Jericho

Jericho
Other transcription(s)
• Arabic	أريحا
• Hebrew	יְרִיחוֹ
The city of Jericho from the ruins of the old walls
Municipal Seal of Jericho
Jericho Location of Jericho within the Palestinian territories
Coordinates: 31°52′16″N 35°26′39″E / 31.87111°N 35.44417°E / 31.87111; 35.44417Coordinates: 31°52′16″N 35°26′39″E / 31.87111°N 35.44417°E / 31.87111; 35.44417
Governorate	Jericho
Founded	9600 BCE
Government
• Type	City (from 1994)
• Head of Municipality	Hassan Saleh
Area
• Jurisdiction	58,701 dunams (58.701 km2 or 22.665 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Jurisdiction	20,300
Name meaning	"Fragrant"

Jericho (/ˈdʒɛrɪkoʊ/; Arabic: أريحا‎‎ Ariha [ʔaˈriːħaː]; Hebrew: יְרִיחוֹ‎ Yeriḥo) is a city in the Palestinian Territories and is located near the Jordan River in the West Bank. It is the administrative seat of the Jericho Governorate, and is governed by the Fatah faction of the Palestinian National Authority. In 2007, it had a population of 18,346. The city was occupied by Jordan from 1949 to 1967, and has been held under Israeli occupation since 1967; administrative control was handed over to the Palestinian Authority in 1994. It is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the city with the oldest known protective wall in the world. It was thought to have the oldest stone tower in the world as well, but excavations at Tell Qaramel in Syria have discovered stone towers that are even older.