Ashdod
City in Israel / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ashdod (Hebrew: אַשְׁדּוֹד, romanized: ʾašdōḏ, pronounced [ʔaʃˈdod] ⓘ; Arabic: أسدود, romanized: ʾasdūd, pronounced [ʔasˈduːd], or إسدود, ʾisdūd [ʔɪsˈduːd]; Philistine: 𐤀𐤔𐤃𐤃, romanized: *ʾašdūd) is the sixth-largest city in Israel. Located in the country's Southern District, it lies on the Mediterranean coast 32 kilometres (20 miles) south of Tel Aviv and 20 km (12 mi) north of Ashkelon.
Ashdod
| |
---|---|
City (from 1968) | |
Hebrew transcription(s) | |
• ISO 259 | ʔašdod |
Coordinates: 31°48′0″N 34°39′0″E | |
Country | Israel |
District | Southern |
Founded | 1956 (Israeli city) |
Government | |
• Mayor | Yehiel Lasri |
Area | |
• Total | 47,242 dunams (47.242 km2 or 18.240 sq mi) |
Population (2022)[1] | |
• Total | 226,827 |
• Density | 4,800/km2 (12,000/sq mi) |
Website | www.ashdod.muni.il |
The city was named after the historical town of Ashdod, located c.6 km southeast,[2][3] which dates originally to the 17th century BCE as one of the five Philistine city-states. The ruins of Ashdod-Yam also lie on the coast to the southwest of the city center and adjacent to the city's expanding suburbs.
Isdud's 3 millennia[4] of history came to a sudden end in late 1948. Isdud was to be part of the Arab Palestinian state, but Egyptian troops defending it withdrew in October 1948, triggering the Nakba for Isdud's roughly 5,000 residents. Most fled,[5] while the IDF drove out the 300 who dared remain.[6][7]
Modern Ashdod was established in 1956 on the sand hills 6km northwest of what remained of Isdud. It was incorporated as a city in 1968, with a land-area of approximately 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi). Being a planned city, expansion followed a main development plan, which facilitated traffic and prevented air pollution in the residential areas, despite population growth. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Ashdod had a population of 226,827 in 2022,[1] with an area of 47,242 dunams (47.242 km2; 18.240 sq mi).[8]
Ashdod is today a major Israeli city, and contains the largest port in Israel accounting for 60% of the country's imported goods. Ashdod today is home to the largest Moroccan and Karaite Jewish communities in Israel,[9][10] and to the largest Georgian Jewish community in the world.[11] It is also an important regional industrial center.