Jordan Map: Geographic and Demographic Information

What You Need to Know About Jordan

Jordan is a country located in the western part of Asia. Officially, it is called the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan due to its status as a constitutional monarchy. The largest urban area in the country as well as its capital is Amman. The Jordanian territory covers 89,342 km2 and the number of Jordanians is approximately 10,820,644 km2.

The country is therefore ranked as the 84th most populous country in the world. The official language in Jordan is Arabic, but the second living language in education and administration is English. The country has a high HDI, ranking 95^th in the world. The official currency of Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar and the country’s telephone code is 962, which can be dialed as 00962 or +962.

Which countries border Jordan?

The neighboring countries of Jordan are Palestine and Israel which border it on the western side. There is also Saudi Arabia and Iraq which border it to the south and east, and finally, it is bordered by Syria to the east and north.

Population of Jordan

Currently, the Jordanian population is estimated at 10,203,134 inhabitants according to UN estimates, this figure represents about 0.13% of the world population. With its area of 89,342 km2, the population density is 115 inhabitants per km2, making Jordan the 84^th most populous country in the world.

What are the colors of the country?

The flag of Jordan is a rectangular flag composed of 3 horizontal bands of equal size. The top one is black, followed by white, then green. On the hoist side, there is a red isosceles triangle on which a 7-pointed star is printed. Flags of this kind, that is to say with 4 colors, are called “pan-Arab” flags.

• The green color represents the Fatimid dynasty
• The white color represents the Umayyads of Damascus
• The black color represents the Abbasids of Baghdad
• The red color represents the house of Muhammad
• The star printed on the red signifies the harmony of the people or the 7 verses of the Quranic surah.

The Best Places to Visit in Jordan

Amman

The capital of Jordan is a very ancient city and it is still very active today. It is located in the central part of Jordan. This region is the cradle of Jordanian administration, economy, and culture. In the past, this city was the passage of civilizations as different from one another as possible.

Among them were the Ammonites, the Greeks, and the Persians, and even though this city has been looted, burned, and destroyed several times, it was always rebuilt. As a result, King Abdullah I chose the city as the capital of his new kingdom, and the territory became the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Tourists will surely enjoy Amman; here, the downtown neighborhoods are very welcoming and lively. You can see the King Hussein Mosque, the remains of the ancient city’s architecture, as well as the Amman Citadel built on a height. The remains of this citadel also include nearby the Temple of Hercules. Other popular attractions in the capital are the Baptism Site, Mount Nebo, and the shores of the Dead Sea.

Jerash

The city of Jerash is the capital of a Jordanian province of the same name. It is an ancient but modernized city and seems to be built around the ancient city of Gerasa or Gerase depending on the names. According to history, the city was built by Alexander the Great in the 4^th century. Moreover, several monuments dating from that era are listed in the city. Among the most popular is the Hadrian’s Arch measuring 25 m in height and 21 m in width, somewhat resembling the Arc de Triomphe; this monument adorns the entrance to Jerash.

You will also find a very small hippodrome; according to history, this monument and the surrounding areas were completely destroyed during the Byzantine era. Currently, it has not been fully rebuilt but is occupied by the local population who have turned it into a craft area (pottery workshop, etc.).

There are also the temples of Zeus and Artemis which were rebuilt during the second century BC. There is also the oval Dionysus Forum, which was one of the largest in the Roman Empire and served as a market, public square, or agora. Finally, the old city also shows remains of the ancient city, mainly consisting of buildings reflecting Roman civilization.

Aqaba

The city of Aqaba is a port city located in the southern section of Jordan. In fact, it is the only access to the sea that the country has. It is a very ancient city built about 4000 years before Christ. It is also a commercial city and the cradle of exchanges between Asia, Africa, and Europe.

This city was once the territory of the Greeks who called Aqaba: Berenice; after that, the city was dominated by the Romans who divided it into two parts, Aila and Aelena. Finally, there was the domination of the Umayyads, Abbasids, and Fatimids. As a result, you will see Roman, Greek, and Muslim architectures in Aqaba.

Some ruins dating back to ancient years were discovered by an archaeological team; according to them, these ruins are the remains of the fortress of Helim. There is also a fort from the old Crusaders called Graye Island.

The city of Aqaba is also a seaside resort where backpackers can enjoy the benefits of the city’s thermal springs. It is also an industrial city with facilities for sugar cane refineries and oil industries. The city also has an international airport and several road and rail infrastructures for the transport of goods and for travel outside and within the state.

Where the cities are located on the map of Jordan

Amman

On the map of Jordan, the capital is located in the northwest section of the country. Geographic coordinates: 31°57’14’’ North, 35°56’08’’ East.

Jerash

Located in a province of the same name of which it is the capital, the city of Jerash is situated in the northwestern section of the country. Geographical coordinates: 32°16’43’’ North, 35°53’23’’ East

Aqaba

The city of Aqaba is located in the southwestern section and is the country’s only point connected to the sea in the gulf of the same name. Geographical coordinates: 29°31’41’’ North, 35°00’01’’ East.

Economic map of Jordan

Jordan’s small area does not allow it to fully exploit its natural resources. The problems facing the country’s resources are therefore: deficit, poverty, and unemployment. Since Abdallah II took power, economic progress has been undertaken to try to raise the people’s standard of living.

The year 2003 marked the beginning of the country’s collaboration with the IMF, which granted subsidies for economic recovery. Jordan’s imports are mainly concentrated on oil coming from Iraq. However, this makes the economy less and less efficient. Moreover, it depends on oil-producing countries, which pressure the country’s government by increasing the price per barrel as well as taxes.

The country’s exports are mainly focused on agricultural industry products as well as processing industries. Its trading partner in this case is Iraq. However, the latter is heavily affected by war. Here are some characteristics of the Jordanian economy:

• Official currency: Jordanian Dinar
• Gross Domestic Product at nominal parity: 29.23 billion USD
• Gross Domestic Product at purchasing power parity: 37.37 billion USD
• Annual GDP growth rate: 2.5%
• Gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity: 6000 USD
• Inflation rate: 4.4%
• Population below the poverty line: 1.771 million USD
• Unemployment rate as a percentage of the active population: 12.3%

Climate map of Jordan

In Jordan, the climate is characterized by a cold winter and a very hot summer, sometimes tempered due to elevation. It is typical of a dry temperate climate, meaning temperatures are very high in summer and mild in winter. Most of Jordan’s territory experiences frequently low rainfall, which occurs between the months of November and April.

Overall, Jordanian territory is an arid region with annual rainfall of about 450 mm. In the southern sections and central plains, the climate is rather desert-like because these areas are close to the deserts of Syria and Arabia. The northern sections display a semi-arid climate, meaning only small parts of these areas are green.

In a large part of Jordanian territory, rainfall is high and occurs between November and March. Most of the time, Jordanian territory is subject to warm winds coming from Egypt, which often bring sand and violent storms. This generally occurs between spring and autumn.

Climate in the capital:

The climate in Amman is characterized by a mild winter but an arid and hot summer. Winter temperatures hover around 8.5°C and summer temperatures around 26.5°C with peaks from 37 to 40°C. Even during winter periods, there is maximum sunshine during the day. Night temperatures, however, are lower. Sometimes in the western neighborhoods of Amman, frequent snowfalls are observed due to temperatures dropping below 0°C. Finally, the annual rainfall in Amman is 1000 mm.

Administrative and Demolinguistic Data

Administrative Subdivisions

Currently, 12 provinces or governorates make up the administrative subdivisions of Jordan

• Ajlun
• Al ‘Aqabah
• Al Balqa
• Al Karak
• Al Mafraq
• Amman
• At Tafilah
• Az Zarqa
• Irbid
• Jarash
• Ma’an
• Madaba

Demolinguistic Data

The Jordanian population is mainly composed of Arabs. About 40% of the population consists of refugees originating from Palestine who are generally called “Gulf refugees.” Minority ethnic groups include the Druze and Christians. There are also Greeks who make up about 8% of the population. The official language used in Jordan is Classical Arabic; however, there are some dialectal divergences and several minority speakers including:

• South Levantine Arabic (55%)
• Bedouin Arabic (11%),
• Najdi Arabic (1%),
• Adyghe or Circassian (1.2%),
• Armenian (0.1%),
• Chechen (0.05%)