Here are 10 interesting facts about Jordan
10. The country’s capital is Amman and the kingdom is ruled by Abdullah the second of Jordan. The official language of Jordan is Arabic. Many upper-income Jordanians can speak English as well.
While visiting the country, people will greet you wherever you go in the form of hello and welcome, translated as Ahlan wa Sahlan in Arabic. While visiting the country, it is best not to establish a set itinerary as you might just get a spontaneous invitation to relax and sip tea with the locals.
Etiquette in Jordan allows anyone who is offered a meal to refuse three times before finally accepting the invitation. If you want to decline, you have to do it in a way that will not offend your host.
9. When you talk about Jordan, much of the information takes you back in time, especially cinematically. That is because the kingdom has graced the silver screen in many classic movies. For example, Petra’s Al-Khazneh monument was used as the home of the Holy Grail in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Also, the elevated cliffs and soft pink sands of Wadi Rum were featured in the famous movie Lawrence of Arabia.
8. While traveling through Jordan’s open spaces, you won’t feel the crush of traffic or hear the constant cacophony of beeping horns as do you in other places. You’ll be able to enjoy and explore the countryside, an area that is marked by ruins everywhere.
7. Ancient archaeological sites can also be found in the middle of the country’s capital. For instance, the Temple of Hercules, which is an ancient Roman religious site, lies at the top of a hill in Amman, Jabal al-Qal’a. The site seems surreal, especially at sunset when church bells issue a call to prayer and sound out from the minarets below.
6. One of the fun facts about Jordan has to do with its official name. Jordan’s formal name is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. So you might say that “Jordan” is a shortened version of the official moniker.
However, the country was also known as Transjordan in 1922 after World War 1 division of the Middle East made by France and Britain.
5. In ancient times, Amman, the capital, was called Philadelphia. The name commemorated Ptolemy Philadelphus, the Macedonian ruler who took over the city and rebuilt it.
In the 13th century, the Ammonites took over the city and named it Rabbath Ammon which meant King’s Quarters or Capital. Over the centuries the Rabbath was dropped and the city came to be known as Ammon and then Amman.
4. The shore of the Dead Sea in Jordan is considered the lowest point on the Earth in terms of dry land. It lies 420 meters or 1,378 feet beneath sea level. The waters of the sea, which are rich in salt, keep bathers easily buoyant. The sea is almost 10 times saltier than the ocean. The Dead Sea lies in 3 countries such as Jordan, Israel, and Palestine.
3. If you thought nothing else could surprise you about the interesting Jordan facts, here’s one! There is a 2nd-century Roman theatre in Amman that could seat 6000 people, and it’s right next close to the city.
2. The Jordanian capital of Amman is unusual for its construction. That is because the city was originally built across seven hills known as jabals. Does this remind you of Rome?
Through growth over time, the city now covers 19 jabals. As a result, the city has no east side or west side. Instead, directions are given based on jabals.
1. Naturally, you cannot mention Jordan without referring to Petra too. One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the ancient archaeological site of Petra was carved into the rock about two millennia ago; but it was not well-known until the 1800s.
You enter the city of Petra through a narrow gorge that is 1.25 km or less than a mile in width and get to see over 800 ancient tombs. Also known as the Rose City, Petra is home to such landmarks as the aforementioned Al-Khazneh and Ed-Deir monuments, that you’ll find liberally splashed across the various tourism posters of Jordan and the Middle East.
That is all for Jordan, do let us know how did you find these facts below in the comments section!
