Ramtha, Jordan

Ar Ramtha, also known as Al-Ramtha is a city situated in the far northwest of Jordan. It covers 40km2, and has a population of 120,365 people.NameAr Ramtha is named after a local desert plant, al-ramath (الرمثا). During its occupation by the Roman Empire, the city was known as Ramatha.HistoryThe Roman Empire utilized Ar Ramtha as a remote hub to cross-link their colonies. The ruins of buildings and ancient Roman antiquities have been discovered at different parts of Ar Ramtha. During the Islamic expansion, Ar Ramtha, which was in the Houran territory, was a port for Muslim scholars crossing between Syria and Al-Hijaz. Historically and sociologically, the city is the twin to Daraa city in Syria, which is located on just the other side of the border.In 1596 it appeared in the Ottoman tax registers under the name of Ramta, being part of the nahiya of Butayna in the Qada of Hauran. It had an entirely Muslim population consisting of 16 households and 3 bachelors. They paid a fixed tax-rate of 40% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, goats and bee-hives; a total of 2,740 akçe. Half of this was Waqf income.EconomyAr Ramtha's economy relies on commerce and import and export trading. The Al Hassan industrial estate houses several outsourcing companies supported by foreign shareholders with most of the products sold to American and European markets.