Jordan

Jordan is a country in Western Asia, at the crossroads of the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula. It shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its only access to the sea is through a short coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba, an extension of the Red Sea. The capital and largest city is Amman.

Jordan covers about 89,000 square kilometres and has a landscape shaped by three main areas: the Jordan Rift Valley in the west, the elevated central highlands, and the vast desert plateau of the east. The Dead Sea lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, more than 400 metres below sea level, making it the lowest exposed land surface on Earth. The climate varies considerably: the northwest has a Mediterranean influence, while much of the country is dry or desert, with hot summers and limited rainfall.

Jordan has a rich history linked to several ancient civilizations and trade routes. Petra, in the south, was the capital of the Nabataeans and became an important caravan centre connecting Arabia with the eastern Mediterranean. Much of the ancient city was carved into sandstone cliffs, while sophisticated water systems helped its inhabitants live in an arid environment. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

Farther south, the Wadi Rum Protected Area combines spectacular desert landscapes with archaeological evidence of human occupation extending back about 12,000 years; it was added to the World Heritage List in 2011 as a mixed natural and cultural site. Modern Jordan emerged from the Emirate of Transjordan, established in 1921, and became an independent kingdom in 1946. Today, Arabic is the official language, the Jordanian dinar is the national currency, and Amman is the country's main political, economic and cultural centre.