Introduction to Jordan

The historic Arab kingdom of Jordan is on the East Bank of the River Jordan, and extends well into the region of Palestine. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria and Israel. The control of the Dead Sea is jointly taken care of by Jordan and Israel. Jordan is separated from Israel and Palestine by the Jordan Rift Valley. Jordan and Egypt are in fact the only two countries from the MENA who have made peace with Israel. Spread over 19 hills, Amman is the modern – as well as the ancient – capital of the Kingdom of Jordan.

The official language in use is Modern Standard Arabic, a literary language taught in the schools. Most of the Jordanians here speak Jordanian Arabic, a nonstandard version of Arabic with many influences from English, French and Turkish. Although English does not enjoy the status of an official language in this country, but it is widely spoken throughout the country.

Jordan can be considered as the cradle of earliest civilizations; the lost city of Petra in Jordan was recently included in the Seven Wonders of the World. Cities of tourist interest include the capital Amman and As-Salt, Irbid, Jerash, Zarqa, Madaba, Karak and Aqaba. Major towns in the eastern part of the country are the oasis town of Azraq and Ruwaished. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Jordan is a tourist delight offering innumerable unexplored destinations.

Jordan has a beautiful mix of historical and cultural sites like Petra and Jerash to modern urban areas most notably Amman. Pristine seaside relaxation can be availed in Aqaba and Dead Sea which have quite a few resorts of international repute. To the delight of eco-tourists nature offers reserves to choose from like the Dana Nature Reserve. And the country impresses religious tourists with the presence of Mt. Nebo, the Baptist Site, and the mosaic city of Madaba. Trip to Jordan is definitely incomplete without a visit to the site called Citadel, which includes many structures such as the Temple of Hercules, the Umayyad Palace and the Byzantine Church. The six thousand seats Roman Theatre, which is a deep-sided bowl carved into the hill is at the foot of Citadel and this very site is used for cultural events of significance.

Since the 1970s Jordan has enjoyed a thriving medical tourism industry and is probably one of the best medical tourist destinations in the Middle East. Most common medical procedures that are available and sough after here are organ transplants, open heart surgeries, infertility treatment, laser vision corrections, bone operations and cancer treatment.