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visit the highlights of Jordan in 11 days
We
Ship Bedouin Dress Worldwide
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please send us your post office address we shall then send you
package of brochures about Jordan |
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Area:
total: 92,300 sq km
water: 329 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km
Land boundaries: total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia
744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in
west (November to April) Elevation extremes: lowest point:
Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jebel
Um Adaami 1,868
m Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in
west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the
Jordan River Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale
oil Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh
water resources; soil erosion; deforestation;
overgrazing; desertification
For
most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946,
Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully
navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various
Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite
several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections
and gradually political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a formal peace treaty
with Israel.
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Jordan the Holy Land
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Historical Sites |
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Many places named in the Bible
today are located in Jordan. To name a few: along the 6.000 years old King’s
Highway you travel through the kingdoms of Ammon, Moab and Edom. From Mount
Nebo you can see the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and Jericho, just like Moses did
when he first caught a glimpse of the Holy Land. Near the river Jordan you
will find Bethany, the place where John the Baptist lived and to which Jesus
fled for safety after being threatened with stoning in Jerusalem. During
the Byzantine Empire, which reigned from 330 to 640 AD, Jordan’s population
increased and was apparently prosperous. The most common religion in those
days was that of the early Christians. Throughout the country there are
still a lot of archaeological remains to be found. The famous Byzantine
mosaics even now are very impressive. Mosaics were made in private homes,
but nowadays it’s mostly churches which are open for visiting. During your
trip you will visit Madaba and see the masterpiece: the 6th century map of
Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Other places with Byzantine sights you will
visit are Jerash and Umm Qais. |
Jordan also was the battleground of the
crusades. When the Arabs attacked the holy places of the Byzantines, the
crusaders came to their aid. Along the King’s Highway you visit the castles
of Karak and Shobak, both strategically built on top of a mountain. Even if
you only want to admire the view it’s worth visiting the castles. It was in
Karak where Saladin and Richard Lionheart fought their battles.After the Byzantine period Islam became the most
common religion in Jordan. The empire of the famous Umayyad dynasty reached
from Central Asia to Spain.The Umayyad built the Alhambra in Granada,
the Mezquita in Cordoba and the famous mosques in Damascus and Aleppo. In
Jordan they built several palaces, mainly in the eastern desert, which in
those days was far greener than nowadays and was used as hunting ground. Jordan, the historical and cultural legacy
The history of Jordan dates back long time.
Jordan was inhabited by people as early as the Stone Age. It has undergone
influences of the Persians, the Nabateans, the Greeks, the Romans, the
Arabs, the Mamluks and the Ottomans. During the beginning of the 20th
century the Arab tribes fought for their independence. After the battle, in
which the well-known Lawrence of Arabia played an important role, finally in
1921 Britain recognized Transjordan as an independent state. After the
Second World War Britain gave up its mandate on Transjordan and Jordan
became the independent Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The most beautiful
witnesses of this rich history are Petra and Jerash. |
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