Jordan (Arabic: الأردن al-'Urdunn), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is in Southwest Asia spanning the southern part of the Syrian Desert down to the Gulf of Aqaba. It shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq to the north-east, the West Bank and Israel to the west, and Saudi Arabia to the east and south. It shares control of the Dead Sea with Israel, and the coastline of the Gulf of Aqaba with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Much of Jordan is covered by desert, particularly the Arabian Desert; however the north-western area, with the Jordan River, is regarded as part of the Fertile Crescent. The capital city of Amman is in the north-west.
Getting there
The approximate flight time from London to Amman is 5 hours and the national airline is Royal Jordanian Airlines (www.rj.com). The main airport is Queen Alia International (AMM), 35km (22 miles) southeast of the capital Amman, and it is connected by a good highway to Amman (journey time - 40 minutes by car). There is a regular bus service (journey time - 50 minutes) and taxis are also available.
Getting around
By bus and minibus: Cheap and practical, minibuses are the best (in some places only) way of getting around. 15- or 18-seaters travel on fixed routes, but there are no timetables - they only leave when they're full. From Amman in the north to Aqaba in the far south - down the decent Desert Highway - the buses cover 320km in around four hours. Larger government-owned coaches are less common.
By taxi and servees: For getting around the city, or taking the short trip between Amman and Jerash, use the meter-operated private yellow taxis. Servees taxis are large and white, and operate on a shared basis for longer journeys. They're quicker than minibuses, much cheaper than private cabs, and a great way to travel.
By train: The slow, century-old Hejaz Railway travels between Amman and Damascus, with a rebuilding of the national rail network promised in the future.
Good to know: Unrelated men and women don't usually sit next to each other on public transport, so you may have to move around in order to allow some separation of the sexes.
Entry into Jordan - visa requirements
The cost of one entry visa for all nationalities is JD 10 (around $14) for all nationalities and for multiple entries it is JD 20 (around $28).
Groups of five persons or more arriving through a designated Jordanian tour operator are exempted from all visa charges.
Departure taxes for non Jordanians are 5JD, around $7, from any border.
Certain nationalities require an entry visa to be obtained prior to travel. Please select from the drop-down list below to see which nationalities require visa clearance. The below list is meant solely as a useful tool and that data within it is subject to change without prior notice. It is recommended that you check with the Jordanian diplomatic mission in your country prior to travel to ensure that you have all the necessary paperwork for travel.
Arrivals at Aqaba, either through the port, the airport or at the crossing from Israel or Saudi Arabia , are granted a free visa to Jordan. There is no obligation associated with this visa, provided that they leave the country within 1 month of arrival, and that they do not need to 'renew' their visa.
Those holding an ASEZ visa, and wishing to stay longer than 1 month must extend it at the ASEZA office in Aqaba and not with their local police station as holders of a normal visa would do.
Visitors arriving to Jordan at any entry point other than Aqaba, are entitled to a free visa (i.e. arrival tax is exempt). However, they must report this to the authorities and must register with the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) visa office in Aqaba within 48 hours of their arrival in Jordan. Those failing to register are liable to payment of the visa when they leave the Kingdom.
All visitors, without a specific exemption, must pay the exit tax whether holding an ASEZ visa or not, and whenever leaving the country.
Countries not requiring prior visa clearance:
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bella rouse, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom & North Ireland, Vatican City, Yugoslavia (Serbia & Montenegro).
Countries requiring prior visa clearance:
Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia Moldavia, Romania
Public holidays
A number of public holidays are not fixed. These include Easter and the following Islamic Holidays, which are based on the Lunar calendar:
Business hours
Friday is the weekly holiday. Banks, government offices and most businesses are closed on Saturdays as well. Many businesses, including airline offices, travel agencies and some shops also close on Thursday afternoon, although department stores and supermarkets remain open. A few businesses and shops close for some of Sunday.
| Banks | 08:30 - 15:00 | (some reopen 15:30 - 17:30) |
| Business Offices | 08:30 - 13:00 | 15:30 - 18:30 |
| Government Offices | 08:00 - 15:00 | |
| Shops (flexible but typically:) | 09:30 - 13:30 | 15:30 - 18:00 |
Please note that earlier closings apply during the month of Ramadan.
What to wearJordan is primarily a Muslim country, although the freedom of all religions is protected. Muslim women's clothing often covers their arms, legs and hair.
Western women are not subject to these customs, but very revealing clothing is never appropriate and conservative dress is advisable for both men and women in the old part of Amman (Downtown), and outside the cities. Shorts are rarely worn by either sex, and would be out of place in the downtown Amman area. Topless sunbathing is prohibited and one-piece swimsuits are preferred, although two-piece swimsuits are acceptable at hotel pools.
Water
Water is a precious resource in Jordan and visitors are encouraged not to waste it. Hotels rated 3 stars and above have their own water filtering systems and their water is considered safe to drink. Elsewhere, bottled water is cheap and readily available.
Language
The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken - especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have travelled or have been educated abroad so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent. When Arabic is written in Jordan using the Latin alphabet, English spelling is applied however these spellings can be interpreted in various ways, the spelling for example of street addresses can vary widely. For this reason, the sounds of the words is a much better guide than the spelling.
Speaking Arabic is easier than you might think and attempting a few basic words will gain you respect from the locals and is a good way to break the ice. The Jordanian people are extremely understanding and will help you whenever they are able.
Weather
With around 90% of Jordan covered by desert, summers are scorching. However, always be aware of cold nights - Wadi Rum's sands plummet to 4°C in winter. The north-west is hilly and lush, and bags most of the country's annual rainfall, especially in January. Amman reaches a comfortable 32°C between June and September, while nights can drop below freezing from December to February. The beaches of Aqaba and the salty Dead Sea touch 40°C in July.
Recommended reading for Jordan
For a fascinating insight into the Bedouin's last years living in Petra, read Marguerite van Geldermalsen's moving and beautifully-written book "Married to a Bedouin". You might also enjoy "Leap of Faith: Memoir of an Unexpected Life" by Queen Noor Al-Hussein of Jordan, or the novel "Staircase of a Thousand Steps" by Masha Hamilton.
Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Insight Guides, and many others produce detailed Jordan travel guides and there is also a wide choice of Arabic phrase books, all of which are available to buy online from Amazon. For specific areas, there is a guidebook with a map of Jabal Luweibdeh called "My Neighbourhood" by Saleem Ayoub Quna and the RSCN (Royal Society for Conservation of Nature) has a pamphlet with route for a suggested walk around Jabal Amman.
Electricity
220 AC volts, 50 cycles, requiring rounded two-prong wall plugs. Visitors from the US will need a transformer which most hotels can provide.
Dialling code
+962 (Jordan)
Currency
The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar, symbol JD, which is often called the "jaydee". There are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 JD notes. The dinar is divided into 100 piasters (pronounced "pee-aster") of 1000 fils ("fills"). The fils is the unit most commonly used and you will usually see prices written as 4,750 (which is 4 JD and 750 fils).
Currency can be exchanged at major banks, exchange booths and at most hotels. Street money-changers are best avoided. Exchange rates are set daily by the Jordanian Central Bank
Local time
Jordan is seven hours ahead of US Eastern Time
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