18 interesting facts about Jordan

18 interesting facts about Jordan

We share the most interesting facts about Jordan that we learned during our visit to this enchanting country

Jordan is one of my favorite travel destinations in the world. It seems to have everything.

In some places it resembles an open-air museum with ancient ruins and mythical cities on the horizon. There are natural phenomena and fascinating views that fulfill a photographer's dream.

The countries are steeped in history as old as the verses of the Bible and have played important roles in the world's major religions. Add delicious cuisine and welcoming locals, and you have a wonderful destination full of adventure and intrigue.

We spent a few weeks traveling around the country, exploring its deserts, seas and cities. Along the way, we picked up some interesting facts about Jordan, the best of which we share below.

Interesting facts about Jordan

1. Der offizielle Name Jordaniens ist Haschemitisches Königreich Jordanien. (Quelle: BBC)
2. Jordanien ging aus der Teilung des Nahen Ostens durch Großbritannien und Frankreich nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg hervor. Seit 1922 als Transjordanien bekannt, wurde es 1946 von der UNO offiziell als unabhängiges souveränes Königreich anerkannt. (Quelle: BBC)
3. E. Lawrence, besser bekannt als Lawrence von Arabien, beriet die Anführer der Großen Arabischen Revolte in Jordanien während des Ersten Weltkriegs eng. Die Revolte gipfelte im Überraschungsangriff und der Niederlage der türkischen Streitkräfte in der Schlacht von Aqaba, die aus der Nähe geführt wurde Wadi Rum. (Quelle: CNN)

alt=”interesting facts about jordan lawrence of arabia – 1″>Public domainLieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence

1. Die Bevölkerung von Transjordanien bestand größtenteils aus Stämmen, die an der Großen Arabischen Revolte gegen das Osmanische Reich teilgenommen hatten. Im modernen Jordanien sind diese Ureinwohner, die als Ostbank-Jordanien bekannt sind, den Nachkommen palästinensischer Flüchtlinge aus Israel und der Westbank zahlenmäßig unterlegen. (Quelle: BBC)

2. Jordan has a long history of welcoming refugees. Positioned in the midst of turmoil, it has hosted large numbers of refugees from surrounding conflicts. Most notably, the country is home to an estimated two million Palestinians and 1.4 million Syrian refugees. In a country with just 9.5 million inhabitants, this represents more than a third of the population. (Source: Telegraph)

3. Jordan is home to the ancient city of Petra. Known as “The Rose City”, it is famous for its unique architecture carved directly into the rock face. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. (Source: UNESCO)

alt="interesting facts about jordan petra">Atlas & BootsPetra is the most fascinating landscape in a country full of fascinating landscapes

1. Die letzten Szenen von Indiana Jones und der letzte Kreuzzug wurden in Petra gedreht. (Quelle: IMBD)

2. Unlike the other Arab states in the Middle East, Jordan does not have its own oil. (Source: BBC)

3. The Palestinian territory of the West Bank was once part of Jordan. After the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948-49, the country annexed the West Bank - but lost it to Israel in the 1967 war. (Source: BBC)

4. Along with Egypt, Jordan is one of only two Arab nations to have made peace with Israel. In 1994, Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel, ending 46 years of official war. (Source: BBC)

alt="interesting facts about jordan israel">Atlas & BootsThe Lights of Israel seen from the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan

1. Jordanien ist die Heimat vieler biblischer Stätten, darunter unter anderem der Jordan, wo Jesus von Johannes dem Täufer getauft wurde, der Berg Nebo, wo Moses starb, sowie die sündigen Städte Sodom und Gomorra. (Quelle: The Oxford Guide to Menschen und Orte der Bibel)

2. The lowest point on Earth in relation to the mainland is the shore of the Dead Sea in Jordan. It is 420 m below sea level. (Source: Britannica)

3. The water of the Dead Sea is extremely saline, which gives bathers buoyancy. With 34.2% salinity, it is 9.6 times saltier than the sea. (Source: Britannica)

alt="interesting facts about the Dead Sea in Jordan">Atas & BootsFloating on the surface of the Dead Sea

1. Eine der seltsamsten Tatsachen über Jordanien ist, dass es als höflich gilt, das Angebot einer Mahlzeit dreimal abzulehnen, bevor man es schließlich annimmt. (Quelle: Telegraph)

2. Without the 26 km (16 miles) of coastline along the Red Sea, Jordan would be a landlocked country. (Source CIA World Fact Book)

3. The national flag of Jordan features three equal horizontal stripes of black (representing the Abbasid Caliphate), white (representing the Ummayyad Caliphate) and green (representing the Fatimid Caliphate) along with a red isosceles triangle on the hoist side representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916. (Source: CIA World Fact Book)

alt="interesting facts about the flag of Jordan">Atlas & BootsJordan's flag flies high

1. In der Mitte des roten Dreiecks befindet sich ein siebenzackiger weißer Stern, der die sieben Suren (Verse) der Eröffnung des Korans darstellt. (Quelle: CIA World Fact Book)

2. The capital of Jordan, Amman, was once called Philadelphia. It was named after Ptolemy Philadelphus (283-246 BC), who rebuilt the city during his reign before Amman was destroyed around 30 BC. It was conquered by Herod in the 1st century BC and fell under the influence of Rome. (Source: Britannica)

For more interesting facts about Jordan, check out the Lonely Planet Guide to Jordan.

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