Jordan

--Minorities:

* Christianity
* Druze
* Baháʼí
* Others

**Jordan** *(Arabic: الأردن)*, officially the **Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan**, is a country in West Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and east, Iraq to the northeast, Syria to the north, and the Palestinian West Bank and Israel to the west. The Dead Sea is located along its western border and the country has a 26 km (16 mi) coastline in its southwest on the Gulf of Aqaba's Red Sea, which separates Jordan from Egypt. Amman is Jordan's capital and largest city, as well as its economic, political, and cultural centre.

Modern-day Jordan has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period. Three kingdoms emerged there at the end of the Bronze Age: Ammon, Moab and Edom. In the third century BC, the Arab Nabataeans established their Kingdom with Petra as the capital. Later rulers of the Transjordan region include the Assyrian, Babylonian, Roman, Byzantine, Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid, and the Ottoman empires. After the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in 1916 during World War I, the region of Lebanon and Syria region was partitioned by Britain and France.

The Emirate of Transjordan was established in 1921 by the Hashemite, then Emir, Abdullah I, and the emirate became a British protectorate. In 1946, Jordan gained independence and became officially known in Arabic as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country captured and annexed the West Bank during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War until it was occupied by Israel in 1967. Jordan renounced its claim to the territory in 1988, became the second Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, and since supports Palestinian statehood within a two-state solution.

Jordan is a semi-arid country, covering an area of 89,342 km2 (34,495 sq mi), with a population of 11.5 million, making it the eleventh-most populous Arab country. The dominant majority, or around 95% of the country's population, is Sunni Muslim, with a mostly Arab Christian minority. Jordan was mostly unscathed by the violence that swept the region following the Arab Spring in 2010. From as early as 1948, Jordan has accepted refugees from multiple neighbouring countries in conflict.

## History

Jordan has a rich history dating back to ancient times. The region was first inhabited by nomadic tribes as early as 10,000 BC. Over the centuries, many civilizations have risen and fallen in this land including the Nabateans, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Romans. In around 630 AD, Jordan became a Muslim state under Islamic rule.

Throughout the medieval period, the region was an important stop on caravan routes between Arabia and Mesopotamia. In the 20th century, Jordan experienced a period of important transformations. After World War I, the region became a British protectorate and gained independence in 1946.

Under King Abdullah I, the country began developing economically by tapping its phosphate reserves and transforming its agricultural industry. The country suffered from political instability, however, and in 1957 King Hussein ascended to the throne. He led the country through various wars, including the Six-Day War with Israel in 1967 and the Gulf War of 1991. Today, Jordan is a constitutional monarchy and has taken important steps toward economic development and democratic reform.

The country continues to face challenges such as those related to political and social upheaval in neighboring countries such as Syria. Despite such challenges, Jordan remains a regional leader in many industries, such as education, health care, and renewable energy.