The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a mostly desert country located in the Middle East between Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. It has a population of 5.4 million people, half of whom are Palestinian refugees. Jordan was historically home to ancient civilizations and is an important religious site. It gained independence after World War II and has experienced political instability due to its role in Arab-Israeli conflicts, but its long-reigning King Hussein (1953-1999) stabilized the country and became a respected leader known for his efforts to promote peace in the region.

1. JORDAN, DESERT ARAB KINGDOM

2. GEOGRAPHY
 The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is
almost everywhere semi-arid or desert.
With an area of 96,188 sq. km., part of it
(6,333 sq. km.) is still occupied by Israel.
It shares borders with Israel, Syria.
Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. It has the small
port of Aqaba and the Red Sea. The only
region fit irrigated agriculture is the
Jordan River valley.

4.  The capital is Amman
(formerly called Philadelphia).
Other Biblical spots are
Jericho, Edom, Gilead, Moab,
and the Dead Sea. The
Jordanian part of the city of
Jerusalem was captured by
Israel in 1973.

5. PEOPLE
 5.4 million people half are
Palestinian Arab refugees
from the wars with Israel.
Jordon has the world’s
highest concentration of
Palestinian refugees.
Sunni Islam is the state
religion, but there are
some Christians (5%).
Arabic is the language,
with some English
spoken.

6.  Jordan is the most successful Arab country.
Though it has a poor natural resources (no oil)
and a diverse population, it has more political
stability and a better life than most Arab
countries. It exports phosphate, vegetables,
chemicals, and citrus fruits to neighboring Arab
states and the Socialist bloc. Tourism is also a
major industry (1 million, tourists yearly) to see
places in the Holy Land, the rock tombs of Petra,
and the Wadi Rum wilderness.
 Jordanians are courteous, hospitable, and law-
abiding. There is no serious crime rate in Jordan.
Women enjoy a higher status than in other Arab
countries. Literacy is high, and they have a new
university. The skilled workers of Jordan are
highly regarded throughout the Middle East, and
their remittances home are important to the
economy.

7. HISTORY
 Ancient tombs and
temples cut out of the
living rock at Petra
show the long history
of Jordan. The
Nebatean state
mentioned by
Ashubanipal in 7th
century BC existed
here until 106 AD. It
was conquered by the
Romans under Trajan
and became part of
Arabia Petra.

8.  The southern part of Jordan was called Seir,
where Ammon, Moab, Sodom and Gomorrha
existed. The Jordan River was the site of
the baptism of Jesus, and Mt. Moab was the
traditional scene of his temptation. Jordan
was part of the tetrarchy of Herod.
 During the Crusades (1095 – 1291), most of
Jordan was included as Outrejodan in the
kingdom of Jerusalem. Under the Ottoman
Turks, it became part of Syria.

9.  After World War I, the Palestine area (which
included Jordan) came under British
mandate. In 1921 Britain separated Palestine
and made a new emirate of Trans-Jordan,
with Amman as the capital. Prince Adbullah,
oldest son of King Hussein of the Arabian
Hashemite Kingdom (and brother of King
Faisal of Iraq), became the new emir with
limited power.
 After World War II, Jordan became a
sovereign independent state on May 25,
1946. Abdullah remained as king and played
a leading role in the, formation of the Arab
League and the 1948-1945 war with Israel. In
1950 he annexed part of Palestine still
remaining in Arab hands.

10.  When King Abdullah was
assassinated by anti-
Western terrorist in 1951, his
son Talal succeeded him. A
few month later, however,
the parliament replaced the
mentally-ill Talal with his 18
King Abdullah years old son Hussein, who
was crowned king on May 2,
1953. King Hussein was
Jordan’s greatest ruler
(1953-99).

11.  From the beginning of his reign, King
Hussein had to steer a dangerous course
between Israel, his more powerful Arab
neighbors, and rising Palestian nationalism.
He survived several assassination attempts
due to his policies. His brave Bedouin
desert army of desert warriors stod by him
at all times.
 In 1955 riots erupted in Amman when he
joined the Baghdad Pact (CENTO). He
incurred further unpopularity when he
placed his army at the disposal of Egypt’s
Nasser during the 1956 Suez Canal crisis.
Jordan was swept into the 1967 Arab –
Israeli war, and lost the old city of

12. JORDAN UNDER HUSSEIN.
 After the defeat, bitter Palestinian
guerrillas took over sections of
Jordan, and they battled with
Jordanian government troops in
1970. Despite the help of Syrian
tanks, the Palestians were defeated
by Hussein’s Bedouin army. The
Jordanians also drove out thousands
of Syrian and Iraqi troops from their
country.
King  Hussein’s action against the
Palestinian Liberation
Hussein Organization, the Syrians and Iraqis
made him very unpopular among the
Arabs who considered these
guerrillas and militant Arabs as
heroes. On November 28, 1971 his

13. After taking sides with the losing Arab wars
with Israel, King Hussein decided to play a
more moderate role to protect his small
kingdom. Jordan had lost the West Bank
territory and the city of Jerusalem to the
Israelis. He relinquished all claims to the
Palestinian West Bank and Jerusalem. He
personally visited the family of the Israeli
solider shot in a border incident. Following
a Jewish custom of mouring, he knelt down
and wept before the Jewish mother for her
son’s loss, a sincere gesture that captured
the need for forgiveness for both sides.

14. As conditions also changed in
the Arab world, King Hussein
acquired a new image and role.
By the mid – 1990S he emerged
as the only Middle Eastern leader
to enjoy good relations with all –
Arabs, Palestinians, Israelis, the
Western, and the former
Communist powers.

15.  Towards the end of his life, King
Hussein became the most popular
man in the Middle East Like King
Solomon, friends and enemies alike
sought his wisdom and benediction
important moves. He interceded for
and between Arabs, hosted Arab
summits, settled local disputes, and
influenced the Palestinians to make
peace with the Israelis.

16. His death in February 1999 was a great
loss to the cause of peace in the Middle
East. For a man with a small build, and
coming from a small desert kingdom,
King Hussein (1953 – 99) and his acts of
forgiveness, humility and peace were
the most valuable and powerful
commodities in the region.
His son Adbdullah took over as the new
king of the Hashemite Kingdom.

17. - END -