AMMAN

General
UNRWA Headquarters and the Jordan Field Office in Amman are located in Bayader Wadi Seer.

Location and Geography
Jordan has a population of 6.1 million. It is bound by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south as well as the West Bank and Israel to the west. The dominant topographic region is the Red Sea-Jordan Rift Valley which is a branch of the Great African Rift Valley system. The Dead Sea Lowland in the west forms the edge of the plateau region, with barren desert plains located in the eastern and southern areas. The principal river is the Jordan.

Climate
Jordan has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cool damp winters. August is the hottest month and January the coolest. Average annual precipitation is 300 mm and average temperature in Amman ranges are from 4 to 12 degrees Celsius in January to 18 to 32 degrees Celsius in August.

People
The principal ethnic majority are the Jordanians of Bedouin Arab origin. The Palestinian Arabs account over 40% of the population and the Bedouins represent 5% while Arabs as a whole constitute 98% of the population. Other ethnic minorities include the Circassians, Armenians and Kurds. The people of Jordan are welcoming and warm to visitors.

Government
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a Constitutional Monarchy. Amman is the capital of Jordan.

Religion
The official religion of Jordan is Islam. 93% of the population is Sunni Muslims while Christians account for 5% of the population.

Language
The official language is Arabic while the people speak a dialect which is common to Syria, Lebanon and areas of Iraq. English is also widely understood.

Currency
The official currency is the Jordanian Dinar (JD) divided into 1,000 Fils. The current exchange rate is 0.7 Dinars per 1 US dollar.

Time Zone
Jordan time is GMT +2.

Healthcare
Jordan has quite an advanced health care system although services are highly concentrated in Amman. Many medical professionals available in Amman are licensed and/or trained abroad and return to Jordan to set up their medical own practice. Doctors are proficient in English.

Education
Jordan offers a wide variety of international primary and secondary education options including the US, British and French systems as well as bilingual Arabic English domestic programs.

Housing Arrangements
A wide range of housing options exist in Amman. Luxurious private villas as well as large to small apartments are available, either furnished or unfurnished. Generally, apartments are found through agents, personal reference or strolling through desired neighborhoods for "for rent" signs.

Transportation
Jordan residents use cars to travel within Amman and between Amman and neighboring cities. Taxis are inexpensive and readily available. Buses operate within Amman and between Amman, the Dead Sea Resorts, Aqaba and Wadi Rum.

Several international airlines offer daily service between North America, Europe, Middle Eastern countries and the Far East. Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport is forty minutes from downtown Amman.

Living in Amman
Modern grocery shopping centers, full service malls and movie theatres are readily accessible. There are numerous fitness centers and several clubs that offer gymnasiums, swimming, playgrounds and other amenities.

Dead Sea and Aqaba hotels offer sophisticated resort holidays within easy driving distance of Amman. The historic sites of Petra, Jerash, Madaba or the desert castles are readily accessible and offer a unique insight into the rich history of the region. For the more adventurous traveler, hiking, cycling or rock climbing are available in the breathtaking Wadi Rum Desert, the wadis around the Dead Sea, the Eastern Desert or the northern wildlife reserves.

Useful links