Jordan
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This article is about the country. For other uses, see Jordan (disambiguation).
| Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية
Al-Mamlakah Al-Urdunnīyah Al-Hāshimīyah | ||||||
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| Motto: "God, Country, King" الله، الوطن، الملك (Arabic) Allah, Al-Waṭan, Al-Malik[1] | ||||||
| Anthem: (English: The Royal Anthem of Jordan) السلام الملكي الأردني Al-Salam Al-Malaki Al-Urduni | ||||||
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_-_JOR_-_UNOCHA.svg)
Map of Jordan showing influential governorate centers
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| Capital and largest city | Amman 31°57′N 35°56′E | |||||
| Official languages | Arabic | |||||
| Ethnic groups |
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| Demonym | Jordanian | |||||
| Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | |||||
| • | King | Abdullah II | ||||
| • | Prime Minister | Hani Al-Mulki | ||||
| Legislature | Parliament | |||||
| • | Upper house | Senate | ||||
| • | Lower house | Chamber of Deputies | ||||
| Independence from Britain | ||||||
| • | Emirate of Transjordan | 11 April 1921 | ||||
| • | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | 25 May 1946 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| • | Total | 89,341 km2 (112th) 35,637 sq mi | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| • | June 2016 estimate | 9,710,752[2] | ||||
| • | November 2015 census | 9,531,712 | ||||
| • | Density | 107/km2 (100th) 276/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2015 estimate | |||||
| • | Total | $82.991 billion[3] (87th) | ||||
| • | Per capita | $12,162[3] (86th) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2015 estimate | |||||
| • | Total | $38.210 billion[3](92nd) | ||||
| • | Per capita | $5,599[3] (95th) | ||||
| Gini (2011) | 35.4[4] medium | |||||
| HDI (2014) |  0.748[5]high · 80th | |||||
| Currency | Jordanian dinar (JOD) | |||||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |||||
| • | Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||||
| Drives on the | right | |||||
| Calling code | +962 | |||||
| ISO 3166 code | JO | |||||
| Internet TLD | ||||||
Jordan (/ˈdʒɔːrdən/; Arabic: الأردن Al-Urdunn), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Arabic: المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية Al-Mamlakah Al-Urdunnīyah Al-Hāshimīyah), is an Arab kingdom in Western Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north, Israel, Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west and the Red Sea in its extreme south-west.[6] Jordan has a strategic location at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe.[7] The city of Amman is the capital and most populous city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political and cultural centre.[8]
Inhabited since the Paleolithic period by individual communities, three self-governed kingdoms later emerged on the territory of modern Jordan at the very end of the Bronze Age: Ammon, Moab and Edom.[9]The lands were later part of several kingdoms and empires, most notably the Nabatean Kingdom, the Roman Empire and finally the Ottoman Empire.[10] After the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in 1916, the Ottoman Empire was partitioned in the aftermath of World War I by Britain and France. The Emirate of Transjordan was established in 1921 by the then Emir Abdullah I and the Emirate became a British protectorate. Transjordan was officially recognized by the Council of the League of Nations the same year.[11] In 1946, Jordan became an independent sovereign state officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan. Jordan captured the West Bank during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the name of the state was changed to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949.[12]
Jordan is a relatively small semi-arid almost landlocked country with a population numbering at 9.5 million.[6] In the midst of surrounding turmoil, it has been greatly hospitable, accepting refugees from almost all surrounding conflicts as early as 1948, with most notably the estimated 2 million Palestinians and the 1.4 million Syrian refugees residing in the country.[13] Jordan continues to demonstrate hospitality, despite the substantial strain the influx of Syrian refugees put on national systems and infrastructure.[14] The kingdom is also a refuge to thousands of Iraqi Christians fleeing the Islamic State.[15] Jordan is considered to be among the safest of Arab countries in the Middle East,[16] and has historically managed to keep itself away from terrorism and instability.[17] Jordan has large investments despite having very limited natural resources.[18]
Jordan is a constitutional monarchy, and the king holds wide executive and legislative powers.[19] Jordan is classified as a country of "high human development" by the 2015 Human Development Report.[5]Jordan has an "upper middle income" economy,[20] and its economy has been severely affected by regional turmoil.[21] The country is a major tourist destination in the region,[22] and also attracts medical tourismdue to its well developed health sector.[23] Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.[24] The kingdom is one of two Arab states to have signed a peace treatywith Israel.[25] Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Jordan making about 92% of the country's population, coexisting with an indigenous Christian minority.[26]