Location: Jordan is located in the heart of the Middle East, it shares borders with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the south, the Syrian Arab Republic from the north, the Republic of Iraq from the east and the occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel from the west, in addition to the maritime border it shares with Egypt in the Gulf of Aqaba.
Geographic Coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Population: Population: 10,938,238 (as of July 7th 2021, Jordanian Department of statistics)
Area:
Total: 89,342 sq. km
Land: 88,802 sq. km
Water: 540 sq. km
Capital: Amman
Language: Arabic is the official language, but English is widely spoken.
Currency and Exchange Rates: Currency and Exchange Rates: Jordan’s currency is the Jordanian Dinar, or JD. It is subdivided into 1000 fils, or 100 qirsh or piasters. Jordanian paper notes appear in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50. Coins come in denominations of 1 JD, 0.5 JD, 0.25 JD, and 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5 fils.
The exchange rate JD to USD is fixed, and stands at 1JD= $1.4 USD
Public Holidays (In Gregorian and Hijri dates):
January 1 – New Year
April 11 – Jordan’s Centenary
April 16 – Flag Day
May 1 – Labor Day
Varies – Easter Sunday
May 25 – Independence Day
June 9th – King Abdullah Accession to the Throne
December 25 – Christmas
10 Dhul Hija – Eid al Adha
1 Shawwal – Eid al Fitr
1 Muharram – Ras Assanah al Hijiri
27 Rajab – Isra wal Miraj
12 Rabi ‘al Awwal – Mawlid al Nabi
Time: Time is GMT + 2 (in winter, +3 in summer), or 7 hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time. Summer time is observed from April through September.
Climate and Geography: Jordan has a combination of Mediterranean and arid desert climates, with Mediterranean climates prevailing in the north and west of the country, while the majority of the country is desert. Generally, the country has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, with annual average temperatures ranging from 12 to 25 C (54 to 77 F) and summertime highs reaching the 40s (105-115 F) in the desert regions. Rainfall averages vary from 50mm (1.97 inches) annually in the desert to as much as 800 mm (31.5 inches) in the northern hills, some of which falls as snow.
The Government: The system of government in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is parliamentary with a hereditary monarchy. The Jordanian political system is based on the principle of separation of the three branches of powers — the executive, legislative and judicial powers. The reigning monarch, His Majesty King Abdullah II, is the Head of State, the Chief Executive and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces. The king exercises his executive authority through the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, or Cabinet. The Cabinet is responsible before the elected House of Deputies which, along with the House of Notables (Senate), constitutes the legislative branch of the government. The judicial branch is an independent branch of the government. Since 1989, all elements of the Jordanian political spectrum have embarked together on a road to greater democracy, liberalization and consensus building. These reforms, which were guided by the late King Hussein, have placed Jordan on an irreversible road to democratization. The result has been greater empowerment and involvement of everyday citizens in Jordan’s civic life, contributing to increased stability and institutionalization which will benefit the country far into the future.
The Economy: Since His Majesty King Abdullah II assumed the throne in 1999, Jordan has embarked on broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. The Jordanian government has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant progress with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently in order to guarantee Jordan’s membership in the World Trade Organization (2000), an association agreement with the European Union (2000), and a Free Trade Agreement with the United States (2000). Jordan has also signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty with the United States. In 2018 Jordan and Japan signed an agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investment in both countries.
Main Exports: Clothing, Fertilizers, Potash, Phosphates, Vegetables, Pharmaceuticals.
Main Imports: Crude Oil, Machinery, Transport Equipment, Iron, Cereals.