Bardala

Infobox Palestinian Authority muni
name=Bardala


imgsize=250
caption=
arname=بردلة
meaning=
founded=1500 BCE
type=mund
typefrom=1996
altOffSp=
altUnoSp=
governorate=tb
latd=32|latm=23|lats=10.73|latNS=N
longd=35|longm=28|longs=55.08|longEW=E
population=1,600
popyear=2006
area=20,000
areakm=20.0
mayor=

Bardala ( _ar. بردلة) is a Palestinian village of 1,600 inhabitants in the Tubas Governorate, located thirteen kilometers northeast of Tubas and 28 kilometers northeast of Nablus.

History

Bardala's history dates back to 1500 BCE. The word "Bardala" derives from "Bardaweel" — the name of a prince who ruled the area in ancient times. In the town lies a palace named after him. Archaeologists discovered that Bardala's wells are the oldest in the Jordan Valley. Other archealogocial sites include graves and coffins from various civilizations and al-Khader shrine. Most of the current residents of Bardala are Arabs from nearby Tubas who were looking for more cultivable and grazing land. [http://proxy.arij.org/tubas/static/localities/profiles/97_profile.pdf Bardala Village Profile] Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem.]

Geography and climate

Bardala is located is on the eastern foothill of the Jordan Valley to the west of the town, just south of the Jezreel Valley and the border with Israel. Its elevation is 71 meters below sea level. Nearby towns and villages include Tubas to the northeast and Ein al-Beida to the east. Bardala's jurisdiction was over 20,000 dunams, making up 4% of the Tubas Governorate's land. The built-up area of the town is 480 dunams, while 10,000 dunams are classified as agricultural land and 400 dunams have been confiscated by Israeli authorities.

Warm climate is characteristic of the town, with hot and dry summers and cold and dry winters. The average rainfall is 293 millimeters and the average annual temperature was 21 to 22 degrees Celsius. The average humidity rate is 55%.

Demographics

In 1961, Bardala had a population of 367 inhabitants which decreased to 271 in 1982 due to emigration. The population nearly doubled to 457 five years later. [ [http://www.palestineremembered.com/GeoPoints/Bardala_2305/index.html Welcome to Bardala] PalestineRemembered.] The entire population of Bardala comprises 3.3% of the governorate's population.

According to a 1997 census by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), the town's residents numbered 1,148, of which 566 were males and 582 were females. The age distribution was 49.3% between infancy and 14, 30.4% between the ages of 15 and 29, 22.8% between the ages of 30-64 and 2.8% were above the age of 65. [ [http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/phc_97/tub_t1.aspx Palestinian Population by Locality, Sex and Age Groups in Years] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.] The PCBS projected that Bardala had a population of 1,577. [ [http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/Portals/_pcbs/populati/pop02.aspx Projected Mid -Year Population for Tubas District by Locality 2004- 2006] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.]

Over 90% of its inhabitants belong to the town's original inhabitants, the Swafta family. The remaining 10% are refugees from towns near Baysan in present-day Israel and Bedouins.

References