Jordan
Bible stories, lost cities, Lawrence of Arabia - Jordan has romantic associations up to its eyeballs. It is a country that ought to be awash with tourists, but the Middle Easts bad reputation has kept them away in droves. Do not be fooled: Jordan is, on the whole, peaceful.
More than that, it is one of the most welcoming, hospitable countries in the world. Where else could you leave your belongings on the street for hours at a time, and find them there when you get back? Where else do total strangers with nothing to sell invite you into their homes?
Jordan is not just a friendly cup of tea with the locals, though. It is also home to two of the most spectacular sights in the Middle East. Petra, the ancient city of the Nabateans, may be overrun with snap-happy day-trippers, but that does not change the fact that it is one of the worlds most atmospheric ruins. For a slightly more contemplative experience, the startling desert scenery of Wadi Rum enraptured Lawrence of Arabia and has caused more than one traveller to don a kaffiyeh and gaze defiantly into the middle distance.
Full country name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Area: 89,206 sq km
Population: 5.46million
Capital City: Amman (pop 1.7 million)
People: Arab (60% Palestinian, many refugees), Circassians,Chechens,Armenians
Language: Arabic, English
Religion: 96% Sunni Muslim, 4% Christian
Government: constitutional monarchy
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ali Abu al-Ragheb
GDP: US$15.5 billion
GDP per capita:US$3,500
AnnualGrowth:5%
Inflation: 4%
Major Industries: Minerals, petroleum refining, tourism, agriculture Major Trading Partners: India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, European Union, United States, Iraq
Petra
The jewel of South Jordan is Petra, the unique, 2,000-year-old rock-carved city, the pink and salmon coloured capital of the Nabataean Arabs. Petra is always breath-taking, never to be forgotten. It flourished for over 400 years around the time of Rome and Christ, until it was occupied by the Roman legions of the Emperor Trajan in 106 AD. The Petra basin boasts over 800 individual monuments that were mostly carved from the kaleidoscopic sandstone by the technical and artistic genius of theNabataeans. The wealth and political power of this indigenous Arab people derived from their control of the international trade routes that linked China, India and Southern Arabia with the wealthy Mediterranean markets Greece, Rome, Egypt and Syria.
The drama of visiting Petra starts with the journey, on horseback, horse-drawn carriage or foot, into the mountain-ringed city along the siq, a winding, one kilometer long fissure through the surrounding and overhanging cliffs. At the end of the siq, you experience a thrill that is as dramatic today as it was two millennia ago: suddenly, turning the corner and passing beneath two overhanging cliffs, you come face-to-face with the Khasneh (The Treasury), the baroque Greek temple-style royal tomb that is Petras most famous and impressive monument.
Aman
Amman, the capital of the Kingdom of Jordan, emerged at the beginning of human civilization. First the Assyrians, then Babylonians, Greeks, Arabs, Jews and Byzantines traded, moved armies and lived here, each leaving evidence of their art, religion and culture. The Nabateans, a nomadic Arabic tribe, carved the legendary city of Petra out of red sandstone rock, a monument still visible today.
Modern Amman proudly preserves its ancient past, while thriving in business and commerce and offering the best of the Middle East in arts and entertainment. Jordan is a developing nation with longstanding ties to the West and known for its warm hospitality to visitors, making it a favorite of international tourists and students.
