Jordan Capitals

Amman is the capital and most populous city of Jordan as well as the country's cultural, economic, and political centre. Amman is located in Northern Jordan and is surrounded by the As-Salt, Madaba, Russayfah, and Az-Zarqa regions. The city became the capital of the nation in 1921 but Amman has been inhabited since around 10050 B.C. Modern Amman spans across 27 districts and the city is characterized by rugged, mountainous terrain. The city covers an area of 88,802 square kilometres (34,287 square miles).

The population of the Amman area is estimated at just over four million citizens which makes up about 40 percent of the entire population of the country. The high birthrate in the city, as well as an influx of migrants, saw the population grow from a minuscule 1,000 in 1890 to around 1,000,000 inhabitants in 1990. The largest groups of immigrants to Amman come from Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and Iraq. The population of Amman is mostly Sunni Muslim but there are small groups of Christians living in the city.

Amman is the fourth most visited city in the Arab world and sees around 1.8 million tourists on an annual basis. The most popular attractions in Amman are the Citadel, King Abdullah Mosque, the Royal Automobile Museum, the Jordan Museum, and the Darat Al Funun art gallery. The restored Roman theatre in Amman is also a highlight for many visitors. Amman is also the hub in the Middle-East for medical tourism. Amman receives around 250,000 foreign patients a year and this generates over $1 billion annually for the economy. Amman is a very modern city complete with restaurants and nightlife as well as luxury hotels and resorts in the outer regions of the city.

The climate of Jordan falls under the semi-arid classification with mildly hot and breezy summers and winters that are will hardly ever see negative temperatures. The average low in the middle of winter in Amman is 4.2 degrees Celsius (39.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and the average high during the peak of summer is 32.5 degrees Celsius (90.5 degrees Fahrenheit). The climate of Amman offers examples of micro-climates wherein different districts of the city experience different weather at the same time.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Amman
Languages	Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes)
Ethnic Groups	Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religion	Muslim 97.2% (official; predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.2% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), Buddhist 0.4%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish <0.1, folk religionist <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1, other <0.1 (2010 est.)
Government	Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independance	25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Area	89,342.00 km²
Water Area	540.00 km²
Land Area	88,802.00 km²
Population	8,185,384.00 Population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable, but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba
Location	Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Iraq 179 km, Israel 307 km, Saudi Arabia 731 km, Syria 379 km, West Bank 148 km
GDP(PPP)	$86,190,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$11,100.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are textiles, fertilizers, potash, and phosphates.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Saudi Arabia, China, and the United States.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include crude oil, refined petroleum products, machinery, and transport equipment.
Climate	Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain	Mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates eastern and western banks of the Jordan River
Learn More	Jordan

Jordan Capitals

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