Russeifa

Russeifa is a city in the Zarqa Governorate of Jordan. Positioned within the Central region along the Zarqa River basin and the Amman-Zarqa highway, it shares a metropolitan area with Amman and Zarqa.

Phosphate discovery

1935

A historical turning point arrived in 1935 when Amin Kamel Kawar discovered phosphate deposits in the area. This discovery led to the establishment of the Jordan Phosphate Mines company by Kawar to operate and run the local mines, shaping the industrial trajectory of the city situated between Amman and Zarqa.

Metropolitan expansion

1961 to 2004

Demographic shifts fundamentally altered the municipality over decades. The population stood at 6,200 inhabitants in 1961, comprising 3,400 males and 2,800 females. By the time of the Jordan National Census of 2004, the population of Russeifa had grown to reach 268,237 residents, with a female-to-male ratio of 48.46% to 51.54%, and Jordanian citizens making up 89.6% of the total population.

Infrastructure and heritage

Ancient to modern routes

The city's geography is defined by transportation corridors and ancient ruins. Russeifa is intersected by three main roads: the Main Street passing through the center, Yajouz Street in the northern part, and the Amman-Zarqa Highway traversing the southern sector. Beneath modern developments lies the archaeological site of Khirbat ar-Rusayfah, covering nearly 20 acres on an artificial mound approximately 675 meters above sea level. Modern urbanization and infrastructure projects have damaged approximately 95% of the ancient site, though excavations conducted by the Department of Antiquities of Jordan between 1999 and 2004 revealed occupation layers ranging from the Early Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, including the prominent limestone structure known as the Big Building.

For further geographical and administrative context, consult the GeoNames record for Russeifa and the Russeifa entry.