Baqa’a Camp

Baqa'a camp was one of six "emergency" camps set up in 1968 to accommodate Palestine refugees and displaced persons who left the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a result of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The camp, which is the largest in Jordan, is situated about 20 km north of Amman.

Between June 1967 and February 1968, the refugees and displaced persons were housed in temporary camps in the Jordan valley, but had to be moved when military operations escalated in the area. When Baqa'a was set up it was already a large camp with 5,000 tents for 26,000 refugees on an area of about 1.4 square kilometres.

Due to the harsh winters in Jordan UNRWA replaced the tents with 8,048 prefabricated shelters between 1969-1971 with special contributions from the Federal Republic of Germany. Most of the camp's inhabitants have since then constructed more durable concrete shelters to replace the prefabs.

Fact and Figures

Population

• 93,916 Registered Refugees

UNRWA Education Programme

• 16 Elementary/Preparatory schools for 16,710 enrolled pupils in 2008/2009.

UNRWA Relief & Social Services Programme

• 1366 Families receive assistance under the Social Safety Net Programme

• One Food Distribution centre

UNRWA Health Programme

• Two Health centres

NGOs

There are 27 active NGOS, which organize cultural activities and run an educational enhancement programme for children.

• One Women’s Programme Centre which provides training courses for women (sewing & embroidery, handicrafts and hairdressing), kindergarten, awareness activities, computer, internet.

• One Community Based Rehabilitation Centre

Public Information Office
March 2009