Jordan Presentation

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JORDAN

Background

1. Following World War I, Jordan went under the UK mandate.

2. It adopted the name of Jordan in 1950.

3. The country's long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he

successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, UK and

USSR then), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population,

despite several wars and coup attempts.

4. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political liberalization.

5. In 1994 Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel.

6. King ABDULLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following his

father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and

undertaken an aggressive economic reform program.

Geography

1. Location:

Middle East, bounded on the north by Syria, on the north-east by Iraq, on the east

and south by Saudi Arabia, on the south-west by the Gulf of Aqaba, and on the west

by Israel and Palestine

2. Total land boundary length: 1,635 km

3. Coastline: 26 km

4. Area: 92,300 km2

5. Elevation extremes:

a) Lowest point: Dead Sea - 408 m below sea level (lowest point on earth)

b) Highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

6. Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

7. Government type: constitutional monarchy

8. Chief of State: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 Feb1999); Crown Prince HUSSEIN (born

28 June 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II

9. Capital City: Amman

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10. Independence: 25 May 1946

11. National symbol: Eagle

12. National Flower (Flora of Jordan): Back Iris.

13. MONETARY UNIT: The Jordanian Dinar (JD) is a paper currency of 1,00 Piasters. There

are coins of 1, 5,10, 25, 50, piasters and notes of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 Dinars. JD1 = TL

3.71 (or TL1 = JD 0.26).

14. Time Zone: 3 pm = noon UTC

15. Density 68.4/km2

16. Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

Demography: 1. Population: 6,778,804 (Feb 2015 est.)

2. Ethnic Groups: Jordanians represent a mixed stock. Most of the population is Arab

(approximately 96%). The Palestinian Arabs now resident in Jordan tend to be

inactive and urban. 3% of the population is Armenian, and another 2% is Circassian.

There are also small Kurd, Druze, and Chechen minorities.

The ethnic demography of Jordan is largely the result of warfare and refugee creation

in neighboring countries. Though the government conducted an official census in

2010, it does not document the population in terms of ethnicity or religion.

Nonetheless, it is believed that the majority are not ethnic Jordanians. Rather, the

demographic majority are Palestinians (50 percent), followed by ethnic Jordanians

(30-35 percent) and Iraqis (15-20 percent), with smaller numbers of Syrians,

Assyrians, Armenians, Chechens, Circassians, and migrant workers from Egypt, Sri

Lanka and the Philippines.

3. Languages a) Arabic is the official language of the country and is spoken even by the ethnic minorities

who maintain their own languages in their everyday lives.

b) English is widely understood by the upper and middle classes, Spanish, French, German

and Turkish are becoming popular.

4. Religions a) Islam is the state religion, as indicated in the constitution.

b) All groups are guaranteed religious freedom.

c) Most Jordanians (about 95%) are Sunni Muslims. Christians constitute about 5% of the

population, most are Greek Orthodox or Roman Catholic.

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Climate

1. The Jordan Valley has little rainfall, intense summer heat, and mild, pleasant winters.

2. The hill country of the East Bankancient Moab, Edom, and Gileadhas a modified

Mediterranean climate, with more rainfall and hot, dry summers.

3. The desert regions are subject to great extremes of temperature and receive rainfall of less

than 20 cm annually.

4. The rest of the country has an average rainfall of up to 70 cm a year.

5. Temperatures at Amman range from about 0c in winter to more than 32c in summer.

Environment International Agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,

Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer

Protection, Wetlands etc.

International organization participation:

1. UN, United Nations

2. UNCTAD, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

3. UNESCO, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

4. UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

5. UNIDO, United Nations Industrial Development Organization

6. UNMEE, United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

7. UNMIL, United Nations Mission in Liberia

8. UNMIS, United Nations Missions in Sudan

9. UNOCI, United Nations Operation in Cte d'Ivoire

10. UNOMIG, United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

11. UNRWA, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees

12. UNTAET United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

13. MINUSTAH, United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

14. ONUB, United Nations Operation in Burundi

15. MONUC, United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

16. Interpol, International Police

17. AFESD Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

18. FAO Food and Agriculture Organization,

19. ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization ,

20. ICRM, Int'l Committee Radionuclide Metrology

21. ILO, International Labor Organization

22. IMF International Monetary Fund

23. IMO, International Maritime Organization

24. IOM, International Organization for Migration

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25. OIC, Organization of the Islamic Conference

26. UNWTO, World Tourism Organization

27. WHO, World Health Organization

28. WTO World Trade Organization

29. IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency,

30. ICC International Chamber of Commerce

31. IFAD, International Fund for Agricultural Development

32. IFRCS, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

33. IOC International Olympic Committee,

34. IDA, International Development Association

35. IFC, International Finance Corporation

36. ITU, International Telecommunication Union

37. MIGA, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency

38. WFTU, World Federation of Trade Unions

39. IBRD The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

40. IDB Islamic Development Bank

41. ISO, International Organization for Standardization

42. OPCW, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

43. ABEDA Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

44. G-77, seventy-seven developing countries signatories

45. PCA, The Portland Cement Association

46. AMF Arab Monetary Fund

47. CAEU Council of Arab Economic Unity

48. ICCt The International Council on Clean Transportation

49. IPU, Inter-Parliamentary Union

50. ITUC, International Trade Union Confederation

51. OSCE (partner), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

52. UPU, Universal Postal Union

53. WCO, World Customs Organization

54. WIPO, World Intellectual Property Organization

55. WMO, World Meteorological Organization

Peacekeeping:

There are about 66,000 Jordanian troops working with the United Nations in peacekeeping

missions across the world. These soldiers provide everything from military defense,

training of native police, medical help, and charity.

There are Jordanian peacekeepers in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.

In some missions, the number of Jordanian troops was the second largest, (Haiti-

MINUSTAH).

Jordan also provides extensive training of security forces in Iraq, the Palestinian territories,

and the GCC.

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Jordan has dispatched several field hospitals to conflict zones and areas affected by natural

disasters across the world such as Iraq, the West Bank, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Haiti, Indonesia, Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Pakistan and many

more. The Kingdom's military field hospitals extended aid to more than one million people

in Iraq, someone million in the West Bank and 55,000 in Lebanon. The Jordanian Armed

Forces field hospital in Afghanistan has since 2002 provided assistance to some 750,000

persons and has significantly reduced the suffering of people residing in areas where the

hospital operates.

Jordanian Foreign Policy:

THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN has long played a regional foreign policy role that

seems to belie its small size and its limited economic and military means. That role in no way

diminished even after the succession in the Jordanian monarchy from King Hussein to his son

Abdullah in 1999. However, with the death of Hussein and the accession to the throne of King

Abdullah II, Jordan did nonetheless have a new top foreign policy maker.

Since ascending the throne in 1999, King Abdullah has strengthened Jordan's international

ties to major extra-regional powers such as the United States and the European Union.

He also linked the kingdom's fortunes to major international economic institutions, such as

the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization.

Over the past 16 years of King Abdullah's reign. The world has undergone tumultuous and

violent times in regional politics - from the collapse of the peace process, to the renewed

Palestinian Intifada, to U.S. wars against both Afghanistan and Iraq to the Arab Spring.

Yet throughout these turbulent events, Jordan has continued to play a key role in the prospects

for both war and peace in the region.

The May 2003 summit in Jordan's capital, Amman, between President George W. Bush,

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas

underscored the centrality of the Jordanian role in particular in attempts to revive the

declining peace process.

In June 2003, the World Economic Forum held a special summit at Jordan's Dead Sea

resort, underscoring Jordan's determination to court the world's most wealthy and powerful

economic actors, while also demonstrating the central role that these economic "powers-

that-be" seem to attach to Jordan within Middle East politics.

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Later that same month, the "Quartet" of officials from the U.S., United Nations, European

Union, and Russia again chose to meet in Jordan in an attempt to implement their

"Roadmap for Peace."

The major powers of the early 21st Century seemed to regard Jordan as geo-politically far

more important than its size or resources might otherwise suggest.

Jordan has maintained its peace treaty with Israel

In inter-Arab relations, Jordan under King Abdullah has managed to complete the long and

difficult process (since the depths of the 1991 Gulf war) of reestablishing relations with

each of the Arab Gulf monarchies. The kingdom has developed a close relationship with

Washington's other major Arab ally, Egypt,

Jordan under King Abdullah II has placed a premium on stabilizing and strengthening its

inter-Arab and other regional relations.

In its external relations Jordan has achieved many of its goals. These include in particular:

Establishing stronger ties with its traditional Western allies and with the main global economic institutions.

Jordan under King Abdullah solidified its alliances and its aid links to the United States and the United Kingdom, while also strengthening ties to the European Union as a

whole and working closely with the IMF, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

Jordan had furthermore repaired its formerly ruptured ties with Arab states from Iraq to Syria to Egypt to each Arab Gulf monarchy - all while preserving its peace treaty with

Israel and its military links to Turkey.

The slogan "Jordan first" was aimed at Jordans National Security for both the state and the

society, thus the King started a revitalization process of the political liberalization. In that regard,

the kingdom's June 2003 parliamentary elections were a step in the right direction. The elections

were the first since 1997, the first since the dissolution of parliament in 2001, and the first in the

reign of King Abdullah II.

Arab Spring?

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was watched closely during the early events of the Arab

Spring in 2011.

Many Western analysts expressed concerns that it would be the next country in which large

protests and social and political mobilization would shift the scales of power away from

the ruling regime to the protestors on the street. However, that did not happen.

The country neither mobilized en masse nor saw their interests culminate in calls for an

ousting of the monarchy.

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The Arab Spring in Jordan was manifest mainly in media-based activity such as blogs and

in relatively frequent, but small, contained and nonviolent protests in Amman.

In fact, the deposing of King Abdullah never made the list of demands for political and

economic reform, in comparison to most other countries swept by the Arab Spring.

Jordan has been spared the major unrest that has seen other Arab rulers toppled.

Protests began in January 2011, with people calling for more jobs and an end to government

corruption and economic reform.

In January 2013, parliamentary elections were held two years early, with the king

promising to consult parliament over the choice of prime minister for the first time.

In March 2013, King Abdullah insisted he could lead the transition to democracy, in part

to ensure that power was not delivered to Islamists.

Where are we now?

In August, the reform-minded Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour reshuffled his cabinet to

strengthen the role of technocrats charged with speeding up the reforms demanded by the IMF,

amid continued public resistance and the rising economic cost of more than a million refugees

who have fled the conflict in neighboring Syria.

Turkey and Jordan

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Turkey and the Hashemite Kingdom of

Jordan were established through the signing of Treaty of Friendship on 11 January 1947. Turkish Embassy in Amman has been functioning since 28 April 1947.

In November 1996, the U.S. declared that Jordan as a "non-NATO ally," an unusual status in effect granting Jordan "priority consideration"' for future arms and military aid requests.

The kingdom further extended its bilateral military ties with Turkey, which amounted to a

Jordanian-Turkish alliance. In 1996, Jordan and Turkey signed a defense accord, and in

1998, the two countries conducted joint military exercises.

The Turkish-Jordanian relations are founded on the solid basis of brotherly ties between

Turkish and Jordanian people, who are bound by history and geography.

More than 50 agreements and memorandums of understanding have been signed between

the two countries until today, laying the legal framework of bilateral cooperation.

The enactment of the Free Trade Agreement and the Agreement on Visa Exemption in

2009 upgraded the level of relations.

The Free Trade Agreement entered into force on March 2011.

Economic and commercial relations between the two countries are on an increasing trend.

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The trade volume reached 815 million USD in 2013. The total volume of Turkish

investments in Jordan stands at USD 300 million and the total value of contracting works

undertaken by Turkish companies since 2000 have reached USD 2,4 billion.

Cultural cooperation constitutes an important aspect of Turkish-Jordanian bilateral relations.

Yunus Emre Turkish Culture Center, which was inaugurated in 2011, is offering Turkish language courses, attended by more than 500 Jordanians and organizing various cultural

activities.

Turkish language branch in JAFLI established in 1992 to qualify officers of JAf and other

Jordanian security Services in Turkish Language.

Turkish language department at the University of Jordan was established in 2010. The

department had celebrated its first graduates in 2014.

Approximately 4.500 Turkish citizens are living in Jordan.

The impact of moderation in Turkish and Jordanian societies in the Middle East is immensely important as a barricade to guard against and curb the spread of fanaticism and

radicalism that exploit the religious sensitivities of the people. Turkey has proven to be

successful in bringing its own model by emphasizing the centuries-long tradition of a

spiritual Sufi interpretation of Islam. Since this experience emphasizes that Muslims should

focus on improving themselves with an inner-oriented approach, this stands in contrast

with the radical Wahhabi/ Salafi ideology which most Turks greatly loathe.

The Four-year-long Syrian crisis has really been testing both countries with a number of problems that are not so easy to tackle. In contrast to other countries, both Turkey and

Jordan have received hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who fled the violence in

the Arab country. The number is expected to climb further, costing the economies of both

countries.

But more importantly, as the Syrian crisis is lingering longer than originally anticipated, the social fabric of both countries, especially in areas bordering Syria, is increasingly

exposed to security risks, unsettling the fault lines in the respective societies.

Both Turkey and Jordan, sharing borders with Iraq, are interested in seeing a stable Iraq free of sectarian strife. As the Iraqi economy is reeling from years of occupation and civil

war, both Turkey and Jordan have helped the Iraqi government rebuild the country's

infrastructure while supplying much-needed goods through their territories. King Abdullah

II was the first Arab leader to pay a visit to Baghdad in 2008, followed by Erdoan a year later.

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However Iraqi Shiite PMS sharp turn towards sectarian policies were met with great concern by

both Ankara and Amman.

Jordan's rulers, coming from a prominent Arab Muslim dynasty called the Hashemites, who were

the protectors of the holy sites of Mecca and Medina until the Wahhabis captured Western Arabia

in the early 20th century, are the traditional enemies of Wahhabis. If the Hashemites still ruled

these places, we would probably not have witnessed the destruction of the rich Islamic and

Turkish cultural heritage in and around these holy sites. A significant portion of Jordanian society

has a huge dislike for Wahhabis/Salafis as well. It is no wonder that al-Qaeda and DAESH and

other terrorist organizations do not like Turkey and Jordan, the two Muslim countries that have

good relations with the West and a working relationship with Israel, albeit bumpy at times.

Jordanian intelligence services have considerable experience in cracking down on terrorist cells

and can really help Turkey improve its capacity in fighting against these groups in places where

Turkey has invested a lot in, from Africa to Central Asia.

All in all, Jordan is an important Arab country that has always maintained good relations with

Turkey. Ankara should invest political, economic and social capital to protect this island of

stability in the Middle East. King Abdullah's upcoming visit to Turkey in March should be utilized

to turn what seem to be excellent ideas of cooperation into concrete action plans

Jordan- US

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than six decades ago, Jordan and the

United States have enjoyed strong relations based on common goals and mutual respect.

The relationship has endured the complexities and volatilities of the Middle East and has

demonstrated that the two countries can rely on each other as allies and partners.

Jordan has enjoyed a close relationship with U.S. Presidents since the Eisenhower

administration.

HM the late King Hussein and HM King Abdullah II have been steadfast in strengthening this bond, which continues today with President Obama and his administration. Members

of both the House and Senate have frequently visited Jordan as a testament to the

importance of the relationship between the two nations. His Majesty King Abdullah II is

among the few foreign leaders that have addressed a joint session of Congress.

Jordan and the U.S. have worked together on Jordans top foreign policy priority, the

Middle East peace process, and other common foreign policy goals. Jordan will continue

working with the Obama administration to re-launch the peace process between Israel and

the Palestinians with the U.S. continuing to play the leading role.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Jordan stood with the U.S. in its effort to

combat the common threat of terrorism and radical ideology. The two sides have worked

together and with the international community to rid the world of the scourge of terrorism

and end the threat posed to the national security of both countries.

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With the crisis in Syria continuing to escalate, the conflict has become a major source of

bloodshed and regional instability. Jordan appreciates the coordination and the assistance

from the U.S. in dealing with the repercussions of this conflict; mostly notably the influx

of more than a million Syrians into Jordan. Jordan continues to work with the U.S. on

limiting the effects of the conflict on the region.

Jordan has received more than $13 billion in assistance since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This has helped Jordan build its

institutions, develop its infrastructure and be a source of moderation and stability in the

Middle East. USAID and other programs such as the Millennium Challenge Account have

brought significant contributions to economic developments in Jordan.

In 2000, Jordan signed a free trade agreement with the U.S., which, after being enacted in

2001, boosted trade to unprecedented levels. In 2011 bilateral trade exceeded $2 billion

which is an indication of the success of the FTA in inducing bilateral trade.

Jordan is committed to ongoing reforms that will advance political life in Jordan and bring prosperity to the country. Jordan, which held its first elections following major

constitutional and legislative amendments, is continuing in the transition towards

parliamentary democracy. Jordan appreciates the input of the U.S. government in this

regard and its assistance in reaching such goals.

Cities and Tourist Sites

Amman

A sprawling city spread over 19 hills, Amman is the modern - as well as the ancient - capital of the

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Known as Rabbath-Ammon during the Iron Age and later as

Philadelphia, the ancient city that was once part of the Decapolis league, now boasts a population of

around 3 million people.

Petra

(A rose-red city half as old as time)

Often described as the eighth wonder of the ancient world, is without a doubt Jordans most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the

Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled there more than 2000 years ago, turning it into an

important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern

Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.

The Dead Sea

The lowest elevation on the Earths surface on dry land. It is 55 km. long. The Dead Sea is 378 m. below sea level. There are no fish or any kind of swimming creatures living in or near the water. People can

float effortlessly on the waters of the Dead Sea due to its concentration of minerals, which is the highest

in the world, as much as 35% of the water is dissolved salts! The Dead Sea is actually a lake with only

one official source the Jordan River.


Desert Castles

Beautiful examples of both early Islamic art and architecture from the early Islamic period to the

Ottoman Empire, stand testament to a fascinating era in the country's rich history. Their fine mosaics,

frescoes, stone and stucco carvings and illustrations tell countless stories of the life as it was during the

course of history.

An Ottoman castle in Jordans Irbid city, which was constructed by the Ottoman Sultan Sleyman the Magnificent and with its walls made of basalt stones, is now a popular tourist attraction in the country.

The castle serves as a museum today. It has many rooms containing historical and ancient artifacts in

chronological order.

Al Karak

A city in southern Jordan known for its Crusader castle, the Kerak Castle. The castle is one of the

three largest castles in the region, the other two being in Syria.

Karak lies 140 kilometers to the south of Amman. It is situated on a hilltop about 1,000 meters above

sea level and is surrounded on three sides by a valley. Karak has a view of the Dead Sea. The city has

been built up around the castle and it has buildings from the 19th-century Ottoman period.

Wadi Rum

An astonishing, timeless place, virtually untouched by humanity and its destructive forces. There, it is

the weather and winds that have carved the imposing, towering skyscrapers, so elegantly described by

T.E. Lawrence as vast, echoing and God-like. .

Mount Nebo

The place where it is believed that Moses was buried and the most revered Holy site in Jordan. When

you stand at the top of this mountain, you can see, as Moses did, the vast panorama that encompasses

the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho and Jerusalem.

According to legend, this is also the place where Jeremiah hid the Ark of the Covenant. It was a place

of pilgrimage for early Christians and Mount Nebos first church was built in the 4th century to commemorate the site of Moses death.

Jerash

The ancient city of Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500

years. The city's golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be

one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before

being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal

provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East.

Aqaba

The beaches on the Gulf of Aqaba offer holiday relaxation for Jordanians, as well as tourists. Sports

facilities include swimming pools, tennis and squash courts, and bowling alleys.


Jordan- Iran

Relations between Jordan and Iran were strained immediately following the establishment

of the Islamic Republic due to the Hashemite Kingdoms close relationship with the

Pahlavi monarchy of Iran.

Ties between the two states were most severely damaged, however, by Jordans support

for Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1989.

Iran and Jordan resumed diplomatic ties in 1991 on the embassy level, though relations

between the two states have been slow to recover.

In 1994, tensions flared when Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel

That same year hostilities escalated when Jordan expelled 21 Iranian diplomats shortly

after a high-ranking Jordanian diplomat was killed in Syria-controlled West Beirut,

Lebanon.

Economic ties between Jordan and Iran have been extremely limited as a result of their troubled diplomatic relationship.

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