The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Official Name
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Official Language
Arabic is the official language, although English is used in the commercial world and by many Jordanians as a second language.

Main Cities
Amman, Zerqa, Aqaba, Irbid, Salt, Karak, Mafraq, Ma`an, Tafeeleh, Jerash, Ajloun, Madaba.

Capital
Amman (population: 2,125,400)

Population
5,473,000 (year 2005)

Immigration Requirements
A valid passport with visas obtained in advance from Jordanian Consulates and Embassies is required. A visa may also be issued on arrival in Jordan for most nationalities.

Communication
One land telephone network is available (Jordan Telecom Group) and four GSM cellular networks (Zain, Orange -Mobile, Umniah, Xpress) with a national coverage and international roaming services.

Internet and Data Communication
Jordan currently offers both Internet and X.25 Data Communication. International travelers can connect with these networks through local access numbers.

Internet Providers
Here are a few of the many internet providers in Jordan:

Orange - Internet	06 4608888
Cyberia	06 5515333
Batelco	06 5510101

Postage
Stamps can be purchased at hotels and post offices.
Mail boxes are at post offices but hotels will also often post letters for you.

Time
Jordan is two hours ahead of GMT, seven hours ahead of USA Eastern Time, eight hours ahead of USA Central Time, nine hours ahead of USA Mountain Time, ten hours ahead of USA Pacific Time.

Electric Current
220 volts/ 50 cycles AC

Climate
Jordan enjoys a long spring and autumn. Aqaba, on the Red Sea, is a little warmer and sunny in the winter.

Average temperatures:

	Amman	Aqaba
Jan	8.1°C/46.5°F	15.6°C/60°F
Apr	32.5°C/90°F	24.3°C/75.7°F
Jul - Sep	32.5°C/90°F	32.5°C/90°F
Nov	15.3°C/59.5°F	15.3°C/59.5°F

Currency
One Jordanian dinar (JD) is divided into 1,000 fils. Some Jordanians refer to piasters or Quirsh instead of fils. There are 100 piasters to the dinar.
Notes: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 dinars. Coins: 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 fils.

Around Amman
Taxis: Yellow Taxi, with meters are inexpensive and the most convenient form of transport, stopping on request. Though there is no standard fare all taxies have a meter. Another form of transport is the white Service Taxi system serves set routes fair is set by Ministry of transport. (cheaper than taxis).

Buses: There are good public bus services between major points in Amman. JETT bus company (Tel. 06 5664146) operates from Amman to other Jordanian cities and to neighboring countries.

Airport: Amman's Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) is located 32 km south of the city and is served by regular taxis. For (QAIA) flight information call 06 4452700.

Chartered flights: Arab Wings provides worldwide 24 hours executive jet charter services (Tel. 06 4895103). Regular flights to Aqaba Airport are operated by Royal Wings and other airlines.

State and Government
A constitutional monarchy, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has been ruled by the late King Hussein since 1952. His Majesty King Abdullah, appointed in 1999, currently rules Jordan.

Executive power is vested in the Council of Ministers which is appointed by the King, and which is accountable to a two house parliament. The 40 members of the Upper House are appointed by the king, while the 110 deputies of the Lower House are elected by universal suffrage.

Constitutional provisions define the rights and duties of Jordanian citizens, while guaranteeing the right of free worship, opinion, press, association and private property. For decades Jordan has enjoyed a remarkable political stability.

Geography and History
Positioned at the convergence of the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, the Kingdom's 96188 square kilometers provide a diverse variety of landscapes. From the hills and mountains of the geographic center of Jordan, the Badia Plains extend in an eastward direction into Saudi Arabia. The fertile Rift Valley forms the western boundary along which the Jordan River flows, and it terminates in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth at 400 meters below sea level. The Port of Aqaba provides Jordan with an outlet to the Red Sea.

Many civilizations have sought to control the strategic geographic location of Jordan, and parts of Jordan have at one time or another been under the dominion of the Sumerian, Mesopotamian... empires, eventually falling under the rule of the Greek, Roman and Persian classical civilizations.

Since the 7^th century Jordan had been ruled by various Arab and Islamic dynasties, the last being the Ottoman Empire. What was in 1920 called Transjordan was placed under British Mandate by the League of Nations.

The British Mandate expired in 1946, and since that time Transjordan, now called the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has been a constitutional monarchy.

Education
Priority is given to education in Jordan, rendering it one of the most literate populations in the Middle East and North Africa. Nowadays, the literacy rate exceeds 90%. For expatriates wishing to live in Jordan, schools in Amman offer high quality education in Arabic, English and French. The Kingdom has 24 universities offering students advanced degrees in the arts and sciences & there are a lot of public and privet schools all around Jordan.