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Jordan

COUNTRY QUICKFACTS

Full Name:

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Location:

Jordan is located in the Middle East, bordering Israel to the West and Saudi Arabia to the East.

Size:

Slightly smaller than the State of Indiana.

Area:

92,300 km².

Coastline:

26 km.

Population:

6,053,193.

Capital:

Amman.

Time GMT:

GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 (daylight savings): +1hr, begins last Thursday in March; ends last Friday in September).

Highest Elevation:

Jabal Ram 1,734 m.

Lowest Elevation:

Dead Sea -408m.

Religion:

Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations).

Languages:

Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken in the cities. French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken.

Ethnic Groups:

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%.

Government Type:

Constitutional monarchy.

Currency:

Jordanian Dinar.

Climate:

Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April).Terrain: Mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River.

Weights and measures:

Metric System.


International Telephone No:

+962 IDD service is available within cities, with direct dialing to most countries. Phones cards are available in most big cities and major tourist sites, cards can be purchased at numerous shops. International calls from hotels and post offices carry a three minute minimum charge.

Internet:

There are Internet cafes in Amman, Aqabam Jerash and Jordan.Post: Packages should be left opened for customs officials. The Central Post Office in Amman is the only post office where packages can be sent.

Tourist Attractions

Amman:

Originally spread over seven hills, or jabals, the capital of the Hashemite kingdom now sprawls over 19 hills and is home to well over a million people, almost half of Jordan's population. Known as the White City, the hills are covered in a jumble of light-colored stone houses, consistently box-like in shape with flat roofs characteristic of a typical desert city.

Faded minarets, pavement markets, Arabian sweet shops and the crumbling remains of ancient civilizations contrast wonderfully with the contemporary edifices, fashionable boutiques and international restaurants. This blend of the old and the new combines in the noisy and chaotic downtown area where the city's extraordinarily friendly residents go about their business.

At the heart of downtown is the Ottoman-style King Hussein Mosque, around which the buzz and bustle is at its most interesting. Even busier at prayer times, the surrounding streets are filled with the essence of Arabia, exotic smells and rows of glittering treasures in the souq (market) amid the noise of frenetic haggling. Just as overwhelming is Amman's sense of history, dating back 5,500 years to its position as the ancient capital of the Ammonites, Rabbath-Ammon of the Old Testament, and later as Philadelphia, the Roman city that became part of the Decapolis.

Overlooking the city from atop Jabal al-Qala'a is the Citadel, the site of the ancient Rabbath-Ammon, and at its foot lies the impressive Roman amphitheater that is the most remarkable remnant of ancient Philadelphia.

Amman is one of the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in the world, and today functions as a thriving commercial and administrative center with modern facilities, historical attractions and a long-standing tradition of hospitality. It is an excellent base from which to explore the surrounds, even the rest of the country, being no more than five hours drive from anywhere, and is surprisingly agreeable for a capital city.

Aqaba:

As Jordan's only outlet to the sea, the tourist resort of Aqaba is known for its fantastic diving opportunities, mild winter climate and sandy beaches.

Situated on the tip of the Red Sea in southern Jordan on the Gulf of Aqaba, the town's greatest attraction lies offshore in the colorful coral reefs that are rated as the best in the world. These boast an incredible marine life and provide wonderful opportunities for divers and snorkelers in the clear waters year round. Besides underwater escapades, Aqaba is an ideal location for watersports and relaxation, whether it is swimming, waterskiing, parasailing, fishing or sunbathing.

For the history enthusiast, Aqaba contains sites dating back to 4,000 BC, including the recent discovery of what is believed to be the world's oldest church from the 3rd century AD, the remains of the medieval walled city of Ayla and a Mamluke fort. These are proof of Aqaba's strategic position as the main port on the trading route to the Far East from Africa in ancient times, which made it a thriving town, and it is this same location today that makes it an important tourist center.

Petra:

Carved into the rock and protected by rugged mountains on all sides is Jordan's most famous attraction, the ancient rose-red city of Petra, one of the world's most spectacular ruins set within a deep canyon near the town of Wadi Musa. Wadi Musa, or the Valley of Moses, was once the name of the whole valley and not just the small tourist town sprawled along the sides of the valley leading down to Petra.

The town's existence is primarily to service the tourist industry as the gateway to Petra. More than 2,000 years ago, a nomadic tribe from Arabia settled in the area and these Nabateans established Petra as their capital. It became a powerful fortress city that controlled the passage of traders, and grew prosperous from the caravans crossing their land carrying spices and riches from India and Arabia. From this wealth was created an astonishing city of monumental tombs, temples and decorative buildings carved from the solid rock, which still stands as a testament to the remarkable creativity and engineering prowess of the Nabateans.

Today's Petra is a staggering landscape of rock-hewn monuments, amphitheaters, palaces, arched gateways, water channels and detailed carvings spread over a vast area. Dramatic tombs and temples unfold with each step taken further into the winding canyon, and intricate facades cut into the soaring cliff faces dwarf the ubiquitous camel drivers, traders and tourists to insignificance. Where the uppermost layers of the rock have eroded away, fantastic surreal streaks of blue, red, yellow, purple and white cover the monuments in undulating patterns. To enter the city, visitors must first pass through a long, narrow chasm in the rock, the Siq, that winds its way for almost a mile (1.5 km) with steep inclining sides that come close to meeting 656ft (200m) above.

Suddenly the Siq opens out onto the canyon floor, dramatically revealing Petra's most famous monument: the Treasury, or Al-Khazneh, is intricately carved into the solid rock of the pink mountain face and stands 140ft (43m) high. The towering façade was used in the final moments of the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Petra's second most fabulous structure is the Monastery (El-Deir) situated among spectacular desert scenery high up on the mountain, and while it is bigger than the Treasury, it was never finished and is less ornate.

A number of places require a bit of effort to reach, but climbing will be rewarded with enchanting views of the desert setting, an overwhelming sense of the size of the site and panoramic lookouts over the rose city of Petra, a certain highlight of any trip to Jordan.

Jerash:

Aclose second to Petra on the list of favourite destinations in Jordan, the ancient city of Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. The city's golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates. Beneath its external Graeco - Roman veneer, Jerash also preserves a subtle blend of east and west. Its architecture, religion and languages reflect a process by which two powerful cultures meshed and coexisted, The Graeco - Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the ancient traditions of the Arab Orient.

Madaba:

The trip south from Amman along the 5,000-year-old Kings Highway is one of the most memorable journeys in the Holy Land, passing through a string of ancient sites. The first city to encounter is Madaba, “the City of Mosaics ". The city, best known for its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, is home to the famous 6th century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. With two million pieces of colored stone, the map depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns as far as the Nile Delta. Other mosaic masterpieces found in the Church of the Virgin and the Apostles and the Archaeological Museum, depict a rampant profusion of flowers and plants, birds and fish, animals and exotic beasts, as well as scenes from mythology and everyday pursuits of hunting, fishing and farming. Literally, hundreds of other mosaics from the 5th through the 7th centuries are scattered throughout Madaba's churches and homes.

Desert Castles:

Jordan's desert castles, beautiful examples of both early Islamic art and architecture, stand testament to a fascinating era in the country's rich history. Their fine mosaics, frescoes, stone and stucco carvings and illustrations, inspired by the best in Persian and Graeco - Roman traditions, tell countless stories of the life as it was during the eighth century. Called castles because of their imposing stature, the desert complexes actually served various purposes as caravan stations, agriculture and trade centres, resort pavilions and outposts that helped distant rulers forge ties with local bedouins. Several of these preserved compounds, all of which are clustered to the east and south of Amman, can be visited on one - or two - day loops from the city.

Qusair Amra, one of the best preserved monuments, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its interior walls and ceilings are covered with lively frescoes, and two of the rooms are paved with colorful mosaics.

Qasr Mushatta, Qasr al - Kharrana, Qasr at -Tuba and Qasr al - Hallabat have been restored and are all in excellent condition. The black basalt fort at Azraq, in continuous use since Late Roman times, was the headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia during the Arab Revolt.

Crusader Castles:

For those fascinated by the Crusader Legends and Lore, a second group of castles beckons. The scenic Kings Highway is littered with the remains of Crusaders forts and outposts. The most important among these are Karak and Shobak - fascinating examples of architectural and military traditions of the time. Their galleries, towers, chapels and ramparts still echo with the resolve of the Crusaders who built them almost a thousand years ago.

Ajloun:

Ajloun Castle (also known as Qal'at [Castle] ar-Rabad) was built in 1184 by 'Izz ad-Din Usama bin Munqidh, a general of Saladin, who defeated the Crusaders in 1187. A fine example of Islamic architecture, the fortress dominated a wide stretch of the northern Jordan Valley and passages to it. From its hilltop position, Ajloun Castle protected the communication routes between south Jordan and Syria, and was one of a chain of forts, which lit beacons at night to pass signals from the Euphrates as far as Cairo. Today, Ajloun Castle is a splendid sight with a fascinating warren of towers, chambers, galleries and staircases to explore, while its hilltop position offers stunning views of the Jordan Valley.

Karak:

The fort itself is a dark maze of stone-vaulted halls and endless passageways. The best preserved are underground, and to be reached through a massive door (ask at the ticket office). The castle in itself is more imposing than beautiful, though it is all the more impressive as an example of the Crusaders' architectural military genius. Karak's most famous occupant was Reynald de Chatillon, whose reputation for treachery, betrayal and brutality is unsurpassed. When Baldwin II died, his son, a 13-year-old leper, sued for peace with Saladin.

The Leper King, however, died without an heir, and in stepped Reynald, who succeeded in winning the hand of Stephanie, the wealthy widow of Karak's assassinated regent. He promptly broke the truce with Saladin, who returned with a huge army, ready for war. Reynald and King Guy of Jerusalem led the Crusader forces and suffered a massive defeat. Reynald was taken prisoner and beheaded by Saladin himself, marking the beginning of the decline in Crusader fortunes. The castle was enlarged with a new west wing added by the Ayyubids and Mameluks.

Shobak:

A lonely reminder of former Crusader glory is Shobak Castle, less than an hour north of Petra. Once called "Mont Real", Shobak dates from the same turbulent period as Karak. It is perched on the side of a mountain, with a grand sweep of fruit trees below. The castle's exterior is impressive, with a forbidding gate and encircling triple wall. Despite the precautions of its builder, the fortress fell to Saladin only 75 years after it was raised. Inscriptions by his proud successors appear on the castle wall.

Umm Qays:

In addition to Jerash and Amman, Gadara (now Umm Qays) and Pella (Tabqat Fahl) were once Decapolis cities, and each has unique appeal. Perched on a splendid hilltop overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee, Umm Qays boasts impressive ancient remains, such as the stunning black basalt theatre, the basilica and adjacent courtyard strewn with nicely carved black sarcophagi, the colonnaded main street and a side street lined with shops, an underground mausoleum, two baths, a nymphaeum, a city gate and the faint outlines of what was a massive hippodrome.

Pella (Tabqat Fahl):

Pella is exceptionally rich in antiquities, some of which are exceedingly old. Besides the excavated ruins from the Graeco - Roman period, Pella offers visitors the opportunity to see the remains of Chalcolithic settlement from the 4th millennium BC, evidence of Bronze and Iron age walled cities, Byzantine churches, early Islamic residential quarters and a small medieval mosque.

Umm Al Jimal:

The eastern most of the major northern cities, Umm al Jimal is located at the edge of the eastern basalt desert plain, along a secondary road that was close to the junction of several ancient trade routes that linked central Jordan with Syria and Iraq. Among the most interesting structures to visit are the tall barracks with their little chapel, several large churches, numerous open and roofed water cisterns, the outlines of a Roman fort and the remains of several town gates.

Umm ar Rasas:

Excavations in Umm ar Rasas have uncovered some of the finest Byzantine church mosaics, including a large carpet depicting Old and New Testament cities on both the east and west banks of the Jordan River. Another feature at Umm ar Rasas walled settlement is a 15-metre Byzantine tower used by early Christian monks seeking solitude.

Wadi Rum:

A quick trip from Aqaba, Wadi Rum offers a truly unique and adventurous experience. The visitors will be amazed by their surroundings amid the stupendous cliffs, canyons, and seemingly endless orange sands as they enter the desert on a camel, horse, or 4x4 jeep driven by a local Bedouin. It is then up to them to explore and discover the secrets of Wadi Rum hiking through the sand and mountains. Rock climbing is a popular activity and visitors come from around the world to tackle Wadi Rum's challenging climbs. Many have described these routes as comparable to those found in the Dolomites.