About Jordan : -

Introduction       King Abdullah,then prince, with the Late King Hussein   For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King Hussein Bin Talal (1953-1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization. And in 1994, a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King Abdullah II - the eldest son of King Hussein and Princess Muna - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in the summer of 2003. The prime minister and government appointed in October 2003 declared their commitment to accelerated economic and political reforms and the new cabinet includes an unprecedented three women as ministers.

Geography       Jordanian flag   Location: Situated in the Middle East, in the south-western part of Asia. Except for a very short stretch of coast along the Gulf of Aqaba in the south, Jordan is landlocked. Geographic Coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E Land Boundaries: Total: 1,635 km Border Countries: Iraq (east; 181 km), Israel (west; 238 km), Saudi Arabia (south; 744 km), Syria (north; 375 km), West Bank (west; 97 km) Coastline: 26 km Area: Total: 92,300 sq km Water: 329 sq km Land: 91,971 sq km Climate: Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)           Wadi Rum   Terrain: Mostly desert plateau in east (80% of Jordan’s land). In the west is the Jordan River Valley, bordered to the east by steep highlands. A great Rift Valley separates the east and west banks of the Jordan River. Elevation Extremes: Lowest Point: Dead Sea -408 m Highest Point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m Natural Resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil Land Use: Arable Land: 2.8% Permanent Crops: 1.5% Other: 95.6% (1998 est.) Irrigated Land: 750 sq km (1998 est.) Natural Hazards: droughts; periodic earthquakes People       Jordanian traditional costume   Jordan has been home to many successive civilizations. Each group introduced new elements into the country’s religion, language, and architecture. Except for the Crusader period, Jordan has remained under Arab rule from the 7th century to the beginning of the 16th century, by which time the Turkish Ottoman Empire had expanded to include many Arab Middle Eastern countries. The population represents a mixture of traditions. To be a Bedouin, or to come from Bedouin stock, is a matter of pride for many Jordanians. Bedouins are known as hospitable people of strong character, with a deep sense of family and tribal pride. Refugee influxes have rendered the population evenly divided between “East Bankers” and Jordanians of Palestinian origin. The vast majority of Palestinian refugees, however, were given Jordanian citizenship.   Language Arabic (official), English is widely spoken and understood throughout Jordan.   Economy       Merchants in downtown Amman   Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but since assuming the throne in 1999 King Abdullah II has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Jordan in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), an association agreement with the EU (2001), and a free trade agreement with US (2000). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The U.S. led war in Iraq in 2003 negatively impacted Jordan’s economy, given Jordan’s extensive trade relations with Iraq and dependence on Iraq for discounted oil (worth $300-$600 million per year). Several Gulf nations, as well as the United States, have provided temporary aid to overcome those challenges. Other ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit, broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures, and the encouragement of tourism.     Government Government Type: constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislature Capital: Amman Administrative Divisions: 12 governorates – Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Public Holidays
January 1: New Year
Shawal 1st: for Eid Al Fitr (4 days)
Thu'l-Hijjh - 10th: Eid Al Adha (5 days)
Muharram 1st: Hijra New Year
May 1: Labor Day
May 25: Independence Day
12 Rabi' 1: Prophet's Birthday
December 25: Christmas