A lavish ruined city hidden in a secret valley in the middle of the desert. A huge salt lake reminiscent of a well-kept wellness center. Living Bible history and a desert that became famous thanks to the Lawrence of Arabia. Add to this an old tradition of peace and diplomacy in the midst of the rather troubled Middle East. It’s actually a mystery why Jordan is not run down by adventurous travelers. Visit thenailmythology.com for Jordan offers easy exoticism.
Population: 8.1 million
Capital: Amman
Language: Arabic
Was Jesus baptized in the Jordan River according to the New Testament?
even though Israel is a warm country, can you ski on Mount Hermon in the winter?
History of Jordan
The area where Jordan is today is the cradle of one of the world’s oldest cultures. Archaeological finds on the banks of the Jordan River can be dated as far back as 9000 BC. Since then, the area has been inhabited by countless different civilizations – some under famous rulers such as Abraham, Saul, Pontius Pilate and other biblical protagonists. The history of the state of Jordan, on the other hand, is relatively young. It did not begin until 1946, when the country liberated itself from Britain, which had ruled in the area once known as the Transjordan, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
Jordan’s first king was Abdullah I, formerly Emir (the Arabic word for prince or ruler) under British rule. Abdullah was assassinated and succeeded by King Hussein, who ruled from 1953 to 1999. With his pragmatic and pro-Western leadership style, he laid the foundations for the peace that characterizes this Middle Eastern country. Hussein, however, was exposed to pressure from all sides. The United States, Britain, Russia, Israel, the country’s Arab neighbors, and a large Palestinian population all had an opinion on how the country should be governed, and small wars and coup attempts were commonplace. During the Six Day War in June 1967, Jordan fought alongside Egypt, Syria and Iraq against a surprisingly strong Israeli army. The short war ended with Jordan being forced to cede the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel. The now-deceased King Hussein then signed a peace treaty with Israel. Hussein’s son, the current King Abdullah II, later took over the throne. He has focused on the education, health and economic reforms of the inhabitants and introduced a law that at least 20% of municipal politicians must be women. Jordan’s people have lived as nomadic Bedouins for centuries, and today a small proportion of the six million Jordanians still have a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle in the desert and steppe areas. Most, both Bedouin and non-Bedouin, are Sunni Muslims, but there is also a small Christian population with different orthodox orientations in the country. Arabic is the official language, but many understand and speak English, which in some circles is considered Jordan’s second language.
Nature and climate
A Jordanian natural attraction that is both entertaining and the well-being of the body is the Dead Sea. This lifeless “sea” is actually a lake, and is the world’s lowest lake with the world’s highest salt concentration. There is as much as 30% salt in the water, and there is no animal or plant life here – hence the name. In addition to the high salt content, both water and clay from the Dead Sea are unusually rich in minerals, and in addition to the strange feeling of being able to almost sit in the water, both skin and joints can benefit from taking a dip. If you want to take a more conventional dip, this can be done with advantage in southern Jordan. Here, the country’s only 26 km long coastline empties into the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. Beautiful beaches and fantastic snorkeling opportunities are two of the reasons why many Jordanian tourists choose to take a turn here. The city of Aqaba has an international atmosphere and is buzzing with life all year round. One of the reasons for the city’s strong appeal is the fantastic climate that never lets the temperature drop below 20 °, not even when the snow villages swirl in over the capital Amman further north. At the same time, cool sea breezes take the edge off the warm climate.
In a desert country like this, everything can obviously not be about swimming. The Wadi-Rum desert northeast of Aqaba is described by British Colonel TE Lawrence, better known as the Lawrence of Arabia. The area’s dramatic sandstone cliffs that rise steeply from soft, sand-covered valleys are featured in the film “Lawrence of Arabia”. Here Bedouins still live in Wadi Rum, and their reddish-brown tents stand out against the mighty, red sand masses.
