Tafilah (Arabic:الطفيلة,romanized: 'aṭ-Ṭafīlah,[atˤ.tˤa.fiː.la]), also spelledTafila, is acity with a population of 27,559 people in southwesternJordan, located 183 kilometers (114 mi) southwest ofAmman. It is the capital ofTafilah Governorate. It is well known for having green gardens which containolive andfig trees, and grape-vines. Tafilah was first built by theEdomites and was calledTophel.

Tafilah الطفيلة Tophel (inEdomite)
City
Tafilah
Flag Seal
Tafilah
Coordinates:30°50′24″N35°36′0″E / 30.84000°N 35.60000°E /30.84000; 35.60000
Country	Jordan
Governorate	Tafilah Governorate
Founded	1100 B.C.
Municipality established	1914
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Khalid Huneifat
Area
• City	18.518 km2 (7.149 sq mi)
• Metro	38.771 km2 (15.355 sq mi)
Elevation	940 m (3,084 ft)
Population  (2015)[1]
• City	27,559
• Metro	60,803
Time zone	GMT +2
• Summer (DST)	+3
Area code	+(962)3
Website	[1]

There are more than 360 natural springs in the Tafilah nahia, including the naturalreservoir ofDana and hotnatural springs at Afra and Burbeita. There are two phosphate and limestones mines in the Tafilah nahia, which are one of the country's main income sources.

The oldest state formation in Tafilah and South Jordan was the kingdom ofEdom, and Tafilah lies on the ruins of the Edomite city ofTophel. The capital of Edom wasBozrah, now known as Busairah, 23 km to the south of Tafilah. Tafilah was later annexed by theNabatean kingdom, which had its capital atPetra. Following the Roman invasion, it was ruled by theGhassanids, underByzantine authority. Tafilah then came underMuslim rule, interrupted for a brief period of time byCrusader rule.

During theArab Revolt, in January 1918, Tafilah and the region around it were captured in the Battle of Tafilah, thanks to what was described as a "brilliant feat of arms", by Arab troops under the command ofT. E. Lawrence,Jaafar Pasha Al-Askari, andPrince Zeid bin Hussein.^[2][3]

In 1961, there were 4,506 inhabitants in Tafila.^[4] By 2015, the population had grown to 27,559, resulting in a growth rate of 512.5% from 1961 to 2015.

There is one university in Tafilah,Tafila Technical University. Founded in 1986 as a university college, it expanded to a university in 2005. The university as of the academic year 2009/2010 includes six colleges.^[5]

The city of Tafilah is organized into six districts:

• 'Ayes (منطقة العيص)
• Baqee' (منطقة البقيع)
• Wadi Zaid (منطقة وادي زيد)
• Aima (منطقة عيمة)
• Al Hussein (منطقة الحسين )
• Ain Baida (منطقة العين البيضاء)
• Mansoura (منطقه المنصورة)

The region's economy depends partially onagriculture. The towns in the governorate are mostly located at elevations exceeding 1000m above sea level, with Tafilah at 940mabove sea level, and the governorate receives an average annual rainfall of 240 mm.

Tafilah Governorate is rich innatural resources. Reserves in the governorate are estimated at one million tons ofcopper and half a million tons ofmanganese, andphosphate. Which Tafilah and Jordan economy depends on.

Although Tafilah is rich in history, it attracts fewer tourists compared to other Jordanian cities. The main reason is that Tafilah is off the major tourist routes and highways that do not pass through or near the city. The two main highways connecting northern and southernJordan throughTafilah Governorate are theJordan Valley Highway (Highway 65) and the Desert Highway (Highway 15) which are far from Tafilah City; to reach Tafilah from the Desert Highway, travelers must take Tafilah Highway (Highway 60) west atJurf Al Darawish.

Tafilah and its surrounding areas offer several tourist attractions:

• Afra Hot Springs: located northwest of Tafilah City, about 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) away.
• Dana Biosphere Reserve: with a history dating back hundreds of years, this site offers a unique experience as it is home to 703plant species, 215 species ofbirds, 38 species ofmammals and endangered species like the Nubian Ibex. Visitors can stay at hotels or camps nearby the site.^[6]
• Khirbet Al Darieh: located north of Tafilah City, beside the King's Highway (Highway 35), about 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) away.
• Sela' Castle, also known as the Ruins of Sela: near the district of Ain Al Baida, about 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) km away.