Middle East
The Hashemite Kingdom of
the Jordan is bounded by Israel,
Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
It comprises 2 areas, East and West
Jordan, united in 1950.
The West includes the districts
of Hebron and Jerusalem , the Jordan
river and the Dead Sea, and is generally
fertile.
Much of East Jordan is arid steppe.
The majority of the people are Sunni
Moslems.
Amman is the capital and largest
city.
Jordan is governed by the king,
assisted by a council of ministers
and a legislative council.
The country was administered as
a British mandate until 1946, when
Emir Abdullah was proclaimed king.
He was assassinated, 1951.
The Crown Prince Talal acceded to
the throne in September but was
deposed, 1952, and his son, Hussein,
proclaimed king.
Area: 36,715 sq.m.
Population over 3 million.
We arrived in Amman, Jordan
in early April 1998, in the middle
of a snowstorm.
Dressed in summer gear after New
Zealand, Singapore and Thailand
we were in a shock.
We were expecting a Middle East,
semi desert country, not a snow
blizzard.
Buses, taxis and everything else
was grounded.
We had to wait for hours to get
from the Airport to Amman, only
a few kilometers away.
After a few days in Amman, by taxi
we went to see Ajlun, Yerash, the
Cave District, Iraq el Amir and
many other places north of Amman.
We had a few more days in Amman,
and the same taxi took us south
on the Kings Highway.
Visiting Hisban or Heshbon in the
Bible.
The Madaba mosaics, Mt Nebo, Dhiban
(Dibon), Wadi Mujib (Arnon), Rabbah,
Kerak, Qasr Tafila, Shobak, Wadi
Musa and Petra.
After visiting Petra we went back
by the Desert Highway to Amman and
the Allenby Bridge to Israel.
Very interesting history, including
many 'Biblical' places, 'Arab invasion',
Crusades, also Yerash and Petra.
Links to my photo pages in this
series.
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