المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية Al-Mamlakah al-Urdunniyyah al-Hāšimiyyah The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem:  عاش المليك The Royal Anthem of Jordan   ("As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni")1 Long live the King
Capital (and largest city)		Amman 31°57′N, 35°56′E
Official languages		Arabic
Demonym		Jordanian
Government		Constitutional monarchy
-	King	Abdullah
-	Prime Minister	Nader al-Dahabi
Independence
-	End of British League of Nations mandate	25 May 1946
Area
-	Total	89,342 km² (112th) 45,495 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	July 2007 estimate	6,053,193 (110th)
-	2004 census	5,100,000
-	Density	64/km² (131st) 166/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$27. The national flag of Jordan ( علم الأردن) is based on the Flag of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I On August 25 1934 the Executive Council (The Council of Ministers at the time issued Directive No A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Jordanians are mostly Arabs except for a few small communities of Circassians Chechens Armenians, and Kurds which have adapted to Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The Jordanian monarchy was set up in 1921 with help from the British. Abdullah II bin al-Hussein King of Jordan ( الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين al-Malik ʿAbdullāh aṯ-ṯānī bin al-Ḥusayn born 30 The Prime Minister of Jordan is the head of the Government of Jordan. Nader Dahabi (نادر الذهبي (born 1946 is a Jordanian politician and military figure who was named prime minister on November 25, 2007. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A League of Nations mandate refers to a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 96 billion (97th)
-	Per capita	$4,900 (103rd)
Gini (2002–03)		38. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 8 (medium)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 773 (medium) (86th)
Currency		Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Time zone		UTC+2 (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.jo
Calling code		+962
1	Also serves as the Royal anthem. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dinar ( ISO 4217 code JOD; unofficially known as JD) is the currency of Jordan. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E A royal anthem is a patriotic song much like a National anthem but specifically praising or praying for a Monarch or royal dynasty

Jordan (Arabic: الأردنّ‎, transliterated as al-Urdunn), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية), is a country in the Arab World in Southwest Asia, bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the north-east, Israel and the West Bank to the west, and Saudi Arabia to the east and south. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Transliteration is the practice of Transcribing a Word or text written in one Writing system into another writing system or system of rules for such practice Hashemite is the Latinate version of the Arabic: هاشمي ( Transliteration: Hāšimī and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi It shares the coastlines of the Dead Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The Dead Sea (יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, "Sea of Salt"البَحْر المَيّت, "Dead Sea" is a salt lake between The Gulf of Aqaba ( Arabic: خليج العقبة transliterated: Khalyj al-'Aqabah in Israel known as the Gulf of Eilat ( Hebrew For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy with representative government. The reigning monarch is the head of state, the chief executive and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The king exercises his executive authority through the prime ministers and the Council of Ministers, or cabinet. The cabinet, meanwhile, is responsible before the elected House of Deputies which, along with the House of Notables (Senate), constitutes the legislative branch of the government. The judicial branch is an independent branch of the government.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Administrative Divisions 4 Demographics 5 Politics 5.1 Constitution 5.2 Legal system and legislation 5.3 Kings of Jordan and political events 6 Parliament of Jordan 6.1 Legislative Procedure 6.2 Term 6.3 Political Parties 7 Economy 7.1 Tourism 7.2 Influence of the Southwest Asian conflict 8 Foreign relations 9 Culture 9.1 Language 10 Education 10.1 School education 10.1.1 Foreign secondary education programs 10.2 Higher education 11 See also 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links

History

Main article: History of Jordan

With the break-up of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, the League of Nations created the French Mandate of Syria and British Mandate Palestine. The land that became Jordan forms part of the richly historical Fertile Crescent region The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 The French Mandate of Syria was a League of Nations Mandate created after the First World War and the Partitioning of the Ottoman Empire. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement Approximately 90% of the British Mandate of Palestine was east of the Jordan river and was known as "Transjordan". The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia The Emirate of Transjordan ( Arabic: ar إمارة شرق الأردن) was a former Ottoman territory incorporated into the British Mandate of Palestine In 1921 , the British gave semi-autonomous control of Transjordan to the future King Abdullah I of Jordan, of the Hashemite family. Abdullah I bin al-Hussein King of Jordan (1882 – July 20 1951 was born in Mecca, Ottoman Empire, (in modern-day Saudi Arabia) as ( Arabic Hashemite is the Latinate version of the Arabic: هاشمي ( Transliteration: Hāšimī and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim Abdullah I continued to rule until a Palestinian Arab assassinated him in 1951 as he was departing from the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. At first he ruled "Transjordan", under British supervision until after World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In 1946, the British requested that the United Nations approve an end to British Mandate rule in Transjordan. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Following this approval, the Jordanian Parliament proclaimed King Abdullah as the first ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. King Abdullah may refer to Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, regent of Saudi Arabia since 1995 and king since 2005 Abdullah II of Jordan, king Hashemite is the Latinate version of the Arabic: هاشمي ( Transliteration: Hāšimī and traditionally refers to those belonging to the Banu Hashim

In 1950, Jordan annexed the West Bank, which had been under its control since the armistice that followed the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The annexation was recognized only by the United Kingdom (de facto in the case of East Jerusalem).

In 1965, there was an exchange of land between Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Jordan gave up a relatively large area of inland desert in return for a small piece of sea-shore near Aqaba. For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of

Jordan signed a mutual defense pact in May 1967 with Egypt, and it participated in the June 1967 war against Israel along with Syria, Egypt, and Iraq. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. During the war, Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel (the western sector having been under Israeli control). The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the In 1988, Jordan renounced all claims to the West Bank but retained an administrative role pending a final settlement, and its 1994 treaty with Israel allowed for a continuing Jordanian role in Muslim and Christian holy places in Jerusalem.

The 1967 war led to a dramatic increase in the number of Palestinians, especially from the West Bank, living in Jordan. Its Palestinian refugee population — 700,000 in 1966 — grew by another 300,000 from the West Bank. The period following the 1967 war saw an upsurge in the power and importance of Palestinian resistance elements (fedayeen) in Jordan. Fedayeen (فدائيون fidā'ī, plural fidā'iyūn: meaning " Freedom fighter (s" or "self-sacrificer(s"Ֆէտայի is a term King Hussein's armed forces targeted the fedayeen, and open fighting erupted in June 1970. The battle in which Palestinian fighters from various Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) groups were expelled from Jordan is commonly known as Black September. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary September 1970 is known as the Black September ( in Arab history and sometimes is referred to as the "era of regrettable events

The heaviest fighting occurred in northern Jordan and Amman. The Syrian army battled the Jordanian army in Amman and other urban areas. The global media portrayed King Hussein as a corrupt King slaughtering the Palestinian refugees. Other Arab governments attempted to work out a peaceful solution. In the ensuing heavy fighting, a Syrian tank force invaded northern Jordan to support the fedayeen but subsequently retreated. It is said by some people, such as Ahmed Jibril, that King Hussein asked for help from Israel,^[1] then Israel threatened that it would invade Jordan if Syria intervened. Ahmed Jibril (أحمد جبريل born c 1938 is the founder and leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan (حسين بن طلال Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl) ( November 14, 1935 – February 7, 1999) was ^[2][3] By September 22, Arab foreign ministers meeting at Cairo had arranged a cease-fire beginning the following day. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Sporadic violence continued, however, until Jordanian forces, led by Habis Al-Majali, with the help of Iraqi forces (who had bases in Jordan after the war of 1967),^[1] won a decisive victory over the fedayeen on July 1971, expelling them from the country. Field Marshal Habis al-Majali ( 1914 - April 22, 2001) A noted Jordanian soldier from the southern city (then village of

At the Rabat summit conference in 1974, Jordan agreed, along with the rest of the Arab League, that the PLO was the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people", thereby relinquishing to that organization its role as representative of the West Bank. The 1974 Arab League summit was a meeting of Arab leaders held in Rabat Morocco in 1974. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية

Fighting occurred along the 1967 Jordan River cease-fire line during the October 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (מלחמת יום הכיפורים transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום Jordan sent a brigade to Syria to fight Israeli units on Syrian territory but did not engage Israeli forces from Jordanian territory. Jordan did not participate in the Gulf War of 1990–91. In 1991, Jordan agreed, along with Syria, Lebanon, and Palestinian fedayeen representatives, to participate in direct peace negotiations with Israel at the Madrid Conference, sponsored by the U. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn The Madrid Conference was hosted by the government of Spain and co-sponsored by the USA and the USSR S. and Russia. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending It negotiated an end to hostilities with Israel and signed a declaration to that effect on July 25, 1994 (see Washington Declaration). Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) February 2007 Declaration Post-Kyoto Protocol negotiations on greenhouse gas emissionsOn February 16, 2007, at meeting of the G8+5 Climate Change Dialogue As a result, an Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty was concluded on October 26, 1994. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Following the outbreak of Israel-Palestinian Authority fighting in September 2000, the Jordanian government offered its good offices to both parties. Jordan has since sought to remain at peace with all of its neighbors.

On November 9, 2005 Jordan experienced three simultaneous bombings at hotels in Amman. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 2005 Amman bombings were a series of coordinated bomb attacks on three Hotels in Amman, Jordan, on November 9, 2005. At least 57 people died and 115 were wounded. "Al-Qaeda in Iraq", a group led by terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a native Jordanian, claimed responsibility. Al-Qaeda, alternatively spelled al-Qaida, al-Qa`ida or al-Qa`idah, ( Arabic:; ar-Latn ''al-qāʿidah'' Translation: The For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (أبومصعب الزرقاوي, Abu Musab from Zarqa)) (October 30 1966 – June 7 2006 born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (أبومصعب الزرقاوي, Abu Musab from Zarqa)) (October 30 1966 – June 7 2006 born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal

Geography

Main article: Geography of Jordan

Jordan is a Southwest Asian country, bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Jordan is situated in Southwest Asia, northwest of Saudi Arabia. Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria All these border lines add up to 1,619 km (1,006 mi). The Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea also touch the country, and thus Jordan has a coastline of 26 km (16 mi). The Gulf of Aqaba ( Arabic: خليج العقبة transliterated: Khalyj al-'Aqabah in Israel known as the Gulf of Eilat ( Hebrew The Dead Sea (יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, "Sea of Salt"البَحْر المَيّت, "Dead Sea" is a salt lake between

Jordan consists of arid forest plateau in the east irrigated by oasis and seasonal water streams, with highland area in the west of arble land and Mediterranean evergreen forestry. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria The Great Rift Valley of the Jordan River separates Jordan, the west bank and Israel. The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by English explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trough approximately in length that runs This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia The highest point in the country is Jabal Ram, it is 1,734 m (5,689 ft) above sea level, while the lowest is the Dead Sea -420 m (-1,378 ft). Jabal Ram is a mountain in Jordan. Most authorities give its elevation as 1734 metres above sea level The Dead Sea (יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, "Sea of Salt"البَحْر المَيّت, "Dead Sea" is a salt lake between Jordan is part of a region considered to be "the cradle of civilization", the Levant region of the Fertile Crescent. A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the The Fertile Crescent is a Crescent -shaped region in the Middle East, originally incorporating the Levant and Ancient Mesopotamia, and often

Major cities include the capital Amman in the northwest, Irbid and Az Zarqa, both in the north. Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom Irbid (إربد known in ancient times as Arabella, is The capital and largest city of the Irbid Governorate, it is also the third largest city in Jordan Zarqa ( BGN: Az Zarqāʼ; local pronunciation ez-Zergā or ez-Zer'a) is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman Karak and Aqaba in the south. For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of

The climate in Jordan is dry in summer with average temperature in the mid-30°C (mid-90°F) and relatively cold in winter averaging around the 0 °C (32 °F). The western part of the country receives greater precipitation during the winter season from November to March and snowfall in Amman (756 m (2,480 ft) ~ 980 m (3,215 ft) above sea-level) and Western Heights of 500 m (1,640 ft). Excluding the rift valley the rest of the country is entirely above 300 m (984 ft)(SL). ^[4]

Administrative Divisions

Main articles: Governorates of Jordan and Nahias of Jordan

Administratively, Jordan is divided into 12 provinces called governorates, each headed by a governor appointed by the king. |||}The country of Jordan is divided into 12 Governorates ( Muhafazah) The governorates of Jordan are divided into 52 nahias. The nahias are listed below by governorate Ajlun Governorate Ajlun |||}The country of Jordan is divided into 12 Governorates ( Muhafazah) They are the sole authorities for all government departments and development projects in their respective areas. The Governorates are:

Province	Population (2008 est. ) [5]	Capital city	Population (Metropolitan, 2008 est)[6]
Ajlun Governorate	118,496	Ajlun	8,161
Amman Governorate	1,939,405	Amman	1,135,733
Aqaba Governorate	107,115	Aqaba	95,408
Balqa Governorate	349,580	Assalt	87,778
Irbid Governorate	950,700	Irbid	650,000
Jerash Governorate	156,680	Jerash	39,540
Kerak Governorate	214,225	Kerak	22,580
Ma'an Governorate	103,920	Ma'an	30,050
Madaba Governorate	135,890	Madaba	83,180
Mafraq Governorate	245,670	Mafraq	56,340
Tafilah Governorate	81,000	Tafilah
Zarqa Governorate	838,250	Zarqa	447,880

The Governorates are subdivided into approximately fifty-two nahias. Ajlun Governorate (alternative spelling Ajloun Governorate) ( Arabic:محافظة عجلون is one of the governorates of Jordan, located north of Ajlun (عجلون is the capital town of the Ajlun Governorate (although it is not the largest city in the governorate Officially known as Muhafazat al-Asima ( Arabic محافظة العاصمة English translation The Capital Governorate) Amman Governorate Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom Aqaba (العقبة al-ʻAqabah is one of the Governorates of Jordan, located south of Amman, capital of Jordan For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of Balqa' (البلقاء Al Balqā) is one of the governorates of Jordan. Salt (السلط As-Salt — pronounced As-Sult or As-Sàlt is an ancient agricultural town and administrative centre in west-central Jordan. Irbid or Irbed (إربد is one of the governorates of Jordan. Irbid (إربد known in ancient times as Arabella, is The capital and largest city of the Irbid Governorate, it is also the third largest city in Jordan Overview Jerash (جرش is one of the governorates of Jordan; it is located north of Amman, Jordan's capital Overview Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity is the capital Karak (also Kerak) (الكرك is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south-west of Amman, Jordan's capital Karak (also Kerak) (Al-Kerak الكرك is a city in Jordan that contains a famous Crusader castle Ma'an (معان is one of the governorates of Jordan, it is located south of Amman, Jordan's capital Ma'an (معان is a city in southern Jordan 218 km away from the capital Amman. Madaba, ( Arabic مادبا is one of the governorates of Jordan, it is located west of Amman, capital of Jordan Madaba, مادبا, is the capital city of Madaba Governorate of Jordan, which has a population of about 60 Mafraq ( Arabic محافظة المفرق Al-Mafraq, local dialects Mafrag or Mafra') is one of the governorates of Jordan Mafraq ( Arabic المفرق Al-Mafraq, local dialects Mafrag or Mafra') is the capital city of Mafraq Governorate Tafilah ( Arabic: الطفيلة is one of the governorates of Jordan, located south-west of Amman, Jordan's capital Al Tafilah ( Arabic: الطفيلة is a small City with a population of 35000 people in south Jordan 180 km away from Amman. Zarqa ( Arabic الزرقاء az-Zarqā, local dialects ez-Zergā or ez-Zer'a, "The Blue One" is one of the governorates Zarqa ( BGN: Az Zarqāʼ; local pronunciation ez-Zergā or ez-Zer'a) is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Jordan

The Jordan National Census for the year 2004, which was released on October 1st of the same year, gave the following results:

1. Jordanians are mostly Arabs except for a few small communities of Circassians Chechens Armenians, and Kurds which have adapted to As of October 1st 2004, Jordan had a population of 5,100,981. The census estimated that there are another 190,000 who were not counted (for being out of the country at the time the census was taken, or did not turn in their forms).

2. The census showed that the national growth rate was 2. 5% (at maximum) compared to 3. 3% of the 1994 census.

3. The census of 2004 also shows that males made up 51. 5% of Jordan's population (2,628,717). Females: 2,472,264 (48. 5%).

4. Jordanian citizens made up 93% of the population (4,750,463), while non Jordanins made up 7% (349,933). However, it is estimated that most of those who did not turn in their forms were immigrants from http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/button_link.png Internal linkneighboring countries, or non Arabic-speaking foreigners.

5. There were 946,000 families in Jordan in 2004, with an average of 5. 3 persons/family (compared to 6 persons/family for the census of 1994) ^[7] The next census is scheduled to take place in 2014.

During the years 2004-2007, Jordan saw a rapid increase in its population due to the heavy immigration of Iraqis, an independent census carried in 2007, estimated that there are 700,000 Iraqis residing in Jordan. Most estimates put the population of Jordan slightly over 6,000,000 as of the year 2007.

95% of Jordan's population are Arabs. Jordanian Arabs make 55% of the population and a large portion of the population (approximately 40%) are of Palestinian extraction,^[8] who fled from Palestine to Transjordan and gained citizenship after the Arab-Israeli wars in 1948 and 1967, the remaining non-Arabs of the population are mainly Circassians, Chechens, Armenians (13th largest in the world), and Kurds, but have integrated into the Jordanian and Arab cultures in the country. The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large The Armenian diaspora is a term used to describe the communities of Armenians living outside of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Many Native Jordanians are also of European origin assimilated into the Arabophone genepool that has resulted from the vast history of civilisations on its land. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language .

The number of Lebanese permanently settling in Jordan since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict has not been established, and is estimated to be very little. Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon According to Labour Ministry figures, the number of guest workers in the country now stands just over 300,000, most are Egyptians who makeup 227,000 of the foreign labor, and the remaining 36,150 workers are mostly from Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka and India. expatriate foreign worker is a person who works in a country other than the one of which he or she is a Citizen. This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Since the Iraq War many Christians (Assyrians and Chaldeans) from Iraq have settled permanently or temporarily in Jordan. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics.

Jordanian Christians permanently residing in Jordan form approximately 12% of the population and have 20% of the seats in parliament. (reason for which is a good percentage of expatriate communities of Jordanians abroad are Christian - original percentage should read 12%) Most Christians belong to the Greek Orthodox church (called "Ruum Urthudux" in Arabic). An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing The rest are Roman Catholics (called "Lateen"), Eastern Catholics who are Melkites (called "Ruum Katoleek" to distinguish them from "Western Catholics"), and various Protestant communities including Baptists. Christians in Jordan are of many nationalities, as evinced, for example, by the Catholic mass being celebrated in Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Tagalog and Sinhala, as well as in Iraqi dialects of Arabic. However, Jordanian Christians are indigenous Arabs that share the Greater culture of Jordan and the Broader East Mediterranean Levantine Arab Identity. See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding

Other Jordanians belonging to religious minorities include adherents to the Druze and Bahá'í Faith, which fall administratively under Islamic denomination. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind The Druze are mainly located in the Eastern Oasis Town of Azraq and the city of Zarka, while the Village of Adassiyeh bordering The Jordan Valley is home to Jordan's Bahá'í community. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon In Geography, an oasis (plural oases) or Cienega ( Southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a Desert, typically Azraq (الأزرق is a small Town with a population of approximately 5000 people (1990 in central-eastern Jordan, 100 km east of Amman Zarqa ( BGN: Az Zarqāʼ; local pronunciation ez-Zergā or ez-Zer'a) is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind

The official language is Arabic, but English is used widely in commerce and government and among educated people. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Arabic and English are obligatory learning at public and private schools. French is taught at some public and private schools but is not obligatory. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people However, a vibrant Francophone community has emerged in modern Jordan. The adjective francophone (alternately Francophone) means French -speaking typically as primary language whether referring to individuals groups or places Radio Jordan offers radio services in Arabic, English and French.

A portion of the people are registered as Palestinian refugees and displaced persons reside in Jordan, most as citizens. Since 2003 many Iraqis fleeing the Iraq War have settled in Jordan; latest estimates indicate between 700,000 and 1. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign 7 million Iraqis living in Jordan;^[9] mainly in Amman, the capital. Throughout the past 100 years there have been a growing number of Refugees fleeing Iraq and settling throughout the world peaking recently with the latest Iraq War ^[10]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Jordan

Constitution

Jordan is a constitutional monarchy based on the constitution promulgated on January 8, 1952. Politics of Jordan takes place in a framework of a parliamentary Monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Jordan is Head of government, and of A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Executive authority is vested in the king and his council of ministers. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. The Jordanian monarchy was set up in 1921 with help from the British. The king signs and executes all laws. His veto power may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the National Assembly. A veto, Latin for "I forbid" is used to Denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a certain piece of Legislation. The parliament of Jordan, the National Assembly (مجلس الأمة Majlis al-'Umma) has two chambers. He appoints and may dismiss all judges by decree, approves amendments to the constitution, declares war, and commands the armed forces. References and links Jordan Royal Jordanian Land Force Royal Jordanian Air Force Royal Special Cabinet decisions, court judgments, and the national currency are issued in his name. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The council of ministers, led by a prime minister, is appointed by the king, who may dismiss other cabinet members at the prime minister's request. The Prime Minister of Jordan is the head of the Government of Jordan. The cabinet is responsible to the Chamber of Deputies on matters of general policy and can be forced to resign by a two-thirds vote of "no confidence" by that body. The lower house of the National Assembly (مجلس الأمة Majlis al-Umma) of Jordan is Chamber of Deputies (مجلس النواب Majlis al-Nuwaab

The constitution provides for three categories of courts: civil, religious, and special. In law a lawsuit is a civil action brought before a Court in which the party commencing the action the Plaintiff, seeks a legal or equitable remedy Administratively, Jordan is divided into twelve governorates, each headed by a governor appointed by the king. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government They are the sole authorities for all government departments and development projects in their respective areas.

The Royal Armed Forces and General Intelligence Department of Jordan are under the control of the king. Dairat al-Mukhabarat al-Ammah ( Arabic: ar دائرة المخابرات العامة (translated General Intelligence Department or GID is the Jordanian Intelligence

Legal system and legislation

Jordan's legal system is based on Islamic law and French codes. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Judicial review of legislative acts occurs in a special High Tribunal. It has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction. See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour

Article 97 of Jordan’s constitution guarantees the independence of the judicial branch, clearly stating that judges are 'subject to no authority but that of the law. ' While the king must approve the appointment and dismissal of judges, in practice these are supervised by the Higher Judicial Council.

The Jordanian legal system draws upon civil traditions as well as Islamic law and custom. Article 99 of the Constitution divides the courts into three categories: civil, religious and special. The civil courts deal with civil and criminal matters in accordance with the law, and they have jurisdiction over all persons in all matters, civil and criminal, including cases brought against the government. The civil courts include Magistrate Courts, Courts of First Instance, Courts of Appeal, High Administrative Courts and the Supreme Court.

The religious courts include Sharia (Islamic law) courts and the tribunals of other religious communities. Religious courts deal only with matters involving personal law such as marriage, divorce and inheritance. Sharia courts also have jurisdiction over matters regarding Islamic waqfs (a religious endowment such as an area of land). In cases involving parties of different religions regular courts have jurisdiction.

Specialized courts involve various bodies. One such body is the Supreme Council which will interpret the Constitution if requested by either the National Assembly or the prime minister, according to Dew et al. : ". . . such courts are usually created in areas that the legislator deems should be governed by specialized courts with more experience and knowledge in specific matters than other regular courts" ^[11]. Other examples of special courts include the Court of Income Tax and the Highest Court of Felonies.

Prior to 2002 Jordan’s legal system only allowed men to file for divorce, however, during this year the first Jordanian woman successfully filed for divorce ^[12]; this was made possible from a proposal by a royal human rights commission which had been established by King Abdullah who had vowed to improve the status of women in Jordan.

Despite being traditionally dominated by men the number of women involved as lawyers in the Jordan legal system has been increasing. As of mid-2006 Jordan had 1,284 female lawyers, out of a total number of 6,915, and 35 female judges from a total of 630 ^[13].

Kings of Jordan and political events

King Abdullah I ruled Jordan after independence from Britain. Abdullah I bin al-Hussein King of Jordan (1882 – July 20 1951 was born in Mecca, Ottoman Empire, (in modern-day Saudi Arabia) as ( Arabic After the assassination of King Abdullah I in 1951, his son King Talal ruled briefly. Talal I bin Abdullah King of Jordan ( Arabic: طلال بن عبد الله Ṭalāl ibn `Abd Allāh) born February 26, 1909 King Talal's major accomplishment was the Jordanian constitution. King Talal was removed from the throne in 1952 due to mental illness. At that time his son, Hussein, was too young to rule, and hence a committee ruled over Jordan. Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan (حسين بن طلال Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl) ( November 14, 1935 – February 7, 1999) was

After Hussein reached 18, he ruled Jordan as king from 1953 to 1999, surviving a number of challenges to his rule, drawing on the loyalty of his military, and serving as a symbol of unity and stability for both the Bedouin-related and Palestinian communities in Jordan. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn King Hussein ended martial law in 1991 and legalized political parties in 1992. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice Legalization is the process of removing a legal prohibition against something which is currently not legal A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral In 1989 and 1993, Jordan held free and fair parliamentary elections. TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those Controversial changes in the election law led Islamist parties to boycott the 1997 elections. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

King Abdullah II succeeded his father Hussein following the latter's death in February 1999. Abdullah II bin al-Hussein King of Jordan ( الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين al-Malik ʿAbdullāh aṯ-ṯānī bin al-Ḥusayn born 30 Abdullah moved quickly to reaffirm Jordan's peace treaty with Israel and its relations with the United States. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Abdullah, during the first year in power, refocused the government's agenda on economic reform.

Jordan's continuing structural economic difficulties, burgeoning population, and more open political environment led to the emergence of a variety of political parties. Moving toward greater independence, Jordan's parliament has investigated corruption charges against several regime figures and has become the major forum in which differing political views, including those of political Islamists, are expressed. While King Abdullah remains the ultimate authority in Jordan, the parliament plays an important role.

Parliament of Jordan

Main article: Parliament of Jordan

The 1952 Constitution provided for the establishment of the bicameral Jordanian National Assembly - ‘Majlis al-Umma’. The 1952 Constitution provided for the establishment of the bicameral Jordanian National Assembly "Majlis al-Umma The Legislature consists of two houses, the Assembly of Senators ‘Majlis al-Aayan’ and the Chamber of Deputies ‘Majlis al-Nuwaab’. The House of Senators has 55 members all of whom are directly appointed by the King,^[14] whilst the Chamber of Deputies/House of Representatives has 80 elected members representing 12 constituencies. Of the 80 members of the lower house, 71 must be Muslim and 9 Christians, with six seats held back specifically for women members ^[15]. The Constitution ensures that the Senate cannot be more than half the size of the Chamber of Deputies.

Legislative Procedure

Both houses initiate debates and vote on legislation. Proposals are referred by the Prime Minister to the House of Deputies where they are either accepted, amended or rejected. Every proposal is referred to a committee of the lower house for consideration. If it is approved then it is referred to the government to draft in the form of a bill and submit it to the Chamber of Deputies. If approved by this House it is passed onto the Senate for debate and a vote. If the Senate gives its approval then the King can either grant consent or refuse. In this case the bill is passed back to the House of Deputies where the review and voting process is repeated. If both houses pass the bill by a two-thirds majority it becomes an Act of Parliament overriding the King’s veto. Article 95 of the Constitution empowers both houses to submit legislation to the government in the form of a draft law ^[16]

The Constitution does not provide a strong system of checks and balances within which the Jordanian Parliament can assert its role in relationship to the Monarch. During the suspension of Parliament between 2001 and 2003, the scope of King Abdullah II’s power was demonstrated with the passing of 110 temporary laws. Two of such laws dealt with election law and were seen to reduce the power of Parliament. ^{[17] [18]}

Term

Senators have terms of four years and are appointed by the King and can be reappointed. Prospective Senators must be at least forty years old and have held senior positions in either the government of military. Appointed senators have included former prime ministers and members of the Chamber of Deputies . Deputies are elected to also serve a four year term. Candidates must be older than thirty five and cannot have blood ties to the king and must not have any financial interests in government contracts ^[19].

Political Parties

Despite the reforms of 1989, multi-party politics has yet to develop in Jordan. The only political party that plays a role in the legislature is the Islamic Action Front (IAF). Political parties can be seen to represent four sections: Islamists, leftists, Arab nationalists and conservative. There are over 30 other political parties in Jordan including the Jordanian Arab Democratic Party, Jordanian Socialist Party, Muslim Centre Party, but these have little impact on the political process.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Jordan

Jordan is a small country with limited natural resources. Jordan is a small country with limited natural resources but has improved much since its inception as a country Natural resources are naturally occurring substances that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified ( natural) form The country is currently exploring ways to expand its limited water supply and use its existing water resources more efficiently, including through regional cooperation. Jordan also depends on external sources for the majority of its energy requirements. During the 1990s, its crude petroleum needs were met through imports from Iraq and neighboring countries. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Since early 2003, oil has been provided by some Gulf Cooperation Council member countries. The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( CCASG; مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council In addition, the Arab Gas Pipeline from Egypt to the southern port city of Aqaba was completed in 2003. Arab Gas Pipeline is a pipeline that exports Egyptian natural gas to the Middle East and by the possible further extension to Europe. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of The government plans to extend this pipeline north to the Amman area and beyond. Since 2000, exports of light manufactured products, principally textiles and garments manufactured in the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) that enter the United States tariff and quota free, have been driving economic growth. Jordan exported €5. 6 million ($6. 9 million) in goods to the U. S. in 1997, when two-way trade was €321 million ($395 million); it exported €538 million ($661 million) in 2002 with two-way trade at €855 million ($1. 05 billion). Similar growth in exports to the United States under the bilateral US-Jordan Free Trade Agreement that went into effect in December 2001, to the European Union under the bilateral Association Agreement, and to countries in the region, holds considerable promise for diversifying Jordan's economy away from its traditional reliance on exports of phosphates and potash, overseas remittances, and foreign aid. The United States-Jordan Free Trade Agreement was signed on October 24, 2000. Phosphate rock or Phosphorite is a general description applied to several kinds of rock which contain significant concentrations of Phosphate minerals The government has emphasized the information technology (IT) and tourism sectors as other promising growth sectors. The low tax and low regulation Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA) is considered a model of a government-provided framework for private sector-led economic growth.

The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States^[20] that went into effect in December 2001 will phase out duties on nearly all goods and services by 2010. The agreement also provides for more open markets in communications, construction, finance, health, transportation, and services, as well as strict application of international standards for the protection of intellectual property. In 1996, Jordan and the United States signed a civil aviation agreement that provides for open skies between the two countries, and a U. Open skies refers to a bilateral (and sometimes Multilateral) Air Transport Agreement which liberalizes the rules for international S. -Jordan treaty for the protection and encouragement of bilateral investment entered into force in 2003. Jordan has been a member of the World Trade Organization since 2000.

Textile and clothing exports from Jordan to the United States shot up 2,000 percent from 2000 to 2005, following introduction of the FTA. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather According to the National Labor Committee, a U. The National Labor Committee in Support of Human and Worker Rights, commonly known as the National Labor Committee or the NLC, is a non-profit Non-governmental S. -based NGO, Jordan has experienced sharp increases in sweatshop conditions in its export-oriented manufacturing sector. A sweatshop is a working environment with very difficult or dangerous conditions usually where the workers have few rights or ways to address their situation In Economics, an export is any good or Commodity, Transported from one country to another country in a Legitimate fashion Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale ^[21]

Jordan is classified by the World Bank as a "lower middle income country. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e " The per-capita GDP was approximately $1,817 (€1,479) for 2003 and 14. 5% of the economically active population, on average, was unemployed in 2003. The GDP per capita in 2005 is at $USD 4,200. Education and literacy rates and measures of social well-being are relatively high compared to other countries with similar incomes. Jordan's population growth rate is high, but has declined in recent years, to approximately 2. 8% currently. One of the most important factors in the government’s efforts to improve the well-being of its citizens is the macroeconomic stability that has been achieved since the 1990s. However, unemployment rates remain high, with the official figure standing at 12. 5%, and the unofficial around 30%. Rates of price inflation are low, at 2. 3% in 2003, and the currency has been stable with an exchange rate fixed to the U. S. dollar since 1995.

While pursuing economic reform and increased trade, Jordan's economy will continue to be vulnerable to external shocks and regional unrest. Without calm in the region, economic growth seems destined to stay below potential. On the positive side, however, there is huge potential in the solar energy falling on Jordan's deserts, not only for the generation of pollution-free electricity but also for such spin-offs as desalination of sea water (see Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC)). Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove excess salt and other Minerals from Water The Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation ( TREC) also known as the TREC Development Group, is a Voluntary association formed in 2003 as an

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Jordan

Tourism is a very important sector of the Jordanian economy, contributing between 10 percent and 12 percent to the country's Gross National Product in 2006. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan borders present day countries Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, West Bank, Iraq, and Egypt In addition to the country's political stability, the geography offered makes Jordan an attractive tourism destination. Jordan's major tourist activities include numerous ancient places, its unique desert castles and unspoiled natural locations to its cultural and religious sites. The best known attractions include:

• Ancient sightseeing
  • Petra in Ma'an, the home of the Nabateans, is a complete city carved in a mountain. Petra (from "petra" rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء Al-Batrāʾ) is an archaeological site in the Arabah Ma'an (معان is a city in southern Jordan 218 km away from the capital Amman. The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan The huge rocks are colorful, mostly pink, and the entrance to the ancient city is through a 1. 25 km narrow gorge in the mountain - called the Siq. al-Siq ( Arabic: السيق (translated the shaft) is the main entrance to the Ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. In the city are various structures, all (except 2) are carved into rock, including al Khazneh - known as the Treasury - which has been designated as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World" by the for-profit New Open World Corporation. The Treasury redirects here for other uses see The Treasury (disambiguation Al Khazneh ("The Treasury" Arabic: New Seven Wonders of the World is a project that attempts to revive the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept with a list of modern wonders Other major sites of interest in Petra include the Monastery, the Roman theatre, the Royal Tombs, the High Place of Sacrifice. Petra was rediscovered for the western world by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.
  • Umm Qais, a town located on the site of the ruined Hellenistic-Roman city of Gadara. Umm Qais ( أم قيس) is a town in Jordan located on the site of the ruined Hellenistic - Roman city of Gadara ( גדרה This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC
  • Ajlun, famous for the Al-Rabad Castle. Ajlun (عجلون is the capital town of the Ajlun Governorate (although it is not the largest city in the governorate
  • Jerash, famous for its its ancient Roman architecture, including the colonnaded streets, arches, Roman theatres, and the Oval Plaza. Overview Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity is the capital The Architecture of Ancient Rome adopted the external Greek architecture for their own purposes which were so different from Greek buildings as to create a new
  • Amman contains the Roman theater, in addition to several museums, where one may find remains of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom Roman Theater is an Ancient theater built by the Roman Empire when it included the land of Jordan
  • Al Karak contains an important castle from the times of Salah al-Din, known as Al-Karak Castle. Karak (also Kerak) (Al-Kerak الكرك is a city in Jordan that contains a famous Crusader castle A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c
• Religion-related
  • Madaba, well known for its mosaics, as well as important religious sites such as:
    • The Madaba Map. Madaba, مادبا, is the capital city of Madaba Governorate of Jordan, which has a population of about 60 The Madaba Map (also known as the Madaba Mosaic Map) is part of a floor Mosaic in the early Byzantine church of Saint George at Madaba
    • The River Jordan, which is the river where Jesus of Nazareth was baptised, by John the Baptist. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram.
    • Mount Nebo, where Moses was said to have gone to get a view of the Promised Land before he died. Mount Nebo ( הַר נְבוֹ, Har Nəvō, جبل نيبو Jabal Nībū) is an elevated ridge that is approximately 817 meters (2680 feet
• Seaside
  • The Dead Sea - It is the lowest point on earth, 402 meters below sea level,^[22] and becomes 1 meter lower each year. The Dead Sea (יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, "Sea of Salt"البَحْر المَيّت, "Dead Sea" is a salt lake between Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface It is located near River Jordan. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia
  • Aqaba is a town on the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba with numerous shopping centers, hotels and access to water sports. For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of The Gulf of Aqaba ( Arabic: خليج العقبة transliterated: Khalyj al-'Aqabah in Israel known as the Gulf of Eilat ( Hebrew A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging usually on a short-term basis
• Other sites
  • Wadi Rum is a desert full of mountains and hills located south of Jordan. Wadi Rum (وادي رم is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southwest Jordan. A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak It is popular for its sights in addition to a variety of sports that are practiced there, such as rock-climbing. It is also known for its connection to Lawrence of Arabia.
  • Fuheis, a beautiful town about 20 minutes north-west of Amman. Fuheis ( Arabic:الفحيص is a Christian town 20 kilometers northwest of Amman, Jordan.
  • Mahis with important religious sites, and wonderful landscape. Mahis (ماحص is a Jordanian town 10 km west of Amman. Its population exceeds 14000
  • Al-Omwia's Palace, placed to the north east of Jordan, of Islamic design.

Influence of the Southwest Asian conflict

The ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict, the Gulf War, and other conflicts in Southwest Asia have made huge impacts on the economy of Jordan. Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. The fact that Jordan has peace with the surrounding countries, combined with its stability, has made it a preference for many Palestinians, Lebanese, and people from the Persian Gulf immigrants and refugees. A peace treaty is an agreement between two hostile parties usually countries or governments that formally ends an armed conflict Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race Though this may have resulted in a more active economy, it has also damaged it by substantially decreasing the amount of resources each person is entitled to. Jordan has a law that states that any Palestinian may immigrate and obtain Jordanian citizenship, but must remit his/her Palestinian claim. Palestinians are not allowed to purchase land unless they give up their Palestinian citizenship. In November 2005, King Abdullah called for a "war on extremism" in the wake of three suicide bombings in Amman. Amman (ɑˈmɑːn sometimes spelled Ammann ( Arabic عمان ʿAmmān) is the Capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Jordan

Jordan has consistently followed a pro-Western foreign policy and traditionally has had close relations with the United States and the United Kingdom. The foreign relations of Jordan have consistently followed a pro-Western foreign policy and traditionally Jordan has had close relations with the United States and These relations were damaged by Jordan's neutrality and maintaining relations with Iraq during the first Gulf War. Jordan has a well earned reputation for usually following a pragmatic and non-confrontational foreign policy, leading to fair relations with its neighbours.

Following the Gulf war, Jordan largely restored its relations with Western countries through its participation in the Southwest Asia peace process and enforcement of UN sanctions against Iraq. Relations between Jordan and the Gulf countries improved substantially after King Hussein's death. Following the fall of the Iraqi regime, Jordan has played a pivotal role in supporting the restoration of stability and security to Iraq. The Government of Jordan signed a memorandum of understanding with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq to facilitate the training of up to 30,000 Iraqi police cadets at a Jordanian facility.

Jordan signed a non-belligerency agreement with Israel (the Washington Declaration) in Washington, D. C. , on 25 July 1994. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) King Hussein and Yitzhak Rabin negotiated this treaty. Hussein bin Talal King of Jordan (حسين بن طلال Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl) ( November 14, 1935 – February 7, 1999) was Jordan and Israel signed a historic peace treaty on 26 October 1994, witnessed by President Bill Clinton, accompanied by U. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States S. Secretary, Warren Christopher. Warren (Chris Minor Christopher (born October 27, 1925) is an American Diplomat, Lawyer, and Public servant. The U. S. has participated with Jordan and Israel in trilateral development discussions in which key issues have been water-sharing and security; cooperation on Jordan Rift Valley development; infrastructure projects; and trade, finance, and banking issues. Jordan also participates in the multilateral peace talks. Jordan belongs to the UN and several of its specialized and related agencies, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Jordan also is a member of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Nonaligned Movement (NAM), and Arab League.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Jordan

The culture of Jordan, as in its spoken language, values, beliefs, ethnicities is Arab as the Kingdom is in the heart of Southwest Asia. The culture of Jordan is based on Arab and Islamic elements Notable aspects of the culture include the Music of Jordan as well as an interest Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. Although many people from different regions of the world have come to settle in Jordan, like Circassians and Chechens, they have long been assimilated in the society and added their richness to the society that subsequently developed.

• Music of Jordan
• Religion in Jordan  (Islam in Jordan, Christianity in Jordan)
• Sports in Jordan
• Cuisine of Jordan
• Art in Jordan
  Art in Jordan is plentiful, there are many local artists, as well as Arab, especially Iraqis, and those Arabs who live abroad frequently have exhibitions in different art galleries in the capital. The folk Music of Jordan can be distinguished from that of its neighboring countries like Syria and Saudi Arabia by its strong Bedouin The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a majority Muslim country with 88% of the population following Sunni Islam while a small minority of around 2% follow Shia More than 90 percent of population in Jordan adhered to Sunni Islam in the late 1980s Christians constitute about 7% of the population (about 400000 people though the percentage dropped sharply from 18% in the early beginning of the Twentieth century Football and Basketball are the most-watched sports in Jordan. Arab cuisine is defined as the various regional cuisines spanning the Arab World from Iraq to Morocco to Somalia to Yemen, and incorporating There are many forms of Art in Jordan, including many murals from Iraq people and the Jordanian people In addition to an art museum in Jabal Luwiebdeh, there is Darat Al Funun, a very prestigious art center that frequently holds exhibitions by local, Arab and international artists. It is too in Jabal Luwiebdeh, but there are many other art centers that too hold exhibitions which suggests that art is a vibrant aspect of the capital
• Public Holidays in Jordan

Language

Arabic is the official language of Jordan. Public holidays in Jordan. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language English is widely understood among most Jordanians, although the degree to which varies with educational level and demographic concentration. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Middle and upper class citizens tend to be fluent and consider English as their second language. A second language (L2 is any Language learned after the first language or mother tongue (L1 French is understood by some especially graduates of the handful French Schools graduates in Jordan. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Armenian and other Caucasian languages such as Circassian and Chechen are understood and spoken by their respective communities residing in Jordan with minority schools teaching these languages, alongside Arabic and English. The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian

Education

Main article: Education in Jordan

Jordan has given great attention to education in particular. Jordan has given good attention to education in particular It is ranked 18th in the world according to UNESCO, and first in the Arab world. Its educational system is of international standards and its secondary education program is accepted in world-class universities. It is ranked 91^th in the world according to literacy rate. List of countries by Literacy rate, as included in the United Nations Development Programme Report 2007/2008 traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen,

School education

See also: Tawjihi and List of private schools in Jordan

School education in Jordan could be categorized into two sections:

• Secondary education, which consists of two years of school study, for students who have completed the 10-year basic cycle. Tawjihi is the general secondary Examination in Jordan, West Bank and Gaza, part of Education in Jordan and Education This is the list of private Schools in Jordan. Amman Amman Baccalaureate School Al Hamiediah International Australia See also Education It comprises two major tracks:

1. Secondary education, which can either be academic or vocational. A vocation is an occupation for which a person is suited trained or qualified At the end of the two-year period, students sit for the general secondary examination (Tawjihi) in the appropriate branch and those who pass are awarded the Tawjihi (General Secondary Education Certificate). Tawjihi is the general secondary Examination in Jordan, West Bank and Gaza, part of Education in Jordan and Education The academic stream qualifies students for university entrance, whereas the vocational or technical type qualifies for entrance to Community colleges or universities or the job market, provided they pass the two additional subjects. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects A community college is a type of Educational institution. The term has different meanings in different countries Labour economics seeks to understand the functioning of the Market and dynamics for labour.
2. Vocational secondary education, which provides intensive vocational training and apprenticeship, and leads to the award of a Certificate (not the Tawjihi). Apprenticeship is a system of Training a new generation of practitioners of a skill This type of education is provided by the Vocational Training Corporation, under the control of the Ministry of Labour / Technical and Vocational Education and Training Higher Council.

Foreign secondary education programs

After completing the 8 or 10 years of basic education, Jordanians are free to choose any foreign secondary education program instead of the Tawjihi examinations (8 for IGCSE, 10 for SAT and IB). Tawjihi is the general secondary Examination in Jordan, West Bank and Gaza, part of Education in Jordan and Education Such programs are usually offered by private schools. For the film of this title see Private School (film. Private schools, or Independent schools are Schools not administered These programs include:

• IGCSE
• SAT
• International Baccalaureate

Private schools in Jordan also used to offer GCSE examinations, but they have now been replaced by IGCSE examinations. The International General Certificate of Secondary Education, or IGCSE, is an international Qualification for School Students. The SAT Reasoning Test (formerly Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized test for College admissions in the The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish The General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE) is the name of an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject generally taken in a number of subjects by

Upon graduation, the ministry of Higher Education, through a system similar to that of the UK tariff points, transforms the Grades/Marks of these foreign educational programs, into the same marks used in grading Tawjihi students. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For other uses of this word see Tariff (disambiguation. A tariff is a tax imposed on goods when they are moved across a political boundary This system is controversial, both as to the conversion process and the number of places allocated to non-Tawjihi applicants.

Another source of trouble is the system used to transform exam results of foreign education programs into the Tawjihi scale, which is a percentage out of 100. Again, some see the system as fair and in fact over lenient with non-Tawjihi graduates, while others see it as unfair.

Higher education

See also: List of universities in Jordan

Access to higher education is open to holders of the General Secondary Education Certificate who can then apply to private community colleges, public community colleges or universities (public and private), the admission to public universities is very competitive. Ajlun Amman Al-Ahliyya Amman University * Amman Arab University for Higher Studies * Applied Science Private University * Arab The term privately held company refers to ownership of a business company in two different ways first referring to ownership by non-governmental organizations and second Publicly owned can refer to Public company, a company which is permitted to offer its securities (stock bonds etc The credit-hour system, which entitles students to select courses according to a study plan, is implemented at universities. At present, there are eight public universities plus two newly-licensed ones, and thirteen private universities plus four newly-licensed ones. All post-secondary education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The Ministry includes the Higher Education Council and the Accreditation Council.

See also

Communications in Jordan Newspapers in Jordan Foreign relations of Jordan Hashemite Human rights in Jordan List of Jordanians List of Prime Ministers of Jordan Tourism in Jordan Ecotourism in Jordan Nature Reserves in Jordan Military of Jordan

Political parties in Jordan Civil Society institutions in Jordan Public holidays in Jordan Royal Jordanian Air Force Royal Jordanian Airlines Scouting and Guiding in Jordan Transport in Jordan Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation Jordanian military ranks

References

Further reading

External links

• The King of Jordan
• Government of Jordan
• Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
• Jordan Tourism Board
• Jordan News Agency (Petra)
• Jordan pictures
• Jordan travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Jordan
• Jordan at the Open Directory Project
• Field Guide to Jordan

Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. Wikia (originally Wikicities) is a selective Free web hosting service for Wikis (or Wiki farm) operated by Wikia Inc The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory

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