Karak Governorate

Karak Governorate (محافظة الكرك)
Governorate
Karak Governorate within Jordan.
Country	Jordan

Cities	Mu'tah, Rabba, Qatraneh

Capital	Al Karak

Area	3,495 km² (1,349 sq mi)

Population	249,100 (2012)
Density	71.3/km² (185/sq mi)

Timezone	UTC+2
- summer (DST)	+3
Area code	+(962)3

Departments of Karak Governorate by population (2004 census)
Capital Department South Mazar Department South Aghwar Department Qasr Department Ghor Al-Mazra'a Department		Department	Arabic name	Areas	Population	Administrative Center	Faqou' Department Aii Department Moab Department Qatraneh Department Moujeb Department
	1	Capital Department (Al-Qasabah)	لواء قصبة الكرك	includes the city of Al Karak and 35 other towns and villages	64,850	Al Karak
	2	South Mazar Department	لواء المزار الجنوبي	includes 30 towns and villages	57,191	Mu'tah
	3	South Aghwar Department	لواء الاغوار الجنوبية	includes seven towns and villages	32,446	Safi
	4	Al-Qasr Department	لواء القصر	includes nine towns and villages	20,860	Rabba
	5	Ghor Al-Mazra'a Department	قضاء غور المزرعة	includes six towns and villages	12,743	Ghor Al-Mazra'a
	6	Faqou' Department	لواء فقوع	includes six towns and villages	12,178	Faqou'
	7	Aii Department	لواء عي	includes four towns and villages	9,711	Aii
	8	Moab Department	قضاء مؤاب	includes five towns and villages	9,692	Husseiniya
	9	Qatraneh Department	لواء القطرانة	includes four towns and villages	6,949	Qatraneh
	10	Moujeb Department	قضاء الموجب	includes five towns and villages	5,818	Mugheer
	Source: وزارة الداخلية - الأردن Jordanian ministry of interior

Karak (Arabic: الكرك‎‎) is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south-west of Amman, Jordan's capital. Its capital is Al Karak. It borders Madaba and the Capital governorates to the north, Ma'an Governorate from the east, Tafilah Governorate from the south, and the Dead Sea form the west.

The land of Karak Governorate was the home of the Kingdom of Moab, during the first millennium BC. Their capital and stronghold is believed to be near the city of Al Karak, which was known as the Qir of Moab.

For a brief period of time, the land of Karak Governorate came under Persian rule, and then the Nabateans took control of it, until the Romans invaded the Levant region and occupied their capital, Petra. After the coming of the Byzentines, they established a vassal state ruled by the Ghassanids. The city of Mu'tah was the site of the first clash between the Muslim Arabs and the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of Mu'tah in 629 AD.

With the coming of the crusaders, the Principality of Kerak was established, after which Kerak was a center front between the Ayyubids and the crusaders.

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