Jordan:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of Jordan:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, 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 gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. Municipal elections were held in July 2007 under a system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils were reserved by quota for women. Parliamentary elections were held in November 2007 and saw independent pro-government candidates win the vast majority of seats. In November 2007, King Abdallah instructed his new prime minister to focus on socioeconomic reform, developing a healthcare and housing network for civilians and military personnel, and improving the educational system.

Location	Definition Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates	Definition 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references	Definition Middle East
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 92,300 sq km land: 91,971 sq km water: 329 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries	Definition total: 1,635 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline	Definition 26 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate	Definition mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain	Definition mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Natural resources	Definition phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 3.32% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 95.5% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition 750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	Definition 0.9 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	Definition total: 1.01 cu km/yr (21%/4%/75%) per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	Definition droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues	Definition limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements	Definition party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note	Definition strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank

Jordan: Geography

Jordan:
Geography