Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

Mapping the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world

Mapping the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world

Home to more than 80,000 Syrians who fled the war, Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp marks 10 years since opening.

Thursday marks 10 years since the United Nations’ Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan was opened to accommodate Syrians fleeing the war.

Located in the desert of northern Jordan, about 12km (7.5 miles) from the border with Syria, the Zaatari camp, which is home to more than 80,000 people, is the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world.

The Syrian crisis has been ongoing since March 2011 when protests erupted against President Bashar al-Assad’s government which quickly turned into a full-blown war.

Today, more than half the pre-war population of 23 million remains displaced, including nearly seven million who are refugees, mostly in neighbouring countries.

Five countries – Turkey (3.4 million), Lebanon (850,000), Jordan (668,000), Germany (616,000) and Iraq (245,000) – hosted 90 percent of the 6.76 million Syrian refugees around the world as of July 2021.


Zaatari refugee camp at a glance


The Zaatari camp located near the village of the same name in Mafraq Governorate was opened on July 28, 2012. The white tented city was initially designed to hold 60,000 people but had to be expanded due to the influx of refugees. At its peak in 2013, it housed more than 200,000 people, becoming the fourth-largest city in Jordan.

While many refugees have since returned to Syria or moved on to other countries, the camp is still home to some 80,000 people, with more than half of them (55 percent) children.

According to the UN, 80 percent of its current residents are from the southern Syrian province of Deraa, which has seen intense fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels.

Although residents have found safety from the violence raging in Syria, many living in the dusty and isolated camp feel stuck, uncertain if they will ever be able to leave or return home.


Living conditions inside Zaatari camp


The 5.5sq km (2.1sq miles) camp, divided into 12 districts, has grown from a collection of tents in 2012 into an informal city with 58 community centres, 32 schools and eight medical clinics.


The camp consists of:

26,000 shelters – provided by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), each prefabricated shelter includes a toilet and a kitchen and has a six-year life span.

Syrian refugees are seen at Zaatari camp which shelters some 80,000 Syrian refugees on the Jordanian border with war-ravaged Syria on March 28, 2017


32 schools – UNICEF collaborates with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to provide education to 76 percent of the camp’s 21,900 children.

Syrian refugee students gesture while attending a class in a UNICEF school, September 22, 2015


Eight medical clinics – including two COVID-19 vaccination centres operating as of March 2021. In January, there were an average of 5,400 weekly health consultations across the camps.

Moroccan doctors carry a Syrian baby Siwar, who was born by Caesarean section in a field hospital in Zaatari refugee camp, March 7, 2016


Shops and businesses – Camp entrepreneurs run various businesses, including barbershops, clothing stores, falafel stands and more. The main market road, nicknamed “Champs Elysees” – after the famous shopping avenue in France – has become the centre of the camp’s economic activity.

Syrian refugees buy vegetables and fruits displayed on a donkey cart in Zaatari refugee camp, October 14, 2016


Food assistance programme – Residents receive $32 per month from the World Food Programme (WFP) through blockchain technology to cover their food needs. Camp residents can redeem these credits at dedicated supermarkets by looking into a camera at checkout which confirms their identity on a UN database and settles their bill.

Syrian refugees collect water at the Zaatari refugee camp in Mafraq, Jordan, August 18, 2016


Access to electricity – In 2017, a 12.9-megawatt solar power plant, funded by the German government, was built to increase electricity access from eight to 14 hours per day.

Syrian refugee children play computer games at Zaatari refugee camp, October 15, 2016

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
×