Zaatari refugee camp

Not to be confused with the Tel al-Zaatar refugee camp in Lebanon.
Zaatari
مخيم الزعتري
Refugee camp
Zaatari is located in Jordan
Zaatari
Zaatari
Location in Jordan
Coordinates: 32°17′44.4″N 36°19′25.5″E / 32.295667°N 36.323750°E / 32.295667; 36.323750
Country Jordan
GovernorateMafraq Governorate
SettledJuly 2012
Government
 • Camp Manager from SRAD and Head of Sub-Office from UNHCRThe camp is jointly led by UNHCR the UN Refugee Agency and SRAD The Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate
Area
 • Total2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2)
Population
 (30 Sep 2024)
 • Total77,298
 • Density62,710/sq mi (24,212/km2)
 density figure from 2 January 2018 (UNHCR), population figure from stated date
Time zoneUTC+2 (UTC+3)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (UTC+3)
Area code+(962)
Websitewww.unhcr.org

The Zaatari refugee camp (Arabic: مخيم الزعتري) is a refugee camp in Jordan, located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Mafraq, which has gradually evolved into a permanent settlement;[1] it is the world's largest camp for Syrian refugees.[2] It was first opened on 28 July 2012 to host Syrians fleeing the violence in the ongoing Syrian War that erupted in March 2011.[3] It is connected to the road network by a short road which leads to Highway 10.

Early on, there were primarily issues with inadequate food supplies and inadequate housing.[4][5] In 2013 it was reported that the camp was experiencing an increasing number of reports of crime.[6] Demonstrations were or are used as a forum to create awareness of the conflict and to express political views against the current government led by Bashar al-Assad and the violence inflicted by the Syrian Armed Forces.[7] Due to the maximum capacity of 60,000 refugees in March 2013 a second camp was built 20 kilometres east of Zarqa in the Marjeeb Al Fahood plains.[6][8] On 5 April 2014 a riot resulted in a number of injuries to both refugees and Jordanian police. One refugee was killed by gunshot.[9]

In 2015, filmmakers Zach Ingrasci and Chris Temple lived in Zaatari for a month, resulting in the documentary Salam Neighbor.

  1. ^ "Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan Evolves as a Do-It-Yourself City" "Refugee Camp for Syrians in Jordan Evolves as a Do-It-Yourself City"]. by Michael Kimmelman in The New York Times 4 July 2014
  2. ^ Hayden, Sally (22 March 2017). "Inside the world's largest camp for Syrian refugees". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference UNHCR data Portal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Protests continue at Zaatari camp as community leaders emerge". The Jordan Times. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  5. ^ Taylor Luck (24 September 2012). "Police disperse rioting Syrians at Zaatari camp". The Jordan Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Jordan selects Zarqa site for second Syrian refugee camp". Jordan Times. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Refugees Daily". UNHCR. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  8. ^ "Second camp for Syrian refugees opens in Jordan". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Syria crisis: Deadly clash in Jordan's Zaatari camp". BBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.