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Jordan

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description Jordan Overview

Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Levant with its capital at Amman and a monarchy currently headed by King Abdullah II. Its best-known site is Petra, the Nabataean city carved from sandstone that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Dead Sea on its western border sits about 430 meters below sea level, the lowest land-based elevation on Earth. Wadi Rum's desert landscapes and Red Sea access at Aqaba draw visitors, while Bedouin communities remain part of the country's social fabric.

help Jordan FAQ

Who rules Jordan?

Jordan is officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a monarchy with the capital at Amman, currently headed by King Abdullah II, who has reigned since 1999. It sits in the Levant region between Israel, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

Is Petra one of the Seven Wonders of the World?

Yes, Petra was named one of the New7Wonders of the World in a global vote in 2007 and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rose-red city was carved from sandstone by the Nabataeans, with the Treasury (Al-Khazneh) as its most famous façade.

Can you really float in the Dead Sea in Jordan?

Yes, the Dead Sea's water is roughly ten times saltier than the ocean, so swimmers bob on the surface effortlessly. Its shore is the lowest land point on Earth, about 430 meters below sea level, and Jordan shares its coastline with Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Which famous movies were filmed in Wadi Rum?

The desert valley of Wadi Rum has stood in for Mars and alien worlds in films like The Martian (2015) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Its dramatic landscapes were also central to David Lean's classic Lawrence of Arabia (1962).