The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Background:

Location:  Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:  31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:  Middle East

Area:

total:  92,300 sq km

land:  91,971 sq km

water:  329 sq km

Land boundaries:    

total:  1,619 km border

countries:  Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:  26 km

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 East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes: 

lowest point:  Dead Sea -408 m

highest point:  Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources:  phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: 

arable land:  4%

permanent crops:  1%

permanent pastures:  9%

forests and woodland:  1%

other:  85% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:  630 sq km (1993 est.)

Environment - international agreements:  party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands.

Source:  The World Factbook 2001