Jordan

Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and both Israel and Palestine (West Bank) to the west. The Jordan River, flowing into the Dead Sea, is located along the country's western border within the Jordan Rift Valley. Jordan has a small coastline along the Red Sea in its southwest, separated by the Gulf of Aqaba from Egypt. Amman is the country's capital and largest city, as well as the most populous city in the Levant.

Inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period, three kingdoms developed in Transjordan during the Iron Age: Ammon, Moab, and Edom. In the third century BC, the Arab Nabataeans established their kingdom centered in Petra. The Greco-Roman period saw the establishment of several cities in Transjordan that comprised the Decapolis. After the end of Byzantine rule, the region became part of the Islamic caliphates of the Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid, and the Ottoman. Following the 1916 Great Arab Revolt during World War I, former Ottoman Syria was partitioned, leading to the establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921, which became a British protectorate. In 1946, Jordan gained independence and became officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Jordan is a semi-arid country, covering an area of 89,342 km² with a population of 11.5 million, making it the eleventh-most populous Arab country. The dominant majority, or around 95% of the country's population, is Sunni Muslim, with the rest being mostly Arab Christian. Jordan was mostly unscathed by the violence that swept the region following the Arab Spring in 2010. From as early as 1948, Jordan has accepted refugees from multiple neighbouring countries in conflict.

The sovereign state is a semi-constitutional monarchy, but the king holds wide executive and legislative powers. Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Jordan has a high Human Development Index, ranking 100th, and is considered a lower middle income economy. The Jordanian economy, one of the smallest economies in the region, is attractive to foreign investors based upon a skilled workforce. Jordan is a major tourist destination, also attracting medical tourism with its well-developed health sector. Nonetheless, a lack of natural resources, large flow of refugees, and regional turmoil have hampered economic growth.

Etymology

See also: Jordan River § Etymology

Jordan is named after the Jordan River. The river runs along the country's northwestern border. The river's name may mean "flow down" or "descend" because it flows downhill. People have used this name for a long time. Ancient writings mention a place called Yārdon. Different cultures have called the area east of the river "across the Jordan."

History

Main article: History of Jordan

Ancient period

The oldest known evidence of human habitation in Jordan dates back at least 200,000 years. Jordan is rich in ancient human remains because of its location and climate, which helped preserve many sites. Scientists have found some of the world's oldest evidence of bread-making at a site in Jordan's northeastern desert that is 14,500 years old.

During a time between 10,000 and 4,500 BC, people in Jordan moved from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to living in large agricultural villages. One such village, located near present-day Amman, is one of the largest known prehistoric settlements. Many plaster statues of humans from this time have been uncovered there. During another period between 4500 and 3600 BC, several villages emerged in different parts of Jordan.

Fortified towns and urban centers first appeared in the region early in a time between 3600 and 1200 BC. One area became a regional center for extracting copper. Trade and movement of people in the Middle East increased, causing cultural innovations and whole civilizations to spread. Villages in Jordan expanded in areas with water and arable land. Egyptian populations expanded towards the region and came to control both sides of the Jordan River.

During a time between 1200 and 332 BC, after the Egyptians left, Jordan was home to three kingdoms. These kingdoms spoke languages from a certain group. Ammon was located near Amman; Moab east of the Dead Sea; and Edom around Wadi Araba in the south. The northwestern region of Jordan, known then as Gilead, was settled by the Israelites.

The three kingdoms often clashed with neighboring Hebrew kingdoms centered west of the Jordan River. One record of this is a stone erected by a Moabite king in 840 BC. In an inscription on it, he talks about building projects and his victory against the Israelites. The stele is one of the most important archaeological matches to accounts recorded in the Bible. At the same time, Israel and the Kingdom of Aram-Damascus competed for control of Gilead.

Around 740–720 BC, Israel and Aram-Damascus were conquered by a large empire. The kingdoms of Ammon, Edom and Moab were taken over but allowed to keep some independence. Then in 627 BC, following the disintegration of the empire, Babylonians took control of the area. Although the kingdoms supported the Babylonians against another kingdom in 597 BC, they rebelled against Babylon a decade later. The kingdoms became vassals, a status they kept under the Persian and Hellenic empires. By the beginning of Roman rule around 63 BC, the kingdoms of Ammon, Edom and Moab had lost their distinct identities and were absorbed into Roman culture.

Classical period

The conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great in 332 BC brought Hellenistic culture to the Middle East. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, the empire split among his generals, and much of Jordan was disputed between two groups. The Nabataeans, nomadic Arabs based south of Edom, managed to establish an independent kingdom in 169 BC. The Nabataean Kingdom controlled much of the trade routes of the region, stretching along the Red Sea coast into the Hejaz desert, up to as far north as Damascus. The Nabataeans built their most elaborate structure, Al-Khazneh, in the first century AD. It is believed to be the mausoleum of the Arab Nabataean King Aretas IV.

Roman legions conquered much of the region in 63 BC, starting a period of Roman rule that lasted four centuries. In 106 AD, Emperor Trajan annexed Nabataea and rebuilt a road. The Romans gave several cities in Jordan and other areas a level of self-governance by forming the Decapolis, a league of ten cities. Jerash is one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the region; it was even visited by Emperor Hadrian during his journey to Palestine.

In 324 AD, the Roman Empire split and the Eastern Roman Empire, later known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to control or influence the region until 636. Christianity became legal within the empire in 313 after co-emperors Constantine and Licinius signed an edict of toleration. In 380, an edict made Christianity the official state religion. Jordan prospered during the Byzantine era, and Christian churches were built throughout the region.

The Aqaba Church in Ayla was built during this era. It is considered to be the world's first purpose-built Christian church. Umm ar-Rasas in southern Amman contains at least 16 Byzantine churches. Meanwhile, Petra's importance declined as sea trade routes emerged, and after an earthquake in 363 destroyed many structures it declined further, eventually being abandoned. The Sasanian Empire in the east became the Byzantines' rivals, and frequent confrontations sometimes led to the Sasanids controlling some parts of the region, including Jordan.

Islamic era

In 629, during a battle in what is today Karak Governorate, the Byzantines and their Arab Christian clients, the Ghassanids, fended off an attack by a Muslim force that marched northwards towards the Levant from the Hejaz. The Byzantines however were defeated by the Muslims in 636 at the decisive Battle of the Yarmuk just north of Jordan. Jordan was an important territory for the conquest of Damascus. The Rashidun caliphate was followed by that of the Umayyads (661–750).

Under the Umayyad Caliphate, several desert castles were constructed in Jordan, including Qasr Al-Mshatta and Qasr Al-Hallabat. The Abbasid Caliphate's campaign to take over the Umayyad's began in a village in Jordan known as Humayma. The powerful 749 earthquake is thought to have contributed to the Umayyads' defeat by the Abbasids, who moved the caliphate's capital from Damascus to Baghdad. During Abbasid rule (750–969), several Arab tribes moved northwards and settled in the Levant. As had happened during the Roman era, growth of maritime trade diminished Jordan's central position, and the area became increasingly poor. After the decline of the Abbasids, Jordan was ruled by the Fatimid Caliphate (969–1070), then by the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem (1115–1187).

The Crusaders constructed several castles as part of the Lordship of Oultrejordain, including Montreal and Al-Karak. During the Battle of Hattin (1187) near Lake Tiberias just north of Jordan, the Crusaders lost to Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty (1187–1260). The Ayyubids built the Ajloun Castle and rebuilt older castles to be used as military outposts against the Crusaders. Villages in Jordan under the Ayyubids became important stops for Muslim pilgrims going to Mecca who travelled along the route that connected Syria to the Hejaz. Several of the Ayyubid castles were used and expanded by the Mamluks (1260–1516), who divided Jordan between the provinces of Karak and Damascus. During the next century Jordan experienced Mongol attacks, but the Mongols were ultimately repelled by the Mamluks at the Battle of Ain Jalut (1260).

The Karak Castle (c. 12th century) built by the Crusaders, and later expanded under the Muslim Ayyubids and Mamluks

The Ajloun Castle (c. 12th century) built by the Ayyubid leader Saladin for use against the Crusades

In 1516 the Ottoman Caliphate's forces conquered Mamluk territory. Agricultural villages in Jordan witnessed a period of relative prosperity in the 16th century but were later abandoned. Jordan was of marginal importance to the Ottoman authorities. As a result, Ottoman presence was virtually absent and reduced to annual tax collection visits.

More Arab Bedouin tribes moved into Jordan from Syria and the Hejaz during the first three centuries of Ottoman rule, including the Adwan, the Bani Sakhr and the Howeitat. These tribes laid claims to different parts of the region, and with the absence of a meaningful Ottoman authority, Jordan slid into a state of disorder that continued until the 19th century. This led to a short-lived occupation by the Wahhabi forces (1803–1812), an ultra-orthodox Islamic movement that emerged in Najd (in modern-day Saudi Arabia). Ibrahim Pasha, son of the governor of the Egypt Eyalet, rooted out the Wahhabis under the request of the Ottoman sultan by 1818.

In 1833 Pasha turned on the Ottomans and established his rule over the Levant. His policies led to the unsuccessful peasants' revolt in Palestine in 1834. Jordanian cities of As-Salt and Al-Karak were destroyed by Pasha's forces for harboring a peasants' revolt leader. Egyptian rule was forcibly ended in 1841, with Ottoman rule restored. Only after Pasha's campaign did the Ottoman Empire try to solidify its presence in the Syria Vilayet, which Jordan was part of.

A series of tax and land reforms in 1864 brought some prosperity back to agriculture and to abandoned villages; the end of virtual autonomy led to a backlash in other areas of Jordan. Muslim Circassians and Chechens, fleeing Russian persecution, sought refuge in the Levant. In Jordan and with Ottoman support, Circassians first settled in the long-abandoned vicinity of Amman in 1867 and later in the surrounding villages. The Ottoman authorities' establishment of its administration, conscription and heavy taxation policies led to revolts in the areas it controlled. Jordan's tribes in particular revolted during the Shoubak (1905) and the Karak revolts (1910), which were brutally suppressed. The construction of the Hejaz Railway in 1908—stretching across the length of Jordan and linking Damascus with Medina—helped the population economically, as Jordan became a stopover for pilgrims.

Modern era

Increasing policies of Turkification and centralisation adopted by the Ottoman Empire in the wake of the 1908 Young Turk Revolution disenchanted the Arabs of the Levant, which contributed to the development of an Arab nationalist movement. These changes led to the outbreak of the 1916 Arab Revolt during World War I, which ended four centuries of stagnation under Ottoman rule. The revolt was led by Sharif Hussein of Mecca, scion of the Hashemite family of the Hejaz, and his sons Abdullah, Faisal and Ali. Locally, the revolt garnered the support of the Jordanian tribes, including Bedouins, Circassians and Christians. The Allies of World War I, including Britain and France whose imperial interests converged with the Arabist cause, offered support. The revolt started on 5 June 1916 from Medina and pushed northwards until the fighting reached Jordan in the Battle of Aqaba on 6 July 1917. The revolt reached its climax when Faisal entered Damascus in October 1918 and established an Arab-led military administration in OETA East, later declared as the Arab Kingdom of Syria, both of which Jordan was part of. During this period, the southernmost region of the country, including Ma'an and Aqaba, was also claimed by the neighbouring Kingdom of Hejaz.

The nascent Hashemite Kingdom over the region of Syria was forced to surrender to French troops on 24 July 1920 during the Battle of Maysalun; the French occupied only the northern part of Syria, leaving Jordan in a period of interregnum. Arab aspirations failed to gain international recognition, due mainly to the secret 1916 Sykes–Picot Agreement, which divided the region into French and British spheres of influence, and the 1917 Balfour Declaration, in which Britain announced its support for the establishment of a "national home" for Jews in Palestine. This was seen by the Hashemites and the Arabs as a betrayal of their previous agreements with the British, including the 1915 McMahon–Hussein Correspondence, in which the British stated their willingness to recognise the independence of a unified Arab state stretching from Aleppo to Aden under the rule of the Hashemites.

British High Commissioner Herbert Samuel travelled to Jordan on 21 August 1920 to meet with As-Salt's residents. He there declared to a crowd of 600 Jordanian notables that the British government would aid the establishment of local governments in Jordan, which was to be kept separate from that of Palestine. The second meeting took place in Umm Qais on 2 September, where the British representative Major Fitzroy Somerset received a petition that demanded: an independent Arab government in Jordan to be led by an Arab prince (emir); land sale in Jordan to Jews be stopped as well as the prevention of Jewish immigration there; that Britain establish and fund a national army; and that free trade be maintained between Jordan and the rest of the region.

Abdullah, the second son of Sharif Hussein, arrived from Hejaz by train in Ma'an in southern Jordan on 21 November 1920 to redeem the Greater Syrian Kingdom his brother had lost. Jordan then was in disarray, widely considered to be ungovernable with its dysfunctional local governments. Abdullah gained the trust of Jordan's tribal leaders before scrambling to convince them of the benefits of an organised government. Abdullah's successes drew the envy of the British, even when it was in their interest. The British reluctantly accepted Abdullah as ruler of Jordan after having given him a six-month trial. In March 1921, the British decided to add Jordan to their Mandate for Palestine, in which they would implement their "Sharifian Solution" policy without applying the provisions of the mandate dealing with Jewish settlement. On 11 April 1921 the Emirate of Transjordan was established with Abdullah as emir.

In September 1922, the Council of the League of Nations recognised Transjordan as a state under the terms of the Transjordan memorandum. Transjordan remained a British mandate until 1946, but it had been granted a greater level of autonomy than the region west of the Jordan River. Multiple difficulties emerged upon the assumption of power in the region by the Hashemite leadership. In Jordan, small local rebellions at Kura in 1921 and 1923 were suppressed by Abdullah's forces with the help of the British. Wahhabis from Najd regained strength and repeatedly raided the southern parts of his territory, seriously threatening the emir's position. The emir was unable to repel those raids without the aid of the local Bedouin tribes and the British, who maintained a military base with a small Royal Air Force detachment close to Amman.

Post-independence

The Treaty of London, signed by the British government and the Emir of Transjordan on 22 March 1946, recognised the independence of the state. On 25 May 1946, the day that the treaty was ratified by the Transjordan parliament, Transjordan was raised to the status of a kingdom under the name of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Arabic, with Abdullah as its first king; although it continued to be referred to as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan in English until 1949. 25 May is now celebrated as the nation's Independence Day, a public holiday. Jordan became a member of the United Nations on 14 December 1955.

On 15 May 1948, as part of the 1948 Palestine war, Jordan intervened along with several other Arab states. Following the war, Jordan controlled the West Bank, and on 24 April 1950 Jordan formally annexed these territories after the Jericho Conference. In response, some Arab countries demanded Jordan's expulsion from the Arab League. On 12 June 1950, the Arab League declared that the annexation was a temporary, practical measure and that Jordan was holding the territory as a "trustee" pending a future settlement.

King Abdullah was assassinated at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1951 by a Palestinian militant, amid rumors he intended to sign a peace treaty with Israel. Abdullah was succeeded by his son Talal, who established the country's modern constitution in 1952. Illness caused Talal to abdicate to his eldest son Hussein, who ascended to the throne in 1953 at age 17. Jordan witnessed great political uncertainty in the following period. The 1950s was a period of political upheaval, as Nasserism and Pan-Arabism swept the Arab World. On 1 March 1956, King Hussein Arabised the command of the Army by dismissing a number of senior British officers, an act made to remove remaining foreign influence in the country. In 1958, Jordan and neighbouring Hashemite Iraq formed the Arab Federation as a response to the formation of the rival United Arab Republic between Nasser's Egypt and Syria. The union lasted only six months, being dissolved after Iraqi King Faisal II (Hussein's cousin) was deposed by a bloody military coup on 14 July 1958.

Jordan signed a military pact with Egypt just before Israel launched a preemptive strike on Egypt to begin the Six-Day War in June 1967, where Jordan and Syria joined the war. The Arab states were defeated, and Jordan lost control of the West Bank to Israel. The War of Attrition with Israel followed, which included the 1968 Battle of Karameh where the combined forces of the Jordanian Armed Forces and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) repelled an Israeli attack on the Karameh camp on the Jordanian border with the West Bank. Despite the fact that the Palestinians had limited involvement against the Israeli forces, the events at Karameh gained wide recognition and acclaim in the Arab world. As a result, there was an upsurge of support for Palestinian paramilitary elements (the fedayeen) within Jordan from other Arab countries. The fedayeen activities soon became a threat to Jordan's rule of law. In September 1970, the Jordanian army targeted the fedayeen and the resultant fighting led to the expulsion of Palestinian fighters from various PLO groups into Lebanon, in a conflict that became known as Black September.

In 1973, Egypt and Syria waged the Yom Kippur War on Israel, and fighting occurred along the 1967 Jordan River cease-fire line. Jordan sent a brigade to Syria to attack Israeli units on Syrian territory but did not engage Israeli forces from Jordanian territory. At the Rabat summit conference in 1974, in the aftermath of the Yom-Kippur War, Jordan and the rest of the Arab League agreed that the PLO was the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people". Subsequently, Jordan renounced its claims to the West Bank in 1988.

At the 1991 Madrid Conference, Jordan agreed to negotiate a peace treaty sponsored by the US and the Soviet Union. The Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed on 26 October 1994. In 1997, in retribution for a bombing, Israeli agents entered Jordan using Canadian passports and poisoned a senior Hamas leader living in Jordan. Bowing to intense international pressure, Israel provided an antidote to the poison and released dozens of political prisoners, including a religious leader, after King Hussein threatened to annul the peace treaty.

On 7 February 1999, Abdullah II ascended the throne upon the death of his father Hussein, who had ruled for nearly 50 years. Abdullah embarked on economic liberalisation when he assumed the throne, and his reforms led to an economic boom which continued until 2008. Abdullah II has been credited with increasing foreign investment, improving public-private partnerships and providing the foundation for Aqaba's free-trade zone and Jordan's flourishing information and communication technology sector. He also set up five other special economic zones. However, during the following years Jordan's economy experienced hardship as it dealt with the effects of the Great Recession and spillover from the Arab Spring.

An attack by a group under a leader launched coordinated explosions in three hotel lobbies in Amman on 9 November 2005, resulting in 60 deaths and 115 injured. The bombings, which targeted civilians, caused widespread outrage among Jordanians. The attack is considered to be a rare event in the country, and Jordan's internal security was dramatically improved afterwards. No major terrorist attacks have occurred since then. Abdullah and Jordan are viewed with contempt by certain groups for the country's peace treaty with Israel, its relationship with the West, and its mostly non-religious laws.

The Arab Spring were large-scale protests that erupted in the Arab world in 2011, demanding economic and political reforms. Many of these protests tore down regimes in some Arab nations, leading to instability that ended with violent civil wars. In response to domestic unrest, Abdullah replaced his prime minister and introduced reforms including reforming the constitution and laws governing public freedoms and elections. Proportional representation was re-introduced to the Jordanian parliament in the 2016 general election, a move which he said would eventually lead to establishing parliamentary governments. Jordan was left largely unscathed from the violence that swept the region despite an influx of 1.4 million Syrian refugees into the natural resources-lacking country and the emergence of a certain group.

On 4 April 2021, 19 people were arrested, including a prince, the former crown prince of Jordan, who was placed under house arrest, after having been accused of working to "destabilize" the kingdom.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Jordan

Jordan is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and both Israel and Palestine (West Bank) to the west. The Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. Jordan has a small coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea.

The country has many different landscapes, from deserts in the east to highlands in the west. Major cities include the capital Amman and smaller towns like Azraq. Jordan has natural areas protected by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, such as the Dana Biosphere Reserve and the Azraq Wetland Reserve.

Main articles: Climate of Jordan and Climate change in Jordan

Jordan’s climate changes from place to place. The west has rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The east is very dry, like a desert, with little rain. Summers can be very hot, often above 40 °C (104 °F), while winters are mild and can even have snow in higher areas.

Main article: Wildlife of Jordan

Jordan is home to many plants and animals. Over 2,000 plant species grow there, including pine trees, wild olives, and colorful flowers that bloom in spring. The country’s wildlife includes mammals like the Nubian ibex and birds such as the hoopoe. Jordan’s landscapes support many different habitats, from forests to deserts.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Jordan

Jordan is ruled by a king and a government that follows rules written in a constitution. The king has a lot of power and chooses some government leaders. People in Jordan vote for other leaders.

The king is also the leader of the army and can make big decisions. Jordan has many political groups, and the king plans to let the group with the most votes lead, but this change is still happening.

Main article: List of cities in Jordan

The capital city of Jordan is Amman. It is in the north-central part of the country.

Jordan is divided into 12 areas called governorates.

Main article: Foreign relations of Jordan

Jordan works with countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. It has signed peace agreements with Israel and supports peace for the Palestinian people. Jordan is part of groups like the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.

Jordan’s army started small in 1920 and has grown strong. It is well-trained and gets help from other countries. Jordan’s army has joined international missions and trained forces from other nations.

Main articles: Law enforcement in Jordan and Law of Jordan

Law enforcement in Jordan is handled by groups under the Ministry of Interior. These groups work to keep the country safe and have been improving, with more women joining the police force.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Jordan

Jordan does not have many natural resources or money. Many people there have very little, and sometimes almost one in three people don’t have enough money for what they need. The country’s money, called GDP, was about $39 billion in 2016 and grew slowly. Jordan’s economy is smaller than other countries nearby.

The economy has parts like trading, moving things, making things, and building. Jordan uses money called the Jordanian dinar and joined groups that help countries trade. But Jordan sometimes has trouble making enough money because of costs and changes in the world.

The economy was hurt by big problems in the world and trouble in nearby countries. This made it hard for Jordan to get visitors and trade. Jordan also had to help many people who came from other countries, which cost a lot of money.

Transportation

Main article: Transport in Jordan

Jordan has good roads and buses to help people and things move around. There are three big airports, two in Amman and one in Aqaba. The Port of Aqaba is the only place where ships can come to Jordan.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Jordan

Tourism is very important for Jordan. Many people visit places like Petra and Jerash. Jordan also has special places for religion, like where Jesus was baptized. The country has beautiful valleys for hiking and beaches by the Dead Sea. Jordan is also known for helping people who need medical care from other countries.

Natural resources

See also: Energy in Jordan

Jordan doesn’t have much water, and many people need clean water. The country gets some energy from the sun and wind. Jordan also has places where they dig up useful materials like phosphate.

Industry

Science and technology

Main article: Science and technology in Jordan

Jordan is working hard to improve science and technology. The country has many companies that make things like computers and video games. Jordan also has special machines for science and helps scientists from different countries work together.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Jordan

See also: List of cities in Jordan

In 2015, Jordan had about 9.5 million people. About 30% were not citizens, including refugees. Amman, the capital, had over 4 million people in 2015.

Most people in Jordan, about 98%, are Arabs. The rest include Circassians, Armenians, and Chechens, among other smaller groups. About 84% live in cities.

Jordan is home to many refugees. In 2016, there were about 2.2 million Palestinian refugees, and others from Iraq and Syria. This has brought some challenges.

Main article: Religion in Jordan

Most people in Jordan practice Sunni Islam. There are also small groups of other religions, like Christians, Druze, Baháʼís, and Mandaeans. Christians are well integrated and can freely practice their beliefs.

The official language of Jordan is Modern Standard Arabic, but most people speak Jordanian Arabic. Jordanian Sign Language is used by the deaf community. English is spoken in business and education. Other languages like Chechen, Circassian, Armenian, Tagalog, and Russian are also spoken.

Main articles: Health in Jordan and Education in Jordan

In 2017, people in Jordan lived about 74.8 years on average. Health services are strong, with good medical care. Most people have clean water and sanitation.

Education is important. Children go to school for 12 years: two years of pre-school, ten years of basic education, and two years of secondary education. Jordan has many universities, and students can study abroad.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Jordan

Jordan has a rich culture with many kinds of art. You can see paintings, sculptures, and photographs in many places. In 2016, a Jordanian film called Theeb was chosen for a big movie event called the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

The biggest museum in Jordan is The Jordan Museum. It has special old items, like pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls and stone statues from 'Ain Ghazal. Most museums are in the city of Amman, such as The Children's Museum Jordan and the Royal Automobile Museum. There is also a museum in Aqaba called the Aqaba Archaeological Museum.

Music is important in Jordan. Many new musicians and bands are becoming popular. There is a big music event called the Jerash Festival where famous singers perform. Some well-known Jordanian musicians are Omar Al-Abdallat, Toni Qattan, Diana Karazon, and Zade Dirani. There are also many rock bands, like El Morabba3 and Autostrad.

Jordan is good at making food, especially olives and olive oil. A popular food is hummus, made from chickpeas. Another common food is mansaf, which is Jordan's national dish. It is made of rice, meat, and yogurt, and is often eaten at special events like weddings. People sometimes eat it with their hands, following an old tradition. After the main meal, people often enjoy fruits and desserts like baklava and knafeh. Drinking coffee or tea is also common.

Sports are very popular in Jordan. The country is especially good at taekwondo. In 2016, a Jordanian athlete named Ahmad Abughaush won a gold medal at the Olympic Games. Football is the most popular sport, and the national team has played in big international competitions. Jordan also supports girls and women in sports. The women's football team has been getting better. Basketball is another sport that Jordan does well in, and the team has played in world tournaments. Other sports like boxing, karate, and rugby are also growing in popularity.