|
|
| HOME | I. Introduction
Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of (Arabic Al Mamlakah al Urdunniyah al Hashimiyah),
kingdom in southwestern Asia, bounded on the north by Syria, on the east
by Iraq and Saudi Arabia, on the south by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf of
Aqaba, and on the west by Israel and the West Bank, an area previously
held by Jordan that has been occupied by Israel since 1967. The area of
Jordan is 89,556 sq km (34,578 sq mi). Amman is the capital and largest
city of Jordan.
II. Land and Resources The principal geographical feature of Jordan is an arid plateau that
thrusts abruptly upward on the eastern shores of the Jordan River and the
Dead Sea, reaching a height of about 610 to 915 m (about 2,000 to 3,000
ft), then sloping gently downward toward the Syrian Desert in the extreme
east of the country. The Jordan Valley is in the deep depression of the
Great Rift Valley, which is 209 m (686 ft) below sea level in the area
of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and 408 m (1,340 ft) below sea level
at the Dead Sea, the world's lowest point. Deep canyons and mountainous
outcroppings with elevations of approximately 1,500 m (approximately 4,900
ft) and more characterize the Arabian Plateau in the southern portion of
the country. The Jordan River, forming the country's border with Israel
and the West Bank, is the heart of the country's drainage system.
A. Climate The climate of Jordan is marked by sharp seasonal variations in both
temperature and precipitation. Temperatures below freezing are not unknown
in January, the coldest month, but the average winter temperature is above
7° C (45° F). In the Jordan Valley summer temperatures may reach
49° C (120° F) in August, the hottest month, but the average summer
temperature in Amman is 26° C (78° F). Precipitation is confined
largely to the winter season and ranges from about 660 mm (about 26 in)
in the northwestern corner to less than 127 mm (less than 5 in) in the
extreme east.
B. Vegetation and Animal Life Because much of Jordan consists of desert and steppe, plant life is
not abundant. Grassland and wooded areas are found in the Jabal Ajlun district
between Amman and the Syrian border. In these regions the trees include
willow, oleander and tamarisk along the lower Jordan River valley and also
ilex, olive, Aleppo pine, and palm. Wildlife includes the hyena, hyrax,
gazelle, ibex, fox, partridge, mongoose, and mole rat; birds are also well-represented.
C. Mineral Resources Except for potash and phosphate deposits, Jordan has few known mineral resources that are large enough for commercial exploitation.
|
|
|
|
