ABOUT JORDAN
The land of Jordan and its people have been molded by centuries of passing civilizations. Jordan has always been at a cross-road between east and west, and its centrality has given it strategic and economic importance, making it a vital trading and communication link between countries, people and continents.
Situated at the heart of the Arabian peninsula, Jordan is a small country that can be crossed by car in approximately four hours. However, its diverse terrain and landscape impart a feeling of it being larger than it actually is. Jordan's population adds up to approximately 6.2 million, its high fertility rate of 5.2 and declining mortality rate result in a high population increase, which averages 3.8% annually.
The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken. Jordan Television and Radio Jordan both have an English service. French and German are spoken by a few people who have commercial or cultural interests in France or Germany. A daily English newspaper, “The Jordan Times “, and a weekly, “The Star”, which has a French section are published in Amman. Jordan is GMT+2 and GMT+3 from April to September. Main cities in Jordan are Amman, Zarqa, Irbid, Jerash, Salt, Madaba and Aqaba. There are many historic and beautiful sites in Jordan: To the south of Jordan , are the ruins of the 2000-year-old city of Petra, carved out of the rose-color sandstone cliffs and used in the final sequence of "Indiana Jones and the last crusade" movie. Petra recently joined the list of the world's seven wonders (second in the number of votes).
To the north of Amman, Jerash , the worlds best-preserved Roman city , is situated. The Red Sea resort of Aqaba is famous for its splendid underwater scenery. Feel the romance of the Arabian desert in the spring time… or any time, at Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum most resembles a moonscape of ancient valleys and towering weathered sandstone mountains rising out of the white and pink colored sands. Much of David Lean’s ”Lawrence of Arabia” was filmed there. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, 422 meters (1,385 feet) below sea level. It is the saltiest and most mineral-laden sea in the world. The beneficial effects of the Dead Sea's raw materials on the skin and their unique therapeutic and beautifying powers have been recognized since ancient times.
