Jordan

Jordan is a country ideal for exotic holidays. Here the tourist will find magnificent beaches, stunning landscapes, ancient ruins, and colorful oriental cities. However, you can get to know the country only by visiting it. Our article will help future tourists understand what the real Jordan is, with all its amazing tourist discoveries, luxurious resorts and pure oriental hospitality.

Geography

To find out where Jordan is located, take a look at the world map. This country is located on the Arabian Peninsula. It borders on Iraq and Syria, Saudi Arabia and Israel, Palestine and Egypt. There is access to the Dead and Red Seas.

Most of the country is desert, only in the west of Jordan are mountains and hills. The highest point is Umm al-Dami with a height of 1854 m, and the lowest is the Dead Sea, which is 427 m below the conventional sea level. The famous Jordan River flows on the border of Jordan with Israel.

The climate is warm and dry, with little rainfall. Most of them are from November to March. The holiday season in Jordan is considered to be spring, when it is still not hot and you can enjoy a holiday on the coast, and autumn, when it is better to devote time to improving your health or, for example, diving.

Statehood

The full name of the country is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Its flag is a rectangular panel divided into 3 equal stripes of black, white and green. This is a symbolic designation of the three caliphates: the Abbasids, Umayyads and Fatimids, respectively. On the right side of the flag of Jordan is a red triangle (the Hashemite dynasty), on which a white seven-pointed star is visible (the unity of the Arab clans).

The form of government in Jordan is a dualistic monarchy. This means that the king, together with the council of ministers, governs the country, and their power is mutually limited.

Administratively, the country is divided into 12 governorates (governorships), which, in turn, are divided into 52 districts.

Cities and resorts

The capital and largest city of Jordan is Amman. It is located in the northwest of the country and surprises many tourists who have already traveled to the Middle East. Unlike neighboring Egypt and Syria, the Jordanian capital is a completely modern Arab city with new quarters, fashionable shops, and so on. However, the oriental flavor is still present here, expressed in the narrow streets of the old city, the abundance of mosques and, of course, the traditions of hospitable and hospitable Jordanians.

In second place in terms of attendance among the cities of Jordan is Aqaba, a photo of which often appears on the covers of travel brochures. Its main distinguishing feature is its location: in fact, Aqaba is the only resort in Jordan for relaxing on the Red Sea. This attracts many foreign guests who want to relax on the beautiful warm Jordanian beaches.

Other important cities for tourism are Irbid, Az-Zarqa, Madaba, Jerash, Karak, As-Salt, Maan. Each of them is interesting in its own way, and even a sightseeing tour of it will give a lot of impressions and food for thought.

Population, religion and language

The vast majority of the population of Jordan are Arabs. They make up 95% of the 6.2 million people. The remaining 5% are Chechens and Circassians, Armenians and Turks, Kurds and Assyrians. Nowadays, many refugees from Iraq and Syria live in the country.

Islam is not the official state religion of Jordan, although Muslims are in the majority here. Christianity is also widespread (both Orthodox and Greek Catholics live here). Among religious minorities, the Ismailis and adherents of the Baha’i beliefs should be mentioned.

As for the language, be prepared for the fact that in Jordan they speak mainly Arabic, which is the state language. Mandatory for studying in schools and English, also quite common. Among the population of different parts of the country, one can often hear dialects of Arabic, which often sound like a completely different language — these are ash-sham, ammiya, Palestinian, Bedouin and various regional dialects.

Economy

In economic terms, Jordan is not the most successful country. Unlike more fortunate «neighbors» — Saudi Arabia — there is a shortage of energy resources, and the unemployment rate is quite high. Jordan has its own advantages — the presence of historical monuments that attract tourists, and a free economic zone (port of Aqaba). Recently, however, political instability has hampered the development of tourism, and GDP growth has slowed significantly.

The currency of Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar. It is with them that tourists pay for excursions, in shops, restaurants, etc. Small purchases, payment for a taxi can be made in dollars. There are exchange offices on every street in major cities such as Aqaba and Amman.

What to see in Jordan?

The main value of the country for international tourism is not at all its luxurious beaches. Jordan has a rich history that stretches back centuries. The first Christians left their mark on history here, and before that, the Nabataeans and the Romans. Therefore, travelers who are interested in the past, a trip to Jordan will be very interesting. The main historical monuments of the region and its attractions are:

1. Peter. This is perhaps the most interesting thing to see in the country — a huge old city carved out of pink limestone. You can walk here for hours, and at different times of the day, the city of Petra in Jordan will surprise you in its own way with beautiful coloring and lighting.



2. archaeological finds: Temple of Hercules and Umayyad Palace, Um-er-Rasas, Umm El-Jimal, temples of Pella.
3. religious objects: Mount Nebo, the place of baptism of Jesus Al-Makhtas, the grave of Aaron, the Jordan River, the cave of Lot.
4. ancient castles: Kerak, Aman Citadel, Mukawir Fortress, Qasr Harana, Quseir Amra, Montreal Castle, Azraq.
5. Temples and mosques in Jordan. These are the Church of St. George in Madaba, the Byzantine Church of Amman, the mosques of King Abdullah I and King Hussein.

The natural attractions of Jordan should also be noted — this is the coast of the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum and Wadi Mujib, the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the Shaumari Reserve.

Holidays in Jordan

Tourists coming to this hospitable country have many different options for how to spend precious vacation time:

1. Admire nature in parks, reserves, deserts and wadis. Those who have seen other countries will appreciate the colorful and original nature of Jordan.
2. Engage in the study of antiquities. This is the most common type of tourism, because on excursions in Jordan you can see a lot of interesting places, learn new facts about its rich history.
3. Make a pilgrimage to holy places.
4. improve your healthhaving arrived at the hot springs of Jordan, or at the resorts of the Dead Sea, the waters of which are famous for their healing effect on the human body.
5. Enjoy a beach holiday. In Jordan, this can be done in Aqaba and Tala Bay, where most of the beaches belong to hotels, and therefore are equipped and comfortable, or on the Dead Sea coast, where tourists go to Amman Beach.
6. Rest actively — the country offers lovers of such a pastime excellent diving and no less exciting snorkeling, desert safari on an off-road vehicle, hot air ballooning and paragliding, golf, paintball, horseback riding and mountain trekking.
7. Devote time to shopping and bring home the best Jordanian souvenirs.

Jordan Hotels

Accommodation in the institutions of the country as a whole can be described as comfortable. The service here is pleasant and unobtrusive, all hotels speak English, and in some places you can even hear Russian.

The choice of hotels is also quite wide: from the best 5-star resort hotels in Jordan to simple hostels and campsites, you can find them in the capital. The largest number of hotels is concentrated in the resorts of the Dead Sea and in Aqaba. The variety of services and the level of comfort are at their best even in 3* and 4* establishments.

Food

In the capital and major cities of Jordan, tourists will not have problems with food: here you can find European restaurants, steakhouses, coffee shops, and chain eateries. If you decide to fully immerse yourself in the local culture and enjoy the taste of national Jordanian dishes, be sure to try the following:

• delicious baklava with pistachios;
• crispy falafel;
• spicy mutable;
• Arabic pizza manakish;
• first class shawarma.

Don’t leave Jordan without tasting strong coffee, mint tea, strong anise arak and local wines.

What to bring from Jordan?

The best gifts from Jordan will be those that reflect its flavor:

• multi-colored sand of Petra;
• handicrafts made of olive wood and ceramics;
• natural cosmetics from the Dead Sea;
• Bedouin silver jewelry;
• copper utensils.

When shopping, keep in mind that many shops may be closed on Fridays and Sundays for religious reasons. And bargaining in Jordan is customary in a completely different way than in neighboring Arab countries: sellers here do not impose their goods, and the buyer will not be able to significantly bring down the price. In addition, in many stores the cost of goods is fixed.

Safety in Jordan

Tourists need not worry about this issue: the situation in Jordan today is considered one of the safest for tourists in the entire Middle East. Despite the armed conflicts in neighboring countries, it continues to remain neutral, and the Jordanian authorities are directly interested in the safety of both their own residents and guests of the country. Therefore, they provide all the necessary measures and travelers have nothing to fear even outside of hotels and tourist areas.

The only thing to remember is that Jordan is an Arab state with its own rules, laws and traditions that should be respected.

Visa and customs

Residents of the CIS countries who want to relax in Jordan can obtain a visa both in their homeland, by contacting the embassy, ​​and upon arrival, at the airport. The latter option makes visiting Jordan very convenient and contributes to the development of tourism in the country. When going on vacation, be sure to study the list of things allowed and prohibited for import so as not to have problems at the border. It is also useful to know that Jordan has a tax-free system, in which you can return part of the money spent on the purchase. To do this, look for stores with the appropriate sticker and keep receipts to present them at customs.

Transport

The system of passenger transportation within the country has its own characteristics:

1. Airports. The main international air gates of the country are those two that are located in Amman and Aqaba. The national airline is named Royal Jordan. Its flights are convenient to travel between Amman and Aqaba.



2. Railways. For passenger transportation, they have not been used since the war in Syria began.
3. Buses. They regularly run between large cities, but communication between small ones is poorly established: buses are overcrowded, there is no schedule as such.
4. Urban transport. You can easily move around the capital by buses and minibuses, and in other cities it is better to use a taxi, since flights are rare, and street navigation is not always clear.
5. Cars. If you are an experienced driver, it makes sense to rent a car. Traffic in Amman and Irbid is very busy, but at the same time, drivers follow the rules of the road and mutual courtesy. Traffic on the roads of the country is right-handed.

How to get there?

There are several ways to get into the country, which differ in duration, cost and level of comfort:

• direct flight of the Royal Jordanian company to one of the airports in the Kingdom of Jordan;
• by plane to Israel, from there by bus to Amman;
• by plane to Sharm el-Sheikh, then by ferry to Aqaba.