First Census For Aqaba Unveils Key Demographic, Economic, Agricultural Insights

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Aqaba, August 15 (Petra) - The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), in collaboration with the Department of Statistics (DoS), unveiled the results of the first comprehensive census for Aqaba Governorate on Thursday. The 2024 census covered population, housing, economic establishments, and agricultural holdings.
Nayef Fayez, Chairperson of the ASEZA, highlighted that the census marks a significant milestone for Aqaba, offering critical data to empower local communities and drive development.
The census goes beyond mere population counts, providing insights into demographic trends, job equality, education, and wealth distribution. These findings are vital for policymakers in planning future development services and attracting key projects to boost the region's service efficiency, Fayez underscored.
Haidar Freihat, Director General of the DoS, revealed that Aqaba's population totals 241,936, with 54 percent male.
Of the population, 81.5 percent reside within the borders of Aqaba, and 82 percent are Jordanians. The census also found that Aqaba has 49,498 families, with an average family size of 4.9 individuals.
Education enrollment rates for males aged four and above stand at 39.2 percent, while females are slightly higher at 39.4 percent. The illiteracy rate for Jordanians aged 13 and above is 9.7 percent.
Freihat noted that 9.8 percent of individuals aged five and over suffer from functional difficulties, while 77 percent of Aqaba's population is covered by health insurance.
In terms of economic data, Aqaba's gross domestic product (GDP) reached JD1,464 million at current prices and JD1,350 million at fixed prices in 2022.
Tourism figures for 2023 show that 259,687 families made trips to Aqaba, with 274,115 tourist trips recorded and 919,595 visitors to the governorate. Tourism spending amounted to JD81.9 million, while household spending on tourist trips within Aqaba reached JD609,700.
The unemployment rate for Jordanians aged 15 and over stands at 18.5 percent, with the rate in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone at 16.3 percent. The highest unemployment rate, 46.8 percent, was observed among the 15-24 age group.
The census of economic establishments revealed that Aqaba hosts 11,842 establishments, with 49 percent operating, 22 percent vacant, and 19 percent supporting activity establishments.
The number of fully operational establishments was 5,783, employing around 28,000 workers. The services sector employs 39 percent of these workers, followed by industry (25 percent), trade (21 percent), and transportation and construction (14 percent).
Males dominate the workforce, particularly in transportation (96 percent) and construction (92 percent), while females are more prevalent in services (27 percent) and industry (25 percent).
The census also highlighted the agricultural sector, with 2,028 agricultural holdings in Aqaba. Of these, 1,743 are individually owned, with the majority held by Jordanians. The livestock population includes 193,000 animals, comprising 63,500 sheep and 129,500 goats.

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