Irbid

Irbid was known in classical antiquity with its ancient Greek name of Arabella, close to the cities of Pella, Beit Ras, and Um Qais. Irbid was built on successive Early Bronze Age settlements and was possibly the biblical Beth Arbel and the Arbila of the Decapolis, a Hellenistic league of the 1st–2nd century BC. The population of Irbid swelled in the late 19th century, and prior to 1948 it served as a significant centre of transit trade. The greater Irbid Municipality was established in 1881 in the late Ottoman period, making it the oldest municipality in Jordan.

It has the second-largest metropolitan population in Jordan after the capital Amman which lies about 70 kilometres (43 mi) to its south, with a population of around 2,003,800. It also has the third largest urban population in Jordan after Amman and Zarqa. The Irbid Governorate has the second largest population, and the highest population density in the kingdom. The city is a major ground transportation hub between Amman, Syria to the north, and Mafraq to the east. The Irbid region is also home to several colleges and universities.