greater amman : urban development

Greater Amman

Urban development

Municipality of Greater Amman

As the capital city of the Kingdom of Jordan, Amman has experienced phenomenal development during the last two decades. With the highest rate of population growth in the world, it has already reached a population of one million. To add to its population explo- sion, the influx of Palestinian refugees has resulted in greater demands for provision of infrastructure, urban services and employment opportunities. This article focuses on Greater Am- man's urban development.

This article is in the main based on figures from 1985, the last year for which comprehensive figures are available.

The capital city of the Kingdom of Jordan, Amman has Jordan's largest concentration of people and employment opportunities in the adminis- trative, commercial, industrial and service sectors. Its development has been phenomenal durnig the last 20 years.

In 1987 the National Assembly approved the establishment of the Municipality of Greater Amman, combining the previous Municipality of Amman, 13 other adjoining municipalities, the new town of Abu Nuseir, 13 villages, councils and rural areas. Greater Amman covers an area of 528 km 2 of both urban and rural land with a population of around 1 million.

Rates of natural increase which are among the highest in the world, and migration into the East Bank have doubled the total population during each of the last two 20-year periods. The majority of the population, more than 90% of residents on the East Bank, were located in the north-western highlands with 1 946 500 people living in the Amman, Balqa and lrbid Governorates. Amman Governorate experienced the fastest rate of growth between 1961 and 1979, with an average annual increase of 5.7%.

The Amman-Balqa region is an appropriate regional context for greater Amman. In 1985 the region had 1 549 500 residents, 59% of the East Bank total. Changes in the population of major settlements between 1979 and 1985 indicate that the population of Greater Amman grew at a slightly higher rate than the population of the region, increasing its share from 57.6% to 58.1%. In 1985 Greater Amman had a population of 900 732 people, with 142 711) households, with an average household size of 6.3 persons.

National economy

Analysis of Jordan's economic performance since 1975 reveals two distinct periods of economic change. Between 1975 and 1981 rapid economic growth produced major structural changes in the economy. The increase in oil prices, and the resulting acceleration in the pace of development in neighbouring Arab countries, enabled Jordan to benefit from a large inflow of remittances and transfers. These resources were used to increase domestic consumption, and to finance a wide range of productive and infrastructure projects, creating significant improvements in both household incomes and living standards.

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Gr£al¢r Amman

1 km 2 1 000 dunums.

Since 1981 development trends in the Arab and world economic environments have been reversed, with a fall in oil prices and a world recession, resulting in slower economic growth within Jordan. Increases in gross domestic product dropped from an annual average close to 15% between 1975 and 1981, to slightly above 3% between 1981 and 1985, implying a stagnation, or a slight fall, in per capita income. An excess supply of workers has recently become evident, even within some non-manual employment categories.

The changes in the local economy during the past 15 years illustrate its striking sensitivity to external factors. It is unlikely that this dominant characteristic will change significantly in the immediate future, but longer-term development efforts should aim to achieve greater resili- ence in response to external changes and unforeseen shocks.

The National Five Year Plan for Economic and Social Development , 1986-199(i) provided guidance for development policies and investment decisions in the short and medium terms. In view of the prevailing economic situation in both Jordan and the Gulf countries, the plan did not anticipate an abrupt departure from the trends observed in the past five years. The plan anticipated:

• a rate of national economic growth for the 1986-90 period of 5% which is comparable with the average growth rate achieved during the past five years;

• an increasing supply of labour, resulting from the age structure of the existing population (which is dominated by younger age groups) and from changed patterns of migration to the Gulf countries;

• reduced growth of average household income, due to the modest rate of economic growth, and increases in labour supply.

Existing urban development in Greater Amman

Existing urban development within Greater Amman covers an area of approximately 86 900 dunums, ~ almost 17% of the total area of the municipality. A further 14% is devoted to agriculture, and the remaining 69% (365 180 dunums), is undeveloped, or partially cultivated. Residential development occupies 54% of urban land, and industrial development a further 10%.

Residential development

There were approximately 141 0(10 occupied dwellings in Greater Amman in 1985, and almost 16 000 vacant dwellings, 10% of the total dwelling stock. Of these dwellings, 60% were in low-rise apartment buildings, 30% were one- and two-storey villas and attached houses, and 10% were single-storey dwellings, mainly within refugee camps and informal housing areas. Almost two-thirds of all dwellings were owner- occupied, with only one quarter rented, and the remainder with no legal title.

Analysis of the pace of land purchase, and subsequent development, within mature residential areas indicates that initial development is slow, and that no residential areas have yet achieved full theoretical capacity. The pattern of growth is characterized by slow early development, consistently rapid development between 15 and 25 years of plan approval, and slow development thereafter.

It is estimated that almost 80% of all dwellings constructed in Greater

38 CITIES February 1993

Greater Amman

Amman between 1980 and 1985 were privately built by small-scale contractor/developers and individual home owners. The remainder were built by government agencies, by housing cooperatives or by real estate developers.

Government housing was developed by the National Housing Cor- poration, the Urban Development Department and by the Military Housing Corporation. The National Housing Corporation was responsible for nine projects within Greater Amman, with a total of 5 244 dwellings, the most substantial at Abu Nuseir New Town with 3 657 units. The Urban Development Department , established in 1980, with the support of the World Bank, to implement projects for low-income households, carried out three sites and services projects, for approximately 3 000 dwellings, and four up-grading projects, for 1 357 units within Greater Amman. The Military Housing Corporation has constructed projects at A1 Hussein City and Tarbarbour, but is now mainly concerned with providing finance for individual dwellings built by servicemen.

There are two 1948 at Wahdat

refugee camps within Greater Amman, established in and on Jabal Hussein, both the responsibility of the

United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The Wahdat camp covers an area of 481 dunums, accommodating a population of 44 480 people in 8 460 dwellings, and the Jabal Hussein camp an area of 420 dunums, with 34 560 persons in 3 287 dwellings. The resulting densities, 92.5 persons per dunum in Wahdat, and 82.3 persons per dunum in Jabal Hussein Camp, are among the highest in Greater Amman. Occupancy rates were also high, with an average of approximately four persons per room, and the camps had the lowest standards of infrastructure services in Amman. In addition to housing, the camps also contain commercial areas, schools, clubs, health and cultural centres which also serve refugees living outside the camps.

In 1986 the Urban Development Depar tment identified 16 sites within Greater Amman occupied by slum and squatter settlements. Slum areas are defined as older, run-down and/or obsolete housing units, either apartments in the older central neighbourhoods, or sub- standard areas of badly maintained traditional construction, with in- adequate water, electricity, and sewerage facilities. Squatter areas are more recent settlements that do not conform with planning and building regulations, occupying land where the tenure is uncertain, or privately- owned land where the land and buildings are held by different people. The total area occupied by slum and squatter settlements was 1 224 dunums, with sites varying in size from five to 293 dunums, with a total population of 51 145 people, in 7 320 households. Average densities were 55 persons and 7.7 households per dunum, but in Nuzha, Nadif and Wadi Umm Errimam densities were over 100 persons per dunum.

Industrial development The majority of industrial areas within Greater Amman are occupied by a mixture of manufacturing industries, warehousing and storage, workshops, and residential development.

Marka, in East Amman, is the largest and longest established industrial area, occupying 5 780 dunums and containing both small workshops and larger factory units. These employ approximately one third of the total workforce in the manufacturing sector, mainly engaged in a variety of mechanical, electrical and vehicle-related activities.

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Wahdat (A1 Yarmouk Street) and U m m Quseir/Muqablcin (Na 'ur Road) together cover a total of 3 750 dunums. Wahdat is mainly composed of small workshops for vehicle repairs, metal fabrication, carpentry and construction-related light manufacturing. Na 'ur Road has generally the same activities, accommodated in larger factory units. The two areas together provide approximately one third of the total manufacturing workforce.

Abu Alanda, Juwayydah and El Ragib industrial areas together cover a total area of 2 84() dunums, employing approximately 20% of the manufacturing labour force. Abu Alanda and AI Ragib have a mixture of modern light industrial units and warehouses; Abu Alanda consists mostly of workshop units related to vehicle servicing, but with a number of larger units related to construction, while Juwayydah is mainly small workshops, vehicle repairs and servicing.

Although outside Grea ter Amman , the Amman Industrial Estate at Sahab, set up under the Jordan Industrial Estate Corporat ion Law, is now established as a major industrial centre, with easy access to the city. The industrial estate is the first of its kind to be established in Jordan, and covers 2 530 dunums, of which, some 50(i duntuns of phase I (comprising 800 dunums), is currently completed. Unlike zoned industrial areas within the municipality, the estate offers a range of ready serviced sites and standard factory buildings; at present about 60 factory units, employing some 2 500 workers in nlanufacturing have been licensed to take up premises on the estate.

There are more than 200 active quarries scattered throughout Grea ter Amman , virtually all of which extract limestone for building purposes. A limited number extract sand, also for the construction industry. The limestone is used both as building stone and as crushed aggregates. The quarries for building stone are mainly located to the north of Amman, close to the Yajouz-Russeifa road, while the quarrying of aggregates is concentrated within the built-up area of Amman. The total arca of land occupied by both active and abandoned quarries is approximately 1 800 dunums. The quarries arc, in general, not labour intensive, employing only 1 500 persons.

Commercial development

Commercial development , which includes retail, wholesale, personal services and offices are distributed between:

• the Central Business District; • commercial corridors; • main centres; • local centres; and • wholesale Markets.

The Central Business District. The rapid expansion which A m m a n has experienced during the past three decades, combined with the dramatic topography of its centre, has strongly influenced the role and character of development within central Amman. As the urban area expanded along the highways radiating from the original centre, the contricted, downtown area could not accommodate the demands for new commercial, business and government activities. As a result an expanded Central Business District has ew)lved to the north-west of the original centre, extending as far as Shmeisani and the Sport City cultural complex.


Greater Amman

Many important new 'city centre' commercial activities, including government offices, high quality shopping, offices and hotels, have developed within the Central Business District, but not in the downtown area, which has retained its role as a more traditional centre with specialized shopping, such as gold and leatherwork, wholesale mer- chants and workshops. In 1985 almost 40% of all employment in Greater Amman was concentrated within the Central Business District, including 60% of all jobs in commerce, 40% of all government jobs, and 20% of all jobs in industry. Despite its limited size, Central Amman provided almost half of the employment in commerce, and two-thirds of the employment in industry within the Central Business District, but has less than 10% of government jobs. A total of almost 30 (100 jobs were located within Central Amman, approximately one-third of all jobs in the Central Business District.

Commercia l corridors. There are three main commercial corridors, along University Street, Misdar Street and Jerusalem Street, which provide a wide range of both 'city scale' and local commercial facilities. The corridors provide almost 17% of total retail floorspace, but they all lack adequate service access and parking, suffer from heavy through traffic, and do not provide a safe and convenient environment for pedestrians. The southern corridors are also located on steep gradients.

Main centres. There are four existing commercial centres which provide, or are developing, a comprehensive range of retail and other facilities, serving large catchment areas in different parts of the urban area. The most substantial is adjacent to Wahdat Camp, serving most of South Amman. The centre also contains major bus and taxi terminals, and is closely related to a substantial workshop area. Similar centres have developed at Marka, Suweifiya and on Makkah Road. The centres provide almost 20% of retail floorspace within Greater Amman.

Local centres. Local centres, mainly providing services for surrounding residential areas, have developed throughout the urban area, and provide approximately 7% of total retail floorspace. The most substantial are located in Sweilah, Khilda, Wadi Sir, Abu Alanda and Khur- aybat AI Suq. Scattered corner shops in residential areas are relatively more important, providing 13% of the total floorspace.

Wholesale facilities. The main food wholesale facilities are controlled by the Municipality of Greater Amman. The distribution centre for local and imported poultry and meat is located in the slaughterhouse complex on the Zarqa Autostrade. Fruit and vegetables are distributed from the Vegetable Market, south of the central area in Ras AI Ain. Neither market is satisfactory, in terms of the quality of facilities available, or its capacity. The Municipality plans to construct a new complex on a 60 ha site east of the Green Belt Road, which will include a modern slaughterhouse, meat and poultry market, livestock market and a fruit and vegetable market, together with parking, storage and residential accommodation (overnight hotels, etc).

Wholesale markets for material and machinery are mostly concentrated in Central Amman, along Emir Hassan Street in south Amman, and in Mahatta to the north-east.


Greater Al?ltttatl

Major institutions attd government uses

Virtually all major institutions within Greater Amman are owned and operated by government. The most notable exceptions are the numer- ous embassies, consulates and related cultural facilities, which are widely dispersed throughout the residential areas of Jabal Amman, Jabal Hussein, A1 Radwan and Shmeisani.

The most extensive government institutions are Amman Airport, now used for training and government air traffic, and the Royal Palaces at Raghadan/Basman, AI Hummar, AI Hashemiyeh and Zahran.

Other major government land uses include:

• the University of Jordan, the Royal Scientific Society, and the National Geographic Centre located at Jubeiha;

• the A1 Hussein Sports City complex, which includes the stadium, Palace of Culture, the Royal Cultural Centre:

• the National Broadcasting Station on the Na'ur Road: • the main government office complex, which includes the National

Assembly and several ministries, between Jabal Hussein and Shmeisani;

• the King Hussein Medical Centre, between Wadi El Sir and Sweileh;

• the Polytechnic at Marka; and • a wlriety of government and municipality facilities, including

Ministries, offices, markets, warehouses, depots and other facilities dispersed throughout the urban areas.

The most substantial non-government institution, in terms of land use, is UNRWA, which is responsible for the refugee camps at Jabal Hussein and Wahdat, and various training centres, warehouses and depots.

Community facilities

Education. Formal education in Jordan is provided by the Ministry of Education, other ministries, UNRWA, and by private agencies.

Pre-school kindergartens are almost all provided by private institutions. Formal education is divided into three main levels: compulsory education for the 6 to 14 age group, followed by three years of secondary education (in either technical or general schools), and finally higher education for the 18 to 23 age group which is provided either by community colleges (two years) or universities. Approximately 41% of compulsory places, 27% of secondary and 77% of community college places are provided by priw~te institutions.

Existing enrolment rates in Amman are high, reaching 97% for compulsory schools, and 61% for secondary schools. Technical secondary schools provided only 25% of all secondary school places.

The provision of purpose built government schools has not been able to match the rapid increases in school age population. The Ministry of Education has been obliged to rent accommodation in rcsidential buildings, to combine classes from different educational levels within individual schools, and to operate a shift system. Similar measures have been taken in priw~te schools. In 1985 a two-shift system operated in 80% of all compulsory school classrooms, and 55% of all classrooms were in rented accommodation.

Health facilities. Health facilities arc provided by the government, private institutions, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.


Greater Amman

Government health services are divided between the Ministry of Health, which provided 17.5% of all hospital beds and most medical centres, the Royal Medical Service, which provides comprehensive health services for the armed forces and their dependants, and the medical faculty of Jordan University, which serves patients from the university, and the general public.

Health centres provide both preventive and curative medical care, in the form of general health centres, village clinics, maternity and child care centres, and specialized centres, which are mainly dental and chest disease clinics. The level of service provided by government health centres is lower in Greater Amman than elsewhere in Jordan, with only 9% of total health centres located within the capital. The majority of private clinics in Jordan are located in Amman.

More than half of all hospital beds in the Kingdom are concentrated in Greater Amman, providing over three beds per thousand population, which is almost twice the level of provision elsewhere. However 66% of these beds are in private facilities and the Royal Medical Service, and are not generally available.

Religious facilities. Many places of worship, both Moslem and Christian, are associated with schools, clinics and other social facilities. Mosques are generally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Awkaf and Islamic Affairs. There are approximately 255 within Greater Amman, 10 of which are considered major mosques, due to their size or historical and social importance. Most local mosques are small, with an average floor area of only 180 m 2, while the major mosques average 2 400 m 2 providing a combined capacity for only 80 000 worshippers, indicating a severe shortage of prayer space, particularly in the newly developed residential areas.

Church facilities, all provided by the private sector, are assumed to meet the needs of the various religious groups they serve. There were approximately 30 churches within Greater Amman in 1985, mainly located within schools in the older, more densely populated areas.

Culture and recreation. Cultural and recreational facilities are provided by the Ministry of Youth and Culture, which is responsible for libraries, cultural and youth facilities and welfare, municipalities, which provide public parks and gardens, and private institutions.

The Royal Cultural Centre accommodates the Royal Theatre, confer- ence and lecture rooms, a cinema, and a hall for artistic performances. The centre is adjacent to the AI Hussein Sports City, which provides a comprehensive range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities. There are 23 public libraries in Amman, five within foreign cultural centres, and six small museums, mainly containing exhibits of historic remains and local arts and crafts. There is a growing number of local youth centres, providing small libraries and meeting places, and 33 local sports clubs, only nine with outdoor facilities.

Greater Amman has a limited number of public gardens and small parks which fall short of demand and are in many instances too small to serve their intended catchment population. The shortage of local parks is compounded by the lack of substantial district parks. The municipality recently inaugurated the Amman National Park at Umm A1 Kundum, which covers approximately 1 040 dunums of forested land, and will be expanded into nearby forests in the near future. There are two private


Greater Amman

amusement centres (Malahi), and a specialized bird garden which is located at Shmeisani.

Existing rural development. There are ten independent rural sett lements within Grea ter Amman , including the Municipality of Shafa Badran, seven village councils and two villages. In 1985 they housed a total population of only 8 250 people. Despite their small population the sett lements are well served by community facilities.

Areas under cultivation, including agriculture and forestry, are mainly in the north, west and south of Grea te r Amman. They are within the 'dry farming' category (330-500 mm rainfall per year), although some farming is carried out in the more arid areas to the east of the city. The crops grown are dependent upon the quality of land, and the amount of annual rainfall. They include wheat legumes, tomatoes , olives, grapes, figs, apricots, and horticultural products, together with sheep grazing.

Transport Road network

The road network within Grea ter Amman is dominated by the main radial routes which link Amman to Damascus in the north. Jerusalem and Nablus in the west, Baghdad in the east, and to Aqaba and Saudi Arabia in the south. As there are no major highways which by-pass Grea ter Amman , the urban road network carries a considerable wHume of through traffic, particularly from the east, south and west. The radial routes focus upon the original site of the city, which is now the city centre, at the junction of a series of steep-sided wadis. The roads generally follow traditional routes, in the main wadis or along the crests of the jabals.

As Grea te r A m m a n has expanded, the radial roads have been improved to provide connections with rapidly growing commtlnities now absorbed within the metropoli tan area. To the north of the city the inner and outer roads enable traffic from the north-west of Amman , travelling in the direction of Zarqa and Russeifa, to by-pass the city centre. No comparable facility exists to the west or south of Amman. To the east of the city, Yarmouk Street enables traffic from the south, destined for Zarqa and Russeifa, to by-pass the city centre, and the 'Green Belt" road is used primarily by heavy goods vehicle traffic coming from the south towards Zarqa, and for destinations beyond.

Transportation characteristics

The total number of vehicles registered in Jordan in 1985 was more than 10 times greater than the number registered in 1970. The annual growth rate in the number of vehicles in Jordan increased from 15% in the early 1970s to 31% between 1976 and 1977, and then dropped to only 4.4% between 1984 and 1985, closely reflecting the pattern of economic change experienced in Jordan during the same period.

Records of vehicles registered in Amman , which only began in 1979, closely follow the national pattern. Vehicles registered in Amman in 1985 accounted for more than 80% of the national total. Of the vehicles registered in 1985 57% were private cars, showing an increase of 12% each year since 1979, compared with a growth rate of only 2.4% in registered taxis during the same period which probably indicates


Greater Amman

'saturation' of demand for taxis. Pick-ups form 14% of the vehicles registered in Amman, and trucks 7%.

Changes in traffic volume between 1980 and 1985 indicate that traffic on most of the network was growing at an average rate of about 7% per annum. The rate was lower on roads where traffic volumes were approaching the road's capacity. Traffic volumes decreased significantly in only two locations, between Wadi Saqra and Mukhabarat, and between A1 Hussein College and Radhadan, due to the opening of the Outer Ring Road between Wadi Saqra and Prince Muhammad, the opening of the Inner Ring Road and also, in the latter case, the relocation of the international airport from Marka.

Substantial increases in traffic of between 15% and 20%, resulted from major improvements to the network, particularly between Abdoun and Muhajareen, from Zizia to Amman, from Sahab to Amman, and at the AI Hussein Medical Centre.

Accident records compiled by the traffic police show that, within Amman Municipality, a total of 4 075 accidents took place in 1984, resulting in 57 fatalities and 1 475 personal injuries. At 18 accident 'black spots', which each had more than 50 accidents, there were a total of 1 674 accidents, resulting in 19 deaths and 521 personal injuries.

Comparison between the use of public and private transport in Amman and other cities indicates that households in Amman with access to one or no vehicles use public transport more than similar households in developed cities. This is not reflected in the substantial increase in the share of private transport, from 46% in 1980 to 51% in 1985. The growth of travel demand by mode, indicates that the number of trips made within Greater Amman has been increasing at approximately 10% each year, with the highest increase in bus trips to work and school.

Public transport

Analysis of the 1985 traffic surveys indicate that 45% of all trips were made on one of the following forms of public transport:

• buses operated by the Public Transport Corporation; • buses operated by private companies and individuals; • buses operated by employers and institutions to transport staff,

students, e t c . • servis taxis; • call taxis.

Approximately 30% of trips in Greater Amman are by buses and taxis operating on fixed routes, but they comprise only 15% of traffic observed within Greater Amman, indicating the space efficiency of public transport.

The Public Transport Corporation. In 1985 the Corporation owned a total of 431 buses, compared to 228 in 1980. The effective operational fleet was approximately 350 buses.

The total route length operated in 1985 was 282 km, which was reduced to 263 km in 1986 after a reorganization of bus routes. There is considerable variation in the detailed pattern of bus development from day to day.

The average occupancy of Public Transport Corporation buses is not high relative to their capacity. The general picture is of very uneven use


Greater Amman

of bus routes and buses, with a very low overall rate of bus boarding of 1.77 passengers per bus-kin.

Private buses. The private bus fleet provides inter-urban services, with a mixture of minibuses and conventional buses. The larger operators provide a combination of regular fixed services and contract services.

In 1985 private bus operators were licensed to operate 219 buses on 32 routes, but 238 were actually in use, reflecting their profitability, and the demand for privately-operated bus services.

Servis taxis. Servis taxis are a major form of public transport within Grea ter Am man , with the largest fleet in Jordan, carrying the most passengers. In 1985 servis taxis accounted for 32% of public transport person trips in Grea te r Amman compared to 28% by scheduled buses. Servis taxis operate on fixed routes with small saloon cars, without scheduled stops between the terminals. Servis taxis are privately owned and regulated only to the extent that they are licensed for a specific route. The increase in the number of licences granted since 1980 indicates that the policy of diminishing the role of servis taxis in faw)ur of buses, specified in the A m m a m Regional Transport Study is no longer being applied. The urban routes all originate from 15 terminals, most of which are located within or close to the city centre. The routes provide a very high density service close to the city centre, but decrease rapidly between the major highway corridors. The servis routes have very good penetrat ion into areas which cannot be served by buses because of narrow street geometry, or steep gradients. Servis taxis carry 16% of all internal passenger trips or 53% of all trips made by public fixed-route bus and taxi services.

The average occupancy of servis taxis was 3.86 (excluding the driver), 80% full, which is to be expected as the vehicle does not leave the terminal unless it is full.

In addition to 69 local routes, there were 30 inter-urban routes, operated by about 2 50(1 servis taxis. Although the inter-urban routes are known, there is little data on the level of service provided.

Call taxis. There were 5 000 registered call taxis in 1985, operated by 200 taxi offices throughout the urban area. They should respond to telephone calls to their headquarters , but they are not radio-controlled, and are allowed to pick up passengers on their routes for a maximum period of three hours away from their office.

Trip characteristics. The purposes of public transport trips were divided between: home-based work, 31%; home-based other, 58%; and non- home based trips, 11%. The high figure for home-based other trips included 23% of home-based education trips. This, together with the home-based work trips, formed 54% of bus trips, all of which took place in the peak period.

On average, only 7% of bus passengers had a car available. This varies significantly from route to route, with the highest route figure of 41% observed on the route to Aqaba.

In the absence of through bus routeing across the city centre, 65% of bus trips involved changes from, or to, some other mode of travel (other than walking), at the beginning or end of the bus ride. Analysis of trips by different means to get to major bus stops and the number of trips


Greater Amman

leaving major bus stops by different modes, indicates that: Raghadan is the most heavily used terminal; servis is the prevailing mode serving the bus terminals, illustrating the need for integrated terminals; and the private car is the mode used least by bus passengers to get to, or leave the bus terminals.

Rail transport. The only railway in Jordan is the Hijaz line, constructed at the beginning of this century, to link Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria with Turkey. The section between Na'an and Madingh in Saudi Arabia was blown up in the first world war and, although reconstruction was considered several times, it has remained unused. The northern section, between Amman and Dera in Syria via Zarqa, is used sporadically for freight traffic, with only two trains operating each week in both directions. With the expansion of phosphate mining in Southern Leba- non, a new branch line, some 117 kin long, was constructed to link Batn E1 Ghoul to the Hijaz line, and the port of Aqaba. Currently no regular rail transport exists within Greater Amman.

Air transport. Queen Alia International Airport, inaugurated in May 1983, replaced Amman (Marka) airport, which is still in use for military and government purposes. A continuous increase in both passenger and freight traffic is expected, although the estimate of 2 167 million passenges in 1986 is much lower than the projections made in 1983 in the National Transportation Study. The forecasts then assumed an average growth rate of 11%, resulting in a total of 4 272 million passengers in 1986. The analysis of passengers and freight forecast in the National Transport Study recommended the construction of a third terminal by 1992 and a fourth terminal to start operation in year 2000. The recommendations will have to be updated in the light of the lower traffic growth observed in the last five years.

Infrastructure

Water supply

Greater Amman, and adjacent communities, is supplied with water from the wellfields of Amman/Zarqa, Azraq, Qastal/Siwa, the springs of Ras A1 Ain, Wadi Sir and Ain Azraq, and surface water from Deir Alla and the East Ghor Main Canal. Separate systems transport 50 million m 3 of water a year to Greater Amman, from distant wellfields or from local boreholes and springs. The recently completed Deir Alla project is expected to provide a further 45 million m 3 a year, and new sources of ground water, from the Wala/Hidan/Mujib system, currently being designed, a further 35 million m 3.

The existing method of supply has until recently been by direct pumping into the networks, with balancing reservoirs, and stepped pumping to supply water to higher elevations. The new sources being developed require modifications to the method of supply, to accommodate their new locations, and to provide increased flexibility in the bulk transmission of water within Greater Amman. The new method of supply will be based on storage reservoirs supplied from a new bulk supply loop (Amman Ring Main), with gravity distribution to local supply networks. The new system can still operate with pumped distribution when required, and will maintain this method for systems within lower pressure zones.


Greater Ammatl

Water distribution within Grea ter A m m a n is via five interconnected systems supplying Amman , South Amman , Wadi Sir, Sweilch, and Jubeiha.

The average net water consumption ranges between 45 and 130 litrcs per capita per day, with system losses estimated to range between 25% and 40%. The average gross water consumption ranges between 65 and 175 litres per capita per day.

The total annual domestic water demand within Grea ter Amman is approximately 39 million m e . The total est imated available water supply is 50 million m 3 per year, of which 4(1 million m a arc awfilablc annually for domestic consumption, and the remaining 10 million m 3 to satisfy industrial water demand. The present water resources are perceived as adequate for the existing water demand.

The majori ty (75%) of reserw)irs have a storage capacity of less than two days' demand, which is less than agreed design criteria. Approx- imately 40% of reserwfirs have storage capacity for less than one day's demand, and approximately 35% for more than one day, but less than two days' demand. Pumping stations are generally adequate to meet the demand.

,~'CB'CF¢I~C

Greater Amman is served by five sewerage systems, determined by the pattern of natural drainage, covering Amman, South Amman, Wadi Sir, Tariq and Baqa'a .

The Amman system has the largest catchment area, covering 160 knl 2 serving Amman , Jubeiha, Tila 'a A1 All, Khilda, Umm E1 Summaq, parts of Wadi el Sir, Marj AI -Hamam, Abu Alanda and Qweismelt. The mare collection network is approximately 200 kin in length, terminating at the Ain Ghazal Trea tment Plant, which has diversion facilities to carry sewage by gravity to the new Khirbet El Samra Trea tment Plant.

The catchment area of the South A m m a n Systeln covers Sahab, Jawa, Khuraybat EI-Suq, A1-Yadoudeh and parts of Abu Alanda, Qweismeh and A1 Muqablein and U m m Quseir. Design of the system, for a population of 125 000 people, has recently been completed, and prop- oscs the construction of a new treatment plant to the south west of Sahab.

The Wadi Sir System covers Wadi Sit, west of the Amman System, and has its own t reatment plant. The collection network is designed for a population of 138 000 people, and is now under construction.

The Tariq System, designed for a population of 72 000 people, is now under construction, and will connect to the Russeifa/Zarqa system, terminating at the Khirbet E1 Samra Trea tment Plant.

The Baqa's System, designed for a population of 93 ()00 people, covers Sweileh, SMut, Ain El Basha and Baqa'a . The collection network and a new treatment plant are now under construction.

Stormwater drainage The existing s tormwater drainage network consists of approximately 70 km of main, submain and secondary drains, covering approximately 40% of Amman , mainly within the older and densely inhabited sections of the city. Almost all other built-up areas are without s tormwater drainage facilities, except for minor installations such as road culverts. Assessment and appraisal of the existing drainage system indicated that the existing drainage network caters for the flows at the downstream


Greater Amman

ends of the drainage basins, but flows generated in the upstream reaches have to run for long distances on the surface of roads and adjacent areas, before meeting the first drainage inlet. As most undeveloped plots are not walled, run-off water carries mud, stones, and debris onto the roads, subsequently blocking the drainage inlets, greatly reducing the efficiency of the limited existing system.

Electricity The Jordan Electricity Authority produces all electricity for public consumption. In 1984, the authority completed the installation of two 30 MW gas turbine generators, at Amman South Power Station and new 66 MW steam turbine generators at the Hussein Thermal Power Station, bringing the total installed capacity in the whole Kingdom from 372 MW at the end of 1983 to 698 MW, an increase of 22%, with the authority's share rising from 84% to 86.6%.

In 1984 the Jordan Electric Power Company's distribution system peak load was 195 MW, 12% higher than in 1983. Electricity consumption in Greater Amman was 708 GWh in 1984, an increase of 11.3% over the 1983 consumption, and representing 36.4% of the total consumption in Jordan.

Telecommunications The Telecommunication Corporation, the national authority for all telecommunications facilities, provided 13 telephone exchanges to serve Greater Amman in 1985, with an initial capacity of over 140 000 lines. There were 71 000 subscribers, and a waiting list of 58 000 applicants. The National and International Switching Centres are at the Abdali Exchange. An Automatic Mobile Telephone System, with an initial capacity of 2 000 lines, is now in operation.

Telex services are provided through a central telex exchange in Amman, covering the capital itself, Irbid, Aqaba, Zarqa, Ramtha Nadaba, Salt, Ma'an, Karak and Tafila, Installed capacity is 4 300 lines, with 2 300 working lines, 2 000 of which are in Amman.


greater amman : urban development

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