The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an Arab nation on the East Bank of the Jordan River.

Since its independence in 1946 Jordan has played a pivotal role in Middle East’s struggle for power due to its strategic location at the crossroads of Israel.

The country has distinctive ancient monuments, nature reserves and seaside resorts. It is also home to the famed archaeological site of Petra, the Nabatean capital dating to around 300 B.C. Set in a narrow valley with tombs, temples and monuments carved into the surrounding pink sandstone cliffs, Petra earned its nickname, the ‘Rose City’.

Jordan has delighted visitors for centuries with its world heritage sites, towns and stimulating desert landscapes. Some of the attractions include, Mount Nebo, Roman Theater, Ajloun Castle, Wadi Rum and the Shobak Castle to mention a few.

A majority of Jordanians are Muslim, about 92 percent are Sunni Muslim, and 1 percent are Shia or Sufi. Cities in the south of Jordan have the highest percentage of Muslims. Christians, living mostly in Amman or the Jordan Valley, make up 6 percent of the total population, with 1 percent representing other religions.

Jordan’s economy depends largely on services, tourism and foreign aid, with the US being the main provider. Jordan prides itself on its health services, one of the best in the region.

To diversify its energy mix, Jordan has secured several contracts for liquefied natural gas and is currently exploring nuclear power generation, exploitation of abundant oil shale reserves and renewable technologies, as well as the import of Israeli offshore gas.

Jordan plans to expand on its fiscal reform measures enacted over the previous years with a follow-on IMF agreement in 2016 to boost government revenues and reduce the budget deficit.

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