% of Jordan's total exports in 2011 came from Zarqa Governorate, amounting to more than US$512 million. Leather and garment products constituted about 52% of Zarqa'a exports, followed by chemical, agricultural and pharmaceutical products. In September 2020, massive explosions occurred at an army munitions depot for mortars near Zarqa, caused by a short circuit. Education There are three universities in Zarqa, the largest of which is Hashemite University. The other two are Al-Balqa` Applied University and Zarqa University. Other community colleges and research centres are based in Zarqa such as the Al-Zarqa Educational & Investment. The city is also home to many secondary schools (or high schools), most notably the Zarqa Secondary School for Boys, which is considered one of the oldest high schools in Jordan. Twin towns