Irbid refugee camp

Irbid camp was one of four camps established in Jordan for refugees who left Palestine as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

The camp was set up in 1951 on an area of 0.24 square kilometres near the town of Irbid, in northern Jordan. Originally, it housed 4,000 refugees.

By 1954, the camp's inhabitants started to replace the tents with mud shelters and UNRWA provided them with roofing material. Over the years the refugees have replaced these dwellings with concrete shelters and the camp now resembles some of the urban quarters in Irbid. UNRWA's installations in the camp also provide services for the refugees in the camp's surroundings.

Statistics

• More than 25,000 registered refugees
• One women’s programme centre
• Four schools, run on double shifts
• One food distribution centre
• Two health centres
• One community-based rehabilitation centre
• Demographic profile
  

Programmes in the camp

• Health
• Education
• Social safety-net
• Relief and social services
• Women’s programmes
• Community-based rehabilitation

Major problems

• Overcrowded schools
• High unemployment
• High population density
• Small health centre, with no ultrasound equipment