Jordan

Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a sovereign state in West Asia.

It sits within the Southern Levant region. The country shares borders with Syria to the north and Iraq to the east. To the south, it borders Saudi Arabia. The western borders are shared with Israel and Palestine (the West Bank).

A major feature is the Jordan River. This river flows through the Jordan Rift Valley. It eventually empties into the Dead Sea.

In the southwest, Jordan has a small coastline on the Red Sea. This area is separated from Egypt by the Gulf of Aqaba.

The name "Jordan" comes from the Jordan River. Experts believe the name derives from the Semitic word "Yarad." This word means "to flow down" or "to descend." This describes the river's declivity, or its downward slope.

Historically, much of this land was called Transjordan. This term means "across the Jordan." It refers to the lands located east of the river. The earliest written mention of the name Yārdon appears in the Egyptian Papyrus Anastasi I. This document likely dates back to the reign of Rameses II.

Human history in this region is incredibly deep. Evidence shows hominids inhabited Jordan at least 200,000 years ago. During the Late Pleistocene, the climate was more humid. This created many wetlands that helped preserve ancient human remains.

In the northeastern desert, scientists found 14,500-year-old evidence of bread-making. During the Neolithic period, people moved from hunting to farming. 'Ain Ghazal was a large prehistoric settlement near modern Amman. Archaeologists found plaster human statues there from around 7250 BC.

These are among the oldest large-scale human representations ever found.

During the Iron Age, three distinct kingdoms emerged in Transjordan. These were the kingdoms of Ammon, Moab, and Edom. These groups spoke Semitic languages. They lived in tribal kingdoms rather than centralized states. Ammon was located on the Amman plateau. Moab occupied the highlands east of the Dead Sea. Edom was located around Wadi Araba in the south.

The Mesha Stele is a famous artifact from 840 BC. It was erected by King Mesha of Moab to celebrate his victories.

The Nabataeans established a powerful kingdom centered in Petra.

They were nomadic Arabs who became very wealthy. They controlled important trade routes in the region. They were also skilled at water irrigation and stone carving. One famous structure is Al-Khazneh, a large mausoleum built in the 1st century AD. Later, the Romans annexed the region in 106 AD. They formed the Decapolis, which was a league of ten cities.

Jerash remains one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the East.

Modern Jordan has a complex political history. After the Ottoman Empire, the Emirate of Transjordan was established in 1921. It was a British protectorate at that time. Jordan gained full independence in 1946.

The country is a constitutional monarchy. This means the King holds wide executive and legislative powers. Today, the population is about 11.5 million people. About 95% of the population is Sunni Muslim. The remaining population is mostly Arab Christian.

The economy is a lower middle income economy. It is considered a major destination for tourism and medical tourism. However, the country faces significant challenges. Jordan has accepted many refugees from neighboring conflicts. In 2015, there were 2.1 million Palestinian refugees and 1.4 million Syrian refugees.

This large influx of people puts a heavy strain on national resources and infrastructure. Despite these pressures, Jordan remains a vital part of the Middle East.