Jordan Travel Guide

Jordan — Country and Tourist Information

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Country Facts

Location: Middle East.
Language: Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken. French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken in many tourist areas.
Area: 92,300 sq km (35,637 sq miles).
Time Zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 between March and October - dates vary).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are mostly used but newer buildings may have three-pin plugs.
Population: 6.3 million (2009).
Population Density: 68 per sq km.
Capital City: Amman. Population: 2.5 million (2006).
Government: Constitutional Monarchy since 1952.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Samir Rifai since 2009.
Head of State: King Abdullah II since 1999.
Religion: Over 92% Sunni Muslim, with 2% Shi'a and Druze Muslim. A significant Greek Orthodox Christian minority (6%) resides mainly in the villages around the hill city of Madaba.

Recent History

Crown Prince Abdullah ascended the throne on King Hussein's death on 7 February 1999. He has gone to great lengths to plan long-term improvements to the economy of Jordan and is one of a new generation of Arab leaders in favor of social and economic reform. He has backed the promotion of women's rights (in 2007, for example, 20% of seats in municipal councils were reserved for women) and actively encouraged information technology, democracy, liberal economic policies and integration with the rest of the world.

Bilateral relations with Syria are continuing to improve under his reign and he has won international acclaim for promoting a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian intifada. Parliamentary elections last took place in November 2007 with independent, pro-government candidates winning the majority of seats. The new prime minister, Nader al-Dahabi, has a strong backing in parliament but has yet to convince the electorate of his abilities.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +962. Card phones are available in most big cities and major tourist sites; cards can be purchased at numerous shops. International calls from hotels and post offices carry a three-minute minimum charge.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.

Internet

There are Internet cafes throughout the country.

Media

Jordan's TV and radio services are centralized through Jordan Media City (JMC), a private company with government support. JMC currently transmits 120 program channels. Freedom of the press is tempered by local sensibilities. State-run Jordan Radio and Television provides services in Arabic, English and French; the English-language newspapers are The Jordan Times (daily) and The Star (weekly).

Post

Packages should be left opened for customs officials. The Central Post Office in Amman (www.jordanpost.com.jo) is the only post office where packages can be sent. Airmail to Western Europe takes three to five days. For a higher charge, there is a rapid service guaranteeing delivery within 24 hours to around 22 countries.Sat-Thurs 0800-1900 in summer and 0700-1700 in winter, Fri 0700-1300.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
7 Dec Islamic New Year
25 Dec Christmas

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
15 Feb Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)
22 Apr Good Friday
25 Apr Easter Monday
1 May Labor Day
25 May Independence Day
10 Jun Army Day
28 Jun Prophet’s Ascension
1 Aug Ramadan begins
31 Aug Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
7 Nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
26 Nov Islamic New Year
25 Dec Christmas

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
4 Feb Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)
6 Apr Good Friday
9 Apr Easter Monday
1 May Labor Day
25 May Independence Day
10 Jun Army Day
17 Jun Prophet’s Ascension
20 Jul Ramadan begins
19 Aug Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
25 Oct Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
15 Nov Islamic New Year
25 Dec Christmas
(a) Easter holidays are only observed by Christian business establishments. (b) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.