Claim: Iraq is a Republic in the Middle East.

Jordan -LRB- -LSB- ˈdʒɔrdən -RSB- الأردن -RRB- , officially The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , is an Arab kingdom in Western Asia , on the East Bank of the Jordan River . Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and south ; Iraq to the north-east ; Syria to the north ; Israel , Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west ; and the Red Sea in its extreme south-west . Jordan is strategically located at the crossroads of Asia , Africa and Europe . The capital , Amman , is Jordan 's most populous city as well as the country 's economic , political and cultural centre .   What is now Jordan has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period . Three stable kingdoms emerged there at the end of the Bronze Age : Ammon , Moab and Edom . Later rulers include the Nabataean Kingdom , the Roman Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . After the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in 1916 during World War I , the Ottoman Empire was partitioned by Britain and France . The Emirate of Transjordan was established in 1921 by the then Emir Abdullah I and it became a British protectorate . In 1946 , Jordan became an independent state officially known as The Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan . Jordan captured the West Bank during the 1948 Arab -- Israeli War , which it later lost in 1967 , and the name of the state was changed to The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949 . Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , and is one of two Arab states to have signed a peace treaty with Israel . The country is a constitutional monarchy , but the king holds wide executive and legislative powers .   Jordan is a relatively-small , semi-arid , almost-landlocked country with a population numbering at 9.5 million . Sunni Islam , practiced by around 92 % of the population , is the dominant religion in Jordan . It coexists with an indigenous Christian minority . Jordan is considered to be among the safest of Arab countries in the Middle East , and has avoided long-term terrorism and instability . In the midst of surrounding turmoil , it has been greatly hospitable , accepting refugees from almost all surrounding conflicts as early as 1948 , with most notably the estimated 2.1 million Palestinians and the 1.4 million Syrian refugees residing in the country . The kingdom is also a refuge to thousands of Iraqi Christians fleeing the Islamic State . While Jordan continues to accept refugees , the recent large influx from Syria placed substantial strain on national resources and infrastructure .   Jordan is classified as a country of `` high human development '' with an `` upper middle income '' economy . The Jordanian economy , one of the smallest economies in the region , is attractive to foreign investors based upon a skilled workforce . The country is a major tourist destination , and also attracts medical tourism due to its well developed health sector . Nonetheless , a lack of natural resources , large flow of refugees and regional turmoil have hampered economic growth .