>> Jordan Tourist Information <<

>>Geography <<

Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Border Countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Elevation Extremes: 

Lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
Highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m.

Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

>> People <<

Population: 5,460,265 (July 2003 est.)

Ethnic Groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

>> Government <<

Country name:  conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local short form: Al Urdun local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

Government type:  constitutional monarchy

Capital : Amman

Major Cities:  Ajlun, Aqaba, Kerak, Zarqa, Irbid, Jerash , Ma'an, Madaba, Mafraq

>> Transportation <<

Infrastructure :  Travel within Jordan is efficient. A good road system is constantly being expanded and upgraded. Jordan's road signs are marked in English and Arabic, and there are petrol stations and rest houses at regular intervals through out the country.

Transportation:   Taxies (yellow cap with green stamp) are easily available on the road, or they can be arranged for by asking the hotel.

Rent a Car offices are also available at the Airport and in Amman, international companies like Europcar and Hertz or local rent a car companies. Daily bus service and Hejaz Railway trains connect Amman with Damascus. Taxi service is also available between Amman and Damascus and Amman and Beirut. 

Ports :  Aqaba port, in south of Jordan on the Red Sea. Daily ferry boat connects Aqaba with Nuweibaa port and Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. Private boats are also available for excursion to Pharaon Island in Egypt.

Airports :  International and charter flights fly into Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport, and Aqaba King Hussein Airport. Local flights fly into Amman Marka Civil Airport.

The three Airports provide banking, car-hire and tourist information, office services in addition to duty-free shop, restaurant and snack bar facilities.

The national carrier Royal Jordanian Airlines links Amman with many of the capitals in Europe, Far East and the Arab world, and operates wide body jets to New York, Chicago and Detroit. Many other international air carriers operate regularly to Amman.

>> Communication <<

Telephone: Excellent direct telephone, fax and telex communication is available internationally.

Newspapers: Arabic and English Newspapers, as well as foreign publications, are available at many news stands.

Mailing:   Postage stamps can be purchased at hotels and post offices.

Television: Jordan television broadcast in English and French on channel one, there is also Channel 2 the sport channel, and Channel 3 the movie channel presenting English and French movies.
Programs are listed daily in the Jordan Times.
CNN, BBC, TV5 and other Satellite channels are available in most of the hotels with cable.

Radio :  Jordan has radio channels on the FM wave, 96.3 the English Channel, 99.00 the Arabic Channel, 90.0 the French channel and 104.10 Fann FM the music channel. 

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