Jordan in a Glance

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is located in the heart of the Middle-East. Jordan has borders with Syria to the North, Iraq to the East, Saudi Arabia to the South East, and Palestine and Israel to the West. Jordan’s only port, Aqaba, is located at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba.

Jordan enjoys a variety of geographical features, starting from the Jordan Rift Valley in the West, which is an extension of the Great Rift Valley that runs through Kenya and Tanzania in Africa, ending at the desert plateau of the East. Jordan boasts a diversity of landscapes including deserts, forests, marshes, beaches, plains, rolling hills and fertile river valleys

• Geographic co-ordinates: 29–33 N, 35-39 E
• Total area: 89,210 sq. km (34, 445 sq. miles)
• Total population: approx. 6 million inhabitants
• Capital: Amman (1.7 million inhabitants)
• Lowest point: Dead Sea (the lowest point on Earth), -408 meters (- 1338.6 feet)
• Highest point: Jebel Rum ( Mount Rum ), 1,734 meters (5689 feet)
• Time: October – March: GMT + 2; April – September: GMT + 3
• Language: The official language is Arabic. Almost 80% of the country speaks English. French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent.
• Public Holidays.

Friday and Saturday are the official weekend holiday in Jordan

Engaging Culture Article: is Jordan safe?

 Holidays in 2011

Banks, businesses, Government offices and many shops close all day for public holidays.

Fixed public holidays include:

• 1^st January: New Year
• 1^st May: Labour Day
• 25^th May: Independence Day
• 25^th December: Christmas Day

A number of public holidays are not fixed. These include Easter and the following Islamic holidays, which are based on the lunar calendar.

• Tuesday 15 February 2011: Prophet Mohammad's birthday*
• Wednesday 31 August to Saturday 3 September 2011: Eid Al Fitr*
• Sunday 6 November to Thursday 10 November 2011: Eid Al Adha*
• Saturday 26 November 2011: Hijra New Year*

^* Dates differ according to the lunar calendar.

 

 Weather

The climate is mainly Mediterranean with hot dry summers and cool wet winters.

Average temperatures

	Amman	Aqaba
January	7 (45)	16 (61)
April	16 (60.8)	24 (75.7)
July	25 (76)	31 (88)
*Centigrade (Fahrenheit).

 

 Accommodation

There are several luxurious hotels throughout the country. They can easily be found in cities such as Amman, Petra, Aqaba, and the Dead Sea most of which are run by well-known international chains.

Hotel’s grading ranges from one to five-star in Jordan. Four and five-star hotels have nightclubs and live music performances.

A wide range of serviced apartments, rest houses and suites are also available for rent with sleeping and dining facilities. They are located in key sites throughout the country.

 

 Culture & Traditions

Jordan is steeped in history and culture. Jordanians are warm, friendly and hospitable. They are proud of their Arab heritage and are happy to act as hosts and guides.

As Jordan is primarily a Muslim country - although the freedom of all religions is protected - conservative dress for both men and women is advisable outside the cities.

Wherever you go in Jordan, you will find plenty of opportunities to shop. There is a wide range of locally made handicrafts and other goods available. The souks in Jordan’s larger towns and cities are treasure troves for those seeking something a little bit out of the ordinary. Amman offers sophisticated shops and boutiques selling the very latest fashions in clothing, jewellery, accessories, leather and electronic goods.

 

 Currency

The unit of currency in Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar (JD). There are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 JD notes. The Dinar is divided into 100 piasters or 1000 fils.

Exchange rates are set daily by the Jordanian Central Bank and are published in local newspapers and online. The Dollar’s rate is set at 0,70 Dinar. Currency or traveller’s checks can be exchanged at banks, exchange booths and hotels. ATMs are available throughout the country.

 

 Banking

• Foreigners are permitted to open accounts at Jordanian banks in either Jordanian Dinar or in foreign currencies.
• There are no restrictions on transferring funds in or out of the country.

• Money Transfers
  • Quick money transfers are available through Western Union and MoneyGram.
• Credit Cards
  

  Credit cards and travellers checks are accepted at most hotels, car rental companies, shops and restaurants. Major cards accepted are: Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club.

Business Hours

Working week is from Sunday to Thursday.

Working Hours

• Government Offices: 8:00 – 15:00
• Banks: 8:30 – 15:00
• Shops/markets: 9:00 – 20:00
• Museums: open daily except Tuesdays.

^**** Business hours are shorter during Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.

^** ** Many Muslim shop owners’ close on Friday, and some Christians on Sunday. However, the markets and street stalls downtown remain open all week long.

 

 Taxes

Jordanians earning money must, by law, report to the tax department. According to the Jordanian Law, foreign companies are taxable only if they generate income or if they sell products or services in Jordan.

Therefore, foreign cast and crew will not be liable to pay taxes on their income in Jordan.

 

 Visa

Visitors with a valid passport may obtain a visa at any Jordanian Embassy or Consulate abroad. Depending on the nationality, a visa can also be obtained at Amman’s Queen Alia Airport. Visas are usually valid for two weeks, but can be extended at any police station.

No inoculations are required for entry in Jordan, although shots for hepatitis, polio, tetanus and typhoid are recommended.

 

 Education

Education in Jordan is free and compulsory starting at the age of five.

Jordan invests in higher education and has a wide range of public and private universities, community colleges, vocational training centres, as well as many IT initiatives throughout the Kingdom.

 

 Electrical Current

The electrical current in Jordan is reliable and uninterrupted. Electricity supply is 220 volts / 50 Cycles AC. In general, the plug is a two-pronged type. The British plug, with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade, is also common.

American equipment requires both an adaptor and transformer.

A variety of adaptors and transformers are available in electrical shops throughout Jordan.

 

 Healthcare

Jordan’s health care services are excellent in the larger cities and towns. There are many well-equipped private and public hospitals as well as clinics.

Most doctors speak English. Larger hotels have doctors on call. Over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications are readily available across the country.

 

 Media

• News Agencies
• Petra is the official news agency of Jordan
• Press
  • There are several daily Arabic newspapers, weekly and monthly magazines. In addition one daily, a weekly and several monthly magazines are published in English.
  • Many regional and international newspapers and magazines are widely available at bookshops and news stands.
• Television & Radio
  • The television standard is PAL.
  • Jordan Television broadcasts in Arabic, English and French. www.jrtv.jo
  • Foreign language satellite channels are widely available in the country as in most hotels.
  • Radio Jordan broadcasts in Arabic and English.
  • A number of privately owned channels are available on FM in both Arabic and English.

 

 Telecommunications

• Telephone services within Jordan are efficient and reliable.
• Directories in Arabic and English are widely available and international calls can be made from public and private phones.
• Fax services are available at most hotels while telegrams can be sent from post offices.
• Broadband internet access is widespread via cafes and hotels. Major ISPs: Wanadoo, Batelco, Cyberia.
• Jordan’s country code: 962 (followed by 6 for Amman).
• Mobile network: GSM 900. Various operators are available (Orange, Zain, Umniah, Xpress).

 

 Post

Post office opening hours are:

• Sat-Thurs 07:00-17:00
• There are also a number of international courier services, including DHL, FedEx, TNT International, UPS, Aramex, etc.

 

 Weights & Measures

Jordan operates on the metric system.

 

 Transportation

Amman and other cities are relatively small, and most places of interest, hotels and restaurants are well known. Moving inside the Kingdom is very easy too.

• By Road
  • Signposts are in both Arabic and English.
  • A standard issue road map can be found at most news stands.
  • Driving in Jordan is on the right-hand side of the road.
  • The legal driving age is 18 and one must have a valid international driving license.

  Jordan has border crossings with Syria in the north, Iraq in the east, Saudi Arabia in the south and with Palestine & Israel in the west and south.

  Jordan has a fine roads system that is constantly being upgraded.

  Distance Chart.

• By Rail
  

  The Hijaz Railway train runs between Amman and the Syrian capital, Damascus, once a week. This is the only passenger train that runs through Jordan.

• By Air
  • Queen Alia International Airport is located 35 km south of the capital, Amman.
  • King Hussein International Airport, Located in the city of Aqaba
  • Amman Marka Airport, used for domestic and charter flights.
• By Sea
  • Car and passenger ferries from Aqaba to Sharm El Sheik, Egypt and Aqaba to Nuweiba, Egypt operate daily along with a high-speed hydrofoil service.
  • A weekly passenger service also operates to Suez, Egypt and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

  Jordan’s only port is Aqaba situated on the Red Sea.