[syn: Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Jordan \Jordan\ prop. n.
A landlocked country of the Middle East, surrounded by
Israel, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, and that area on the
west bank of the Jordan river which was once claimed by
Jordan, and is at present occupied by Israel and in part
governed by a Palestinian authority. It has a population of
4,212,152 (1996) in a total area of 89,213 sq km. The
population is predominantly Arab and Moslem. Officially known
as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, it was formerly called
Trans-Jordan when occupied by the British. The government
is a constitutional monarchy, with King Hussein Bin Talal Al
Hashimi as its ruler since 2 May 1953. Jordan is a small
developing Arab country, having a Gross Domestic Product of
$19.3 billion in 1995. --CIA Factbook 1996.
[PJC] Jordan
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Jordan \Jor"dan\, Jorden \Jor"den\, n. [Prob. fr. the river
Jordan, and shortened fr. Jordan bottle a bottle of water
from the Jordan, brought back by pilgrims.]
[1913 Webster]
1. A pot or vessel with a large neck, formerly used by
physicians and alchemists. [Obs.] --Halliwell.
[1913 Webster]
2. A chamber pot. [Obs.] --Chaucer. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Jordan
n 1: a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John
the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan [syn: Jordan,
Jordan River]
2: an Arab kingdom in southwestern Asia on the Red Sea [syn:
Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan]
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:
Jordan
Heb. Yarden, "the descender;" Arab. Nahr-esh-Sheriah, "the
watering-place" the chief river of Palestine. It flows from
north to south down a deep valley in the centre of the country.
The name descender is significant of the fact that there is
along its whole course a descent to its banks; or it may simply
denote the rapidity with which it "descends" to the Dead Sea.
It originates in the snows of Hermon, which feed its perennial
fountains. Two sources are generally spoken of. (1.) From the
western base of a hill on which once stood the city of Dan, the
northern border-city of Palestine, there gushes forth a
considerable fountain called the Leddan, which is the largest
fountain in Syria and the principal source of the Jordan. (2.)
Beside the ruins of Banias, the ancient Caesarea Philippi and
the yet more ancient Panium, is a lofty cliff of limestone, at
the base of which is a fountain. This is the other source of the
Jordan, and has always been regarded by the Jews as its true
source. It rushes down to the plain in a foaming torrent, and
joins the Leddan about 5 miles south of Dan (Tell-el-Kady). (3.)
But besides these two historical fountains there is a third,
called the Hasbany, which rises in the bottom of a valley at the
western base of Hermon, 12 miles north of Tell-el-Kady. It joins
the main stream about a mile below the junction of the Leddan
and the Banias. The river thus formed is at this point about 45
feet wide, and flows in a channel from 12 to 20 feet below the
plain. After this it flows, "with a swift current and a
much-twisted course," through a marshy plain for some 6 miles,
when it falls into the Lake Huleh, "the waters of Merom" (q.v.).
During this part of its course the Jordan has descended about
1,100 feet. At Banias it is 1,080 feet above sea-level. Flowing
from the southern extremity of Lake Huleh, here almost on a
level with the sea, it flows for 2 miles "through a waste of
islets and papyrus," and then for 9 miles through a narrow gorge
in a foaming torrent onward to the Sea of Galilee (q.v.).
"In the whole valley of the Jordan from the Lake Huleh to the
Sea of Galilee there is not a single settled inhabitant. Along
the whole eastern bank of the river and the lakes, from the base
of Hermon to the ravine of Hieromax, a region of great
fertility, 30 miles long by 7 or 8 wide, there are only some
three inhabited villages. The western bank is almost as
desolate. Ruins are numerous enough. Every mile or two is an old
site of town or village, now well nigh hid beneath a dense
jungle of thorns and thistles. The words of Scripture here recur
to us with peculiar force: 'I will make your cities waste, and
bring your sanctuaries unto desolation...And I will bring the
land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall
be astonished at it...And your land shall be desolate, and your
cities waste. Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as
it lieth desolate' (Lev. 26:31-34).", Dr. Porter's Handbook.
From the Sea of Galilee, at the level of 682 feet below the
Mediterranean, the river flows through a long, low plain called
"the region of Jordan" (Matt. 3:5), and by the modern Arabs the
Ghor, or "sunken plain." This section is properly the Jordan of
Scripture. Down through the midst of the "plain of Jordan" there
winds a ravine varying in breadth from 200 yards to half a mile,
and in depth from 40 to 150 feet. Through it the Jordan flows in
a rapid, rugged, tortuous course down to the Dead Sea. The whole
distance from the southern extremity of the Sea of Galilee to
the Dead Sea is in a straight line about 65 miles, but following
the windings of the river about 200 miles, during which it falls
618 feet. The total length of the Jordan from Banias is about
104 miles in a straight line, during which it falls 2,380 feet.
There are two considerable affluents which enter the river
between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, both from the east.
(1.) The Wady Mandhur, called the Yarmuk by the Rabbins and the
Hieromax by the Greeks. It formed the boundary between Bashan
and Gilead. It drains the plateau of the Hauran. (2.) The Jabbok
or Wady Zerka, formerly the northern boundary of Ammon. It
enters the Jordan about 20 miles north of Jericho.
The first historical notice of the Jordan is in the account of
the separation of Abraham and Lot (Gen. 13:10). "Lot beheld the
plain of Jordan as the garden of the Lord." Jacob crossed and
recrossed "this Jordan" (32:10). The Israelites passed over it
as "on dry ground" (Josh. 3:17; Ps. 114:3). Twice afterwards its
waters were miraculously divided at the same spot by Elijah and
Elisha (2 Kings 2:8, 14).
The Jordan is mentioned in the Old Testament about one hundred
and eighty times, and in the New Testament fifteen times. The
chief events in gospel history connected with it are (1) John
the Baptist's ministry, when "there went out to him Jerusalem,
and all Judaea, and were baptized of him in Jordan" (Matt. 3:6).
(2.) Jesus also "was baptized of John in Jordan" (Mark 1:9).
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's):
Jordan, the river of judgment
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Jordan
Introduction Jordan
-------------------
Background: For most of its history since
independence from British
administration in 1946, Jordan was
ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-1999). 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, through several wars and
coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed
parliamentary elections and
gradually permitted political
liberalization; in 1994 a formal
peace treaty was signed with Israel.
King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of
King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA -
assumed the throne following his
father's death in February 1999.
Since then, he has consolidated his
power and established his domestic
priorities.
Geography Jordan
----------------
Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi
Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 92,300 sq km
water: 329 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
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
Coastline: 26 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in
west (November to April)
Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east,
highland area in west; Great Rift
Valley separates East and West Banks
of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use: arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 1.52%
other: 95.61% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water
resources; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of
the selected agreements
Geography - note: 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
People Jordan
-------------
Population: 5,307,470 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.6% (male 991,370;
female 949,247)
15-64 years: 60% (male 1,698,568;
female 1,485,261)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male
90,186; female 92,838) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.89% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 24.58 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/
female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female
(2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.71 years
female: 80.3 years (2002 est.)
male: 75.26 years
Total fertility rate: 3.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6%
(majority Greek Orthodox, but some
Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian
Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian
Orthodox, and Protestant
denominations), other 2% (several
small Shi'a Muslim and Druze
populations) (2001 est.)
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely
understood among upper and middle
classes
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 86.6%
male: 93.4%
female: 79.4% (1995 est.)
Government Jordan
-----------------
Country name: conventional long form: Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local short form: Al Urdun
local long form: Al Mamlakah al
Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
former: Transjordan
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Amman
Administrative divisions: 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular
- muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al
Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman,
At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid,
Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations
mandate under British
administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Constitution: 8 January 1952
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French
codes; judicial review of
legislative acts in a specially
provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King ABDALLAH II
(since 7 February 1999); Crown
Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the
monarch, born 29 March 1980)
head of government: Prime Minister
Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
prime minister in consultation with
the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is
hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or
Majlis al-'Umma consists of the
Senate, also called the House of
Notables (Majlis al-Aayan), a 40-
member body appointed by the monarch
from designated categories of public
figures; members serve four-year
terms and the House of
Representatives, also called the
House of Deputies (Majlis al-
Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected
by popular vote on the basis of
proportional representation to serve
four-year terms
elections: House of Representatives
- last held 4 November 1997
(November 2001 election postponed,
next to be held NA)
note: the House of Representatives
has been convened and dissolved by
the monarch several times since
1974; in November 1989, the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years
were held
election results: House of
Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party -
National Constitutional Party 2,
Arab Land Party 1, independents 75,
other 2
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation; Supreme Court
(court of final appeal)
Political parties and leaders: Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-
HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab
Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN,
secretary general]; Jordanian
Democratic Popular Unity Party
[Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general];
National Constitutional Party [Abdul
Hadi MAJALI, secretary general];
Islamic Action Front [Abd al latif
al-ARABIYAT, secretary general];
National Action (Haqq) Party
[Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary
general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th
Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary
general]; Jordanian People's
Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-
NAHHAS, secretary general]; Pan-Arab
(Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-
NUWAYHI, secretary general];
Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL,
secretary general]; Jordanian
Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI,
secretary general]; Communist Party
[Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and Jordanian Press Association [Sayf
leaders: al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT,
secretary general]; Anti-
Normalization Committee [Ali Abu
SUKKAR, president vice chairman];
Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh
ARMOUTI, president]
International organization ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU,
participation: CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA,
UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT,
UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marwan
Jamil MUASHER
chancery: 3504 International Drive
NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Edward
US: William GNEHM, Jr.
embassy: Abdoun, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box 354,
Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-
0200
telephone: [962] (6) 5920101
FAX: [962] (6) 5920121
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of
black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate
of Islam), white (the Ummayyad
Caliphate of Islam), and green (the
Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a
red isosceles triangle (representing
the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based
on the hoist side bearing a small
white seven-pointed star symbolizing
the seven verses of the opening Sura
(Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the
seven points on the star represent
faith in One God, humanity, national
spirit, humility, social justice,
virtue, and aspirations
Economy Jordan
--------------
Economy - overview: Jordan is a small Arab country with
inadequate supplies of water and
other natural resources such as oil.
Debt, poverty, and unemployment are
fundamental problems, but King
ABDALLAH since assuming the throne
in 1999 has undertaken some broad
economic reforms in a long-term
effort to improve living standards.
Amman in the past three years has
signed on to an IMF agreement,
practiced careful monetary policy,
and made significant headway with
privatization. The government also
has liberalized the trade regime
sufficiently to secure Jordan's
membership in the WTrO, an
association agreement with the EU,
and a free trade accord with US.
These measures have helped improve
productivity and have put Jordan on
the foreign investment map. Ongoing
challenges include fiscal adjustment
to reduce the budget deficit and
broader investment incentives to
promote job-creating ventures.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.6
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 26%
services: 70.3% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 30% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 3.3%
percentage share: highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini 36.4 (1997)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 1.26 million
note: in addition, at least 300,000
workers are employed abroad (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 82.5%, industry 12.5%,
agriculture 5% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16% official rate; actual rate is
25%-30% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.9 billion
expenditures: $3.1 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2001 est.)
Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum
refining, cement, potash, light
manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 6.932 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.44%
hydro: 0.56%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 7.092 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 650 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes,
melons, olives; sheep, goats,
poultry
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash,
agricultural products, manufactures,
pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, US,
Indonesia, UAE, Lebanon, Kuwait,
Syria, Ethiopia
Imports: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport
equipment, food, live animals,
manufactured goods
Imports - partners: Iraq, Germany, US, Saudi Arabia,
Japan, UK, Italy, Turkey, Malaysia,
Syria, China
Debt - external: $7.9 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $850 million (1996 est.)
Currency: Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Currency code: JOD
Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars per US dollar -
0.7090 (1996-present )
note: since May 1989, the Jordanian
dinar has been pegged to a group of
currencies
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Jordan
---------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 403,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 11,500 (1995)
Telephone system: general assessment: service has
improved recently with the increased
use of digital switching equipment,
but better access to the telephone
system is needed in the rural areas
and easier access to pay telephones
is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay
transmission and coaxial and fiber-
optic cable are employed on trunk
lines; considerable use of mobile
cellular systems; Internet service
is available
international: satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat,
and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat
terminals; fiber-optic cable to
Saudi Arabia and microwave radio
relay link with Egypt and Syria;
connection to international
submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic
Link Around the Globe); participant
in MEDARABTEL; international links
total about 4,000
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios: 1.66 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 500,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .jo
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)
Internet users: 210,000 (2001)
Transportation Jordan
---------------------
Railways: total: 677 km
narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge
(2001)
Highways: total: 8,000 km
paved: 8,000 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 209 km; note - may not be
in use
Ports and harbors: Al 'Aqabah
Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 41,206 GRT/53,401 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3,
container 1, roll on/roll off 2
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Greece 6 (2002 est.)
Airports: 18 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2001)
914 to 1,523 m: 1
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Jordan
---------------
Military branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) Royal
Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval
Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force,
and Special Operations Command or
Socom); note - Public Security
Directorate normally falls under
Ministry of Interior but comes under
JAF in wartime or crisis situations
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,517,751 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,073,991 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching males: 57,131 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $757.5 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 8.6% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Jordan
---------------------------
Disputes - international: none
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Jordan, MT -- U.S. town in Montana
Population (2000): 364
Housing Units (2000): 233
Land area (2000): 0.355158 sq. miles (0.919855 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.355158 sq. miles (0.919855 sq. km)
FIPS code: 39925
Located within: Montana (MT), FIPS 30
Location: 47.321151 N, 106.910642 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 59337
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Jordan, MT
Jordan
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Jordan, NY -- U.S. village in New York
Population (2000): 1314
Housing Units (2000): 542
Land area (2000): 1.155944 sq. miles (2.993882 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.155944 sq. miles (2.993882 sq. km)
FIPS code: 38825
Located within: New York (NY), FIPS 36
Location: 43.065779 N, 76.472915 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 13080
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Jordan, NY
Jordan
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Jordan, MN -- U.S. city in Minnesota
Population (2000): 3833
Housing Units (2000): 1423
Land area (2000): 2.613680 sq. miles (6.769401 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.022625 sq. miles (0.058599 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 2.636305 sq. miles (6.828000 sq. km)
FIPS code: 32174
Located within: Minnesota (MN), FIPS 27
Location: 44.668459 N, 93.632483 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 55352
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Jordan, MN
Jordan