Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | |
---|---|
Motto: "God, Country, King" الله، الوطن ، الملك" "Allah, Al-Waṭan, Al-Malik"[1] | |
Anthem: "The Royal Anthem of Jordan" السلام الملكي الأردني Al-Salam Al-Malaki Al-Urdunni | |
Capital and largest city | Amman 31°57′N 35°56′E / 31.950°N 35.933°E |
Official languages | Arabic |
Ethnic groups |
|
Religion |
|
Demonym(s) | Jordanian |
Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
• Monarch | Abdullah II |
Jafar Hassan | |
Legislature | Parliament |
Senate | |
House of Representatives | |
Independence from the United Kingdom mandate | |
• Emirate | 11 April 1921 |
25 May 1946 | |
11 January 1952 | |
Area | |
• Total | 89,341 km2 (34,495 sq mi) (110th) |
• Water (%) | 0.6 |
Population | |
• 2017 estimate | 10,011,820[2] (90th) |
• 2015 census | 9,531,712 |
• Density | 107/km2 (277.1/sq mi) (100th) |
GDP (PPP) | 2016 estimate |
• Total | $86.193 billion[3] (87th) |
• Per capita | $11,124[3] (86th) |
GDP (nominal) | 2016 estimate |
• Total | $39.453 billion[3] (92nd) |
• Per capita | $5,092[3] (95th) |
Gini (2011) | 35.4[4] medium |
HDI (2014) | 0.748[5] high · 80th |
Currency | Jordanian dinar (JOD) |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +962 |
ISO 3166 code | JO |
Internet TLD | .jo .الاردن |
Website jordan.gov.jo |
Jordan (officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) is an Arab country in southwest Asia, in the Middle East, in the southern part of the Levant region, and the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Jordan has borders with Syria to the north, Palestine and Israel to the west, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, and the Gulf of Aqaba to the southwest, where the city of Aqaba is next to the Red Sea.
The capital of Jordan is Amman. Aqaba is the only sea port for Jordan with only 27 kilometers of coastline. Jordan is named after Jordan River, which passes on its western borders. Jordan is a country that combines different Arab cultures and dialects, and no natural borders separate it from its Arab neighbors except the Jordan River which separates Jordan and Israel as well as the Yarmouk River, which separates Jordan and Syria. As for the rest of the borders, it is an extension of the Levant Badia in the north and east, the Influence Desert in the south, and Wadi Araba to the southwest.
The terrain in Jordan varies greatly, the most important of which are the Ajloun Mountains in the northwest, and the Shara Mountains in the south, the highest peak on Umm al-Dami Mountain is 1854 meters, and the lowest point in the Dead Sea, which is the lowest point in the world.
In 1921, Prince Abdullah bin Al-Hussein established the Emirate of Transjordan with the help of Britain, and it was then subject to British rule in the Mandatory region of Palestine. The system in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy with a representative government. The king exercises his executive power through the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, who, at the same time, are accountable to the House of Representatives (elected) and the Senate (appointed by the king) who are the legislative branch of the state. There is also an independent judiciary system.
Jordan is a founding member of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Jordan is a sovereign constitutional monarchy, yet the king enjoys extensive executive and legislative powers.
Jordan is frequently referred to as an "oasis of stability" in a turbulent region, given that it was mostly unaffected by the violence that engulfed the region in 2010. However, the country's population suffers from relatively high rates of unemployment and poverty.