Jordan is surprisingly diverse in its geography and its culture, both of which have been shaped over thousands of years.
Jordan geography
Rolling hills covered in thick forests, table-flat expanses of shimmering desert, Arcadian groves of olives, pomegranate and apricot trees, stark, saw-toothed mountains, mystical, narrow canyons of pink, red and cream rock. All of this and more is Jordan.
Jordan has a landmass similar in size to Portugal and almost 80% is desert yet there is a surprising variety of terrain in this small Middle Eastern Kingdom.
Geographically, it can be simply divided into three main areas: the Jordan Valley, the Eastern Plateau and the desert.
Jordan Valley. The Jordan Valley is part of the Great Rift Valley that stretched all the way up from Eastern Africa. It is flat fertile land in the north, sinks down to the Dead Sea in the centre, (the lowest point on land anywhere on Earth) and becomes a hot dry plain, Wadi Araba, that ends at the shores of the Red Sea.
Eastern Plateau. To the east of the Jordan Valley the land rises sharply and steeply, more than 1000 metres, in a series of rugged mountains scarred with deep narrow canyons. These wadis carry water, either permanently or seasonally, down from the heights to the farmland or the Dead Sea below. In the far north of Jordan this Eastern Plateau has a Mediterranean climate and a more gentle terrain of fertile valleys and wooded hills.
In the centre are most of Jordan's urban areas such as the capital Amman, Suwaylih and Madaba. Further south the scenery becomes more dramatic; spartan mountains with sharp ridges of bare rock and deep, steep plunging valleys.
Desert. The Eastern Desert runs from the capital Amman out to the borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It is a mainly flat expanse of sand and basalt. In the south, Wadi Rum is a land of huge, red, pink and yellow rock mountains that leap up in near vertical walls from the flat desert plains.
Coast. In the very south is Jordan only access to the Red Sea, approximately 26 miles of coastline running from Aqaba to the Saudi Arabian border.
Climate. Western Jordan has a Mediterranean climate with a hot, dry summer and a cool, wet winter that can sometimes bring snow to the highlands. Spring is lush and autumn mild. The desert areas will have as little as 200mm of rain annually.
Jordan culture
Ethnic Groups. Jordan's history has resulted in a diverse community. There are many different ethnic groups living in this small country: Bedouin, Palestinians, Iraqis, Chechens, Druze, people from other Arabic nations and Westerners. Many of these people have fled to Jordan because it has been a safe haven from some of the region's recent conflicts. However this ethnic mosaic isn't a new phenomenon: this country has been a mixing pot of cultures for millennia.
All this makes Jordan a liberal, stable and tolerant country, where a hospitable welcome for strangers is held in high regard.
Religion. Although over 90% of Jordanians are Suuni Muslims, this is also home to one of the world's oldest Christian communities, the majority of these being Greek Orthodox. This is not a religious state and all Jordanians have full freedom of worship.
Language. Arabic is the official language but many people, particularly in urban and tourist sites speak English.
Constitution. Jordan is a Constitutional Monarchy. King Abdullah II is the head of state, signing and executing all laws. He has a power of veto, but this can be overridden by a two-thirds majority of both houses of the National Assembly.
Jordan history
Jordan has been a hub for humanity since the dawn of civilisation and before.
There are archaeological finds dating back to Palaeolithic times and once societies developed its importance increased. Its position as a link between continents means any movement of people between Africa, Asia, Arabia and Europe would be likely to pass through Jordan.
This role as a pathway and a trade route, a conduit for commerce and communication, gave Jordan strategic importance and this in turn brought it to the attention of foreign civilisations.
Invaders. During Jordan's history, invaders have come from all directions, sometimes ruling all of what is modern Jordan, sometimes merely a part of it.
The Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians and Mesopotamians came in from the east. From the south came the Nabateans, while western invaders were Pharonic Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, Byzantines and Crusaders.
Archaeological sites and monuments from these diverse ancient civilisations are scattered across the country. Many are of great international importance and acclaim.
From the middle of the 7th century AD Jordan has been ruled by various Arab and Islamic dynasties, the last of which was the Ottoman Empire, brought to an end by the Arab Revolt during the First World War, that then ushered in the current constitutional monarchy.
Read more about Jordan's historical towns & monuments and culture
Jordan geography
Rolling hills covered in thick forests, table-flat expanses of shimmering desert, Arcadian groves of olives, pomegranate and apricot trees, stark, saw-toothed mountains, mystical, narrow canyons of pink, red and cream rock. All of this and more is Jordan.
Jordan has a landmass similar in size to Portugal and almost 80% is desert yet there is a surprising variety of terrain in this small Middle Eastern Kingdom.
Geographically, it can be simply divided into three main areas: the Jordan Valley, the Eastern Plateau and the desert.
Jordan Valley. The Jordan Valley is part of the Great Rift Valley that stretched all the way up from Eastern Africa. It is flat fertile land in the north, sinks down to the Dead Sea in the centre, (the lowest point on land anywhere on Earth) and becomes a hot dry plain, Wadi Araba, that ends at the shores of the Red Sea. Eastern Plateau. To the east of the Jordan Valley the land rises sharply and steeply, more than 1000 metres, in a series of rugged mountains scarred with deep narrow canyons. These wadis carry water, either permanently or seasonally, down from the heights to the farmland or the Dead Sea below. In the far north of Jordan this Eastern Plateau has a Mediterranean climate and a more gentle terrain of fertile valleys and wooded hills.
In the centre are most of Jordan's urban areas such as the capital Amman, Suwaylih and Madaba. Further south the scenery becomes more dramatic; spartan mountains with sharp ridges of bare rock and deep, steep plunging valleys. Desert. The Eastern Desert runs from the capital Amman out to the borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It is a mainly flat expanse of sand and basalt. In the south, Wadi Rum is a land of huge, red, pink and yellow rock mountains that leap up in near vertical walls from the flat desert plains.
Coast. In the very south is Jordan only access to the Red Sea, approximately 26 miles of coastline running from Aqaba to the Saudi Arabian border.
Climate. Western Jordan has a Mediterranean climate with a hot, dry summer and a cool, wet winter that can sometimes bring snow to the highlands. Spring is lush and autumn mild. The desert areas will have as little as 200mm of rain annually.
Jordan culture Ethnic Groups. Jordan's history has resulted in a diverse community. There are many different ethnic groups living in this small country: Bedouin, Palestinians, Iraqis, Chechens, Druze, people from other Arabic nations and Westerners. Many of these people have fled to Jordan because it has been a safe haven from some of the region's recent conflicts. However this ethnic mosaic isn't a new phenomenon: this country has been a mixing pot of cultures for millennia.
All this makes Jordan a liberal, stable and tolerant country, where a hospitable welcome for strangers is held in high regard.
| A tale of two shepherds Two shepherds, a Kiwi and a Jordanian, meeting over tea and discussing the vastly different techniques they use to herd their sheep [1:24] |
Religion. Although over 90% of Jordanians are Suuni Muslims, this is also home to one of the world's oldest Christian communities, the majority of these being Greek Orthodox. This is not a religious state and all Jordanians have full freedom of worship. Language. Arabic is the official language but many people, particularly in urban and tourist sites speak English.
Constitution. Jordan is a Constitutional Monarchy. King Abdullah II is the head of state, signing and executing all laws. He has a power of veto, but this can be overridden by a two-thirds majority of both houses of the National Assembly.
Jordan history
Jordan has been a hub for humanity since the dawn of civilisation and before.
There are archaeological finds dating back to Palaeolithic times and once societies developed its importance increased. Its position as a link between continents means any movement of people between Africa, Asia, Arabia and Europe would be likely to pass through Jordan. This role as a pathway and a trade route, a conduit for commerce and communication, gave Jordan strategic importance and this in turn brought it to the attention of foreign civilisations.
Invaders. During Jordan's history, invaders have come from all directions, sometimes ruling all of what is modern Jordan, sometimes merely a part of it.
The Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians and Mesopotamians came in from the east. From the south came the Nabateans, while western invaders were Pharonic Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, Byzantines and Crusaders. Archaeological sites and monuments from these diverse ancient civilisations are scattered across the country. Many are of great international importance and acclaim.
From the middle of the 7th century AD Jordan has been ruled by various Arab and Islamic dynasties, the last of which was the Ottoman Empire, brought to an end by the Arab Revolt during the First World War, that then ushered in the current constitutional monarchy.
Read more about Jordan's historical towns & monuments and culture 
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