# Jaffa

> southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv

**Wikidata**: [Q180294](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q180294)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaffa)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/jaffa

# Jaffa

## Summary

Jaffa (also known as Yafo or Yaffo) is the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv, Israel. Originally an independent city until October 4, 1949, it was subsequently incorporated as a quarter of Tel Aviv. With a recorded history dating back to approximately 140 BCE and an area of 17,510 dunams, Jaffa has been governed by the Ottoman Empire (1516–1917), Mandatory Palestine (1917–1948), and modern Israel (1948–present).

## Key Facts

- **Classification**: Former city (until October 4, 1949); currently a quarter of Tel Aviv (from October 4, 1949)
- **Location**: Southern part of Tel Aviv, Israel; coordinates 32.052222°N, 34.753056°E
- **Area**: 17,510 dunams
- **Population**: 66,310 (1945 census)
- **Native Names**: יפו (Hebrew), يافا (Arabic)
- **Aliases**: Yafo, Yafa, Japho, Joppa, Yaffo, Jaffa Israel, Jope, Joppé, Joppe, ヤッフォ, Иоппия, Йоппа, Яфо, Яффо, Яфа, Jafa, يافة
- **Earliest Written Record**: Approximately 140 BCE
- **Historical Governance**: Ottoman Empire (1516–1917), Mandatory Palestine (December 1917–May 14, 1948), Israel (from May 14, 1948)
- **Head of Government (Historical)**: Assem Bey Said (1919–1939)
- **Capital Of**: County of Jaffa and Ascalon
- **Membership**: World Tourism Cities Federation

## FAQs

**What is Jaffa's current political status?**
Jaffa transitioned from an independent city to a quarter of Tel Aviv on October 4, 1949. It remains part of the modern State of Israel, which assumed governance on May 14, 1948.

**What are Jaffa's native and alternative names?**
Jaffa's official native names are יפו (Hebrew) and يافا (Arabic). It is known by numerous aliases including Yafo, Yafa, Japho, Joppa, Yaffo, Jope, Joppé, Joppe, Jafa, and many others in various languages.

**What significant historical events occurred in Jaffa?**
Notable events include the 1921 Jaffa riots, the Siege of Jaffa, and a slighting (deliberate destruction) that occurred in 1190.

**Where is Jaffa located geographically?**
Jaffa is situated at coordinates 32.052222°N, 34.753056°E in the southern portion of Tel Aviv. It covers an area of 17,510 dunams.

**What encyclopedic sources describe Jaffa?**
Jaffa is documented in numerous authoritative sources including the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron, Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition), The Nuttall Encyclopædia, Pauly–Wissowa, Bible Encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nicephorus, Small Soviet Encyclopedia, and Yuzhakov Big Encyclopedia.

## Why It Matters

Jaffa stands as one of the world's continuously inhabited ancient cities, with written records extending back to approximately 140 BCE. Its strategic coastal location made it a significant port and administrative center throughout millennia of changing empires. The city's transformation from an independent municipality to an incorporated quarter of Tel Aviv in 1949 represents a pivotal moment in the region's modern urban development. Jaffa's layered history—spanning Ottoman, Mandatory Palestinian, and Israeli governance—exemplifies the complex political transitions of the Levant. Its membership in the World Tourism Cities Federation reflects its enduring cultural and economic significance as a heritage destination. The city's documentation across multiple major encyclopedic works and its presence in 68 Wikipedia language editions testify to its global historical importance.

## Notable For

- **Extreme Historical Depth**: Earliest written records date to approximately 140 BCE
- **Administrative Evolution**: One of few cities to transition from independent city status to an incorporated urban quarter (1949)
- **Multi-Empire Governance**: Successively controlled by the Ottoman Empire, Mandatory Palestine, and Israel
- **Global Documentation**: Described in over a dozen major encyclopedias including Jewish, Catholic, and secular reference works
- **Linguistic Diversity**: Known by more than 18 aliases across Hebrew, Arabic, European, and Asian languages
- **Heritage Recognition**: Categorized by the Israel Antiquities Authority (ID: 7) and included in the Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire
- **Tourism Significance**: Member of the World Tourism Cities Federation

## Body

### Geography and Demographics

Jaffa occupies 17,510 dunams of land at geographic coordinates 32.052222°N, 34.753056°E. As the southern portion of Tel Aviv, it represents the oldest settled area of the larger metropolitan region. The 1945 census recorded a population of 66,310 residents, representing the last major demographic survey before its incorporation into Tel Aviv. A locator map is available showing Jaffa's position within the Tel Aviv District.

### Historical Governance and Political Status

Jaffa's political identity has undergone significant transformations across centuries. The city operated as an independent municipality under the Ottoman Empire from 1516 until December 1917, when Mandatory Palestine assumed administrative control. This mandate period concluded on May 14, 1948, coinciding with the establishment of the State of Israel. Jaffa maintained its status as an independent city until October 4, 1949, at which point it was formally incorporated as a quarter of Tel Aviv—a classification it retains today.

During the early 20th century, Assem Bey Said served as head of government from 1919 to 1939. Historically, Jaffa also functioned as the capital of the County of Jaffa and Ascalon.

### Significant Historical Events

Three major events mark Jaffa's recorded history:
- **Slighting (1190)**: A deliberate destruction of fortifications
- **Siege of Jaffa**: A military engagement of historical significance
- **1921 Jaffa Riots**: A period of civil disturbance documented in historical records

### Cultural and Linguistic Identity

Jaffa's multicultural heritage is reflected in its nomenclature. The official native names—יפו in Hebrew and يافا in Arabic—demonstrate its dual cultural character. The city's aliases span numerous languages and historical periods: Japho and Joppa (biblical/ancient), Yafo and Yaffo (modern Hebrew transliterations), Jope, Joppé, Joppe (European variants), ヤッフォ (Japanese), Иоппия, Йоппа, Яфо, Яффо, Яфа (Cyrillic scripts), Jafa (various), and يافة.

### Global Scholarly Documentation

Jaffa has been extensively catalogued by major reference works across multiple traditions:

**Jewish and Russian Sources**: Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron, Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Yuzhakov Big Encyclopedia, Small Soviet Encyclopedia, and the Russian Jewish Encyclopedia (ID: 15252)

**Christian and Western Sources**: Bible Encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nicephorus, The Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (entry: "Joppa"), The Nuttall Encyclopædia (entry: "Joppa"), Pauly–Wissowa (entry: "Joppe"), Desktop Encyclopedic Dictionary, and The New Student's Reference Work

**Modern Reference Works**: Encyclopædia Britannica Online (topic/Jaffa), Treccani (giaffa, jaffa), Online PWN Encyclopedia (ID: 3916274), TDV Encyclopedia of Islam (yafa)

### Database Identifiers and Classifications

Jaffa maintains presence in numerous international databases and classification systems:

**Library and Bibliographic**: Library of Congress Authority ID (n81120618), Bibliothèque nationale de France ID (12242732n), National Library of Israel IDs (987007559768305171, 000988135), GND ID (4114063-1, ended 1949), VIAF ID (148709451), WorldCat Entities ID (E39PBJB8q7bRDxM7v8KR7CfXh3)

**Geographic and Mapping**: GeoNames ID (293253), GNS Unique Feature ID (-781689), OpenStreetMap Node ID (278471086), OpenStreetMap Relation ID (2589843), Who's On First ID (85903143), Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire ID (21683), National Historical Museums of Sweden ID (geo/42364A31-9B8F-4C9F-93ED-D438EFE34783)

**Cultural Heritage**: Israel Antiquities Authority ID (7), Kulturenvanteri Taxonomy ID (483), Joconde Location ID (T84-4013), Archinform Location ID (6408), Münzkabinett ID (location/3117)

**Other Systems**: Freebase ID (/m/02w0nh), Lex ID (Jaffa), SNK ID (234307), Interlingual Index ID (i83093), WordNet 3.1 Synset ID (08816047-n), Yale LUX ID (concept/f79647c9-bf46-432f-a583-2ec8c6a1f7cd), MusicBrainz Area ID (0d49e378-bcfa-457e-8da9-70d78e5b54e7), Songkick Artist ID (409217), NL CR AUT IDs (ge307159, ge1183023), De Agostini ID (Giaffa), Treccani ID (giaffa)

### Media and Visual Documentation

Jaffa's visual representation includes a primary image available via Wikimedia Commons (Israel-2013-Jaffa_01.jpg), a page banner (Jaffa_banner.jpg), and a locator map (Wikivoyage_TelAviv_DistrictsMap.svg). The main image includes a caption in Norwegian: "Jaffa sett fra Tel Aviv Promenade" ("Jaffa seen from the Tel Aviv Promenade"). The Commons category "Jaffa" hosts additional media resources.

### Wikipedia and Online Presence

Jaffa maintains Wikipedia articles in 68 languages including English, Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and many others. The sitelink count of 72 indicates extensive cross-referencing across Wikimedia projects. The Google Play Store lists an entry for Jaffa. The Wikidata description identifies it as "the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv."

### Organizational Affiliations

Jaffa is a documented member of the World Tourism Cities Federation, as confirmed by the organization's official website. This membership reflects the city's ongoing significance in international heritage tourism.

### Categorization and Classification

Jaffa is organized under several categorization systems:
- Main category: Category:Jaffa
- Maps and plans: Category:Maps of Jaffa
- Views: Category:Views of Jaffa
- People born here: Q18664726
- People who died here: Q32225593
- Associated people: Category:People from Jaffa

The topic's timeline is documented under "timeline of Jaffa."

## References

1. [Source](https://benyehuda.org/read/52391)
2. Source
3. archINFORM
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. BnF authorities
6. [Source](https://cn.wtcf.org.cn/citys/3423-3.html)
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. Czech National Authority Database
9. The Muslim Strategy of Demo­lishing Frankish Fortresses and Towns in the Levant
10. MusicBrainz
11. Muʻjam buldān Filasṭīn (Dār al-Maʼmūn, 1987)
12. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)