Ashdod

Ashdod (Hebrew: אַשְׁדּוֹד, romanized: ʾašdōḏ, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}pronounced [ʔaʃˈdod] ⓘ; Arabic: أسدود, romanized: ʾasdūd, pronounced [ʔasˈduːd], or إسدود, ʾisdūd [ʔɪsˈduːd]; Philistine: .mw-parser-output .script-phoenician{font-family:"Noto Sans Phoenician",sans-serif}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's port is the largest in Israel, handling 60% of the country's imported goods. Ashdod has a history spanning approximately 3,700 years.[2] In biblical times, it was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines. The city's name was later preserved in the Arab town of Isdud, which was depopulated during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In ancient times, Ashdod developed as an active maritime trade center, with its ports identified at Ashdod-Yam and Tel Mor. The remains of the ancient city and later settlements are located at Tel Ashdod.