|
|
|
|
|
About Jordan |
|
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a
constitutional monarchy with representative
government. 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.
|
|
Basic Facts: |
|
Population: 6,053,193 (July 2007 est.)
Geographic co-ordinates: 29 - 34 00 N, 35 - 39 E
Location: Jordan is located in the heart of the
Middle East, Northwest of Saudi Arabia, south of
Syria, Southwest of Iraq, and east of Israel and
the Occupied West Bank. Jordan has access to the
Red Sea via the port city of Aqaba, located at
the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba.
|
|
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. |
 |
|
About Petra |
|
Petra - one of
the New Seven Wonders of the World
|
|
|
|
 |
Only one of the antique seven wonders of the
world still exists: the Pyramids of Giza. Hence
the New Open World Foundation launched a global
contest to vote for the new seven wonders of the
world. At 7.7.2007 the results had been
announced: some 100 million voters chosen the
Statue of Christ Redeemer in Brazil, Peru’s
Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza in Mexico, India’s
Taj Mahal, the Colosseum in Rome, the Great Wall
in China and Petra in Jordan. With 22 million
votes Petra achieved the second place after the
Great Wall. |
 |
In Petra, listed since 1985 as an UNESCO World
Heritage Site, you find a great cultural
heritage of the Middle East. Numerous monumental
buildings over 2200 years old, carved in
sandstone, some of them more than 40 meter high.
Petra is believed to be founded around 6th
century BC. It was the capital of the Arab
Nabataeans, wise people, who gained prosperity
by controlling the trade routes. Caravans with
spices, silk and incense passed through the rock
city to Gaza, Bosra and Damascus as well as
Aqaba. The technical skills of the Nabataeans
are impressing. They carved the marvelous
façades in the stone and in the middle of the
desert they created a water supply system with
tunnels and water chambers. |
 |
As the Romans took over the Nabataean Empire in
106 AD the city lost its overwhelming status.
Hidden between mountains the city was nearly
forgotten, till it was rediscovered by the Swiss
explorer Johann L. Burkhardt in 1812. The
Nabataeans left us magnificent buildings and
like many visitors before let yourself impress
by the façade of the Treasury and the Monastery
El Deir. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
Places to
Visit
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Ajloun:
The Islamic castle Ajloun stands on top of
the 1123 meter high Jabel Auf and is
embedded in a nice environment. It was built
in the 12th century by a general of the
famous sultan Salah ad-Din to protect the
country against the Crusader attacks and to
secure the pilgrim routes. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Amman:
Situated on several hills the
capital of Jordan houses almost half of the
country's population. Worth seeing in the
so-called white city is the Citadel hill,
once an important military and religious
site. Here you see for example the remains
of the Temple of Hercules. Interesting place
are the Roman Theater, the King Abdullah
Mosque and the Abu Darweesh Mosque. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Aqaba at the
Red Sea:
The small Red Sea port of Aqaba is famous
for its unique coral reefs and so a paradise
for diving and snorkeling in clear waters.
Many other aquatic activities are possible
like sailing, wind surfing or water skiing.
The tourist city is also attractive due to
its status as Special Economic Zone offering
duty free shopping. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Azraq Oasis:
Azraq is located about 110 kilometers east
of Amman. Once a large wetland area,
nowadays only 12 square km of parklands and
pools are left as a result of the growing
water demand of cities like Amman. But still
Azraq is the oasis in the eastern desert,
home to some water buffalos and important
for birds migrating between Africa and
Europe. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Bethany –
Baptism Site:
On the east bank of the Jordan River not far
away from Amman you find Bethany beyond the
Jordan, the place where John the Baptist
lived and baptized Jesus. Many Christians
pilgrimage to this holy place, which is
located in a nice surrounding. Besides the
Baptism Site of Jesus you see a new
golden-roofed church, the remains of
Byzantine churches and baptism pools. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Dana:
The Dana Nature Reserve, composed of
mountains and wadis, reaches a total height
of more than 1600 meter ranging from the
tops of the Rift Valley to desert lowlands.
Here you find diversified landscape like
green areas with trees, desert and rocks as
well as various plants and animal species. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Dead Sea:
The salt lake between Israel and Jordan is
the lowest point on earth with about 400 m
below sea level. The Dead Sea is mainly
supplied by water from the Jordan River. It
is an experience to bath without being able
to sink. But the mineral-rich Dead Sea
offers more, it was one of the first spas in
the world. Herod the Great, king of Judaea
already used it in the 1st century BC as
health treatment. The water and the special
conditions of the area have positive effects
on dermatological and rheumatic diseases. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Desert Castles:
The most remarkable buildings in the
eastern Jordanian desert are the palaces
built by the Umayyad caliphs in the 7th and
8th century. Most of the castles can be
visited within one day in a loop from Amman
via Azraq: the originally Roman Qasr
al-Hallabat and Qasr al-Kharanah with its
high walls and four corner towers. Besides
are the large black fortress Qasr al-Azraq
and Qasr Amra, the most charming of the
desert castles due to its fresco paintings. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Jerash:
The best example of a Roman provincial city
in the Middle East is Jerash, 50 km north of
Amman. It was initially built by Alexander
the Great in 332 BC and started to prosper
after the Roman conquest in 63 BC. The
Artemis Temple, the theatres, the Colonnaded
Street and many other ancient buildings give
you the feeling of the great civilization
and the history of the region. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Kerak:
Situated on the King's Highway the city was
the ancient capital of the Moabites, but the
most visitors come to see the Crusader
castle on the hilltop. The castle was built
in the 12th century and ruled by Payen le
Bouteiller, the Lord of Transjordan
(Oultrejordain).
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Madaba:
The town Madaba is well known for its
Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics. Popular is
especially the 6th century mosaic map of
Palestine in the floor of the orthodox St.
George's Church. Other magnificent mosaic
masterpieces from the Madaba area, mostly
found in old churches, can be seen in the
Archaeological Park. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Mount Nebo:
Not far from Madaba Mt. Nebo is located,
from where Prophet Moses overlooked the
promised land and died. In 1933 remains of a
church from the 4th century and a monastery
with magnificent mosaics had been discovered
here. From the mountain you have a panorama
of the Holy Land; usually Jericho is visible
and on clear days also Jerusalem.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Bella:
Bella is located in the Jordan Valley and in
nice surroundings visitors see ancient ruins
from Roman and Byzantine period. Pella was
like the city of Gadara a member of the
Decapolis, a union of cities in Palestine,
Jordan and southern Syria which were centres
of Greco-Roman culture. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Petra:
In the south of Jordan, in the mountains of
Edom, the famous rock city Petra is located.
2000 years ago the Nabataeans, Arab nomads,
carved magnificent temples, tombs and houses
in the red-rose sandstone. Since 1985 Petra
belongs to the World Heritage Sites and
since 2007 it is one of the New Seven
Wonders of the World. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Salt:
In the ex-capital of Jordan you get a
feeling for the architecture of the Ottoman
period, if you walk through picturesque
narrow streets and watch the houses with
long-arched windows. In the town exists a
Handicraft School where you can see
traditional skills of ceramics. Within
Jordan Salt is known for its quality of
vegetable and fruit harvest. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Shaumari
Wildlife Reserve:
Close to Azraq the Shaumari Wildlife
Reserve, founded 1975, covers 22 square km
and offers home for gazelles, wild donkeys
and Arabian oryx. The oryx is also
Shaumari's great success story. This
antelope species was almost extinct and by
means of breeding programs it recovered
again. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Shobak
(Montreal):
The Crusader castle is perched on top of a
small hill northeast of the town of Shobak
in southern Jordan. Like Kerak it was built
by Baldwin I. of Jerusalem. Inside the
fortress are two churches, ruins of baths,
cisterns, archways, old Islamic inscriptions
and brave people can follow over 300 steps
down in a well. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Umm Quais
(Gadara):
From the ruined Graeco-Roman city Gadara,
today named Umm Quais, visitors have an
amazing view over the Sea of Galilee and the
Golan Heights. Still to see are the remains
of theatres, temples, a colonnaded street, a
basilica and a museum. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Wadi
al-Mujib:
The lowest nature reserve in the world is
Wadi al-Mujib near the Dead Sea. The area
about 220 square km reaches the highest
level in 900 meter, the lowest in 400 meter
below sea level and offers a variety in
nature and wildlife. The so-called Grand
Canyon of Jordan is a good place for
adventures. Visitors can hike, swim in pools
and rivers and abseil from rocks. |
|
|
|
|
 |
Wadi Rum:
In Jordan's south you find this dramatic
desert landscape with its beautiful rock
formations. Visitors can enjoy a Jeep tour
to visit astonishing rock bridges or enjoy
silence and pure nature during a hike or on
back of a camel. A wonderful experience is
to spend a night under the starry sky in the
wadi. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
