Professional Documents
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Jordan
Jordan
PROFILE
Capital: Amman
II. INTRODUCTION
Geographical background
The climate in Jordan is dry and hot for most of the year, since the country is
mainly desert. However, the western part of the country receives greater precipitation
during the winter season from November to March and occasional snowfall in Amman
and the Western Heights.
Natural Resources:
• Phosphate deposits were Jordan's primary natural resource and a
major source of export income. Estimates of Jordan's proven,
indicated, and probable reserves ranged from 1.5 billion to 2.5
billion tons.
• Potash was the other major component of Jordan's mining sector.
• There are extremely large proven and exploitable reserves of oil
shale in the central and north-western regions of the country. The
proved amount of oil shale in place is reported by the WEC
Member Committee to be 40 billion tons; proved recoverable
reserves of shale oil are put at 4 billion tons, with estimated
additional reserves of 20 billion tons. Jordanian shales are
generally of quite good quality, with relatively low ash and
moisture content. Gross calorific value (7.5 MJ/kg) and oil yield
(8-12%) are on a par with those of western Colorado (USA) shale;
however, Jordanian shale has exceptionally high sulphur content
(up to 9% by weight of the organic content). The reserves are
exploitable by opencast mining and are easily accessible.
• The government was concerned that scarcity of water could
ultimately place a cap on both agricultural and industrial
development.
Economy:
Jordan is almost landlocked and has inadequate supplies of water,
which makes it unsuitable for agriculture. Limited natural resources have
hampered economic growth. Jordan heavily depends upon foreign aid from its
oil rich neighbors. Recently, Jordan has embarked on economic reforms to
improve the economy. The Jordanian government has worked closely with the
IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, made significant progress with
privatization and liberalized the trade regime sufficiently in order to
guarantee Jordan's membership in the Word Trade Organization.
Jordan’s agricultural sector produces tomatoes, citrus fruit, cucumbers,
watermelons, aubergines and wheat, mostly grown in the fertile ground along
the Jordan Valley. Phosphate mining and potash extraction are the traditional
industries, but oil refining, chemical manufacturing, food processing, and the
production of metals and minerals also contribute to this sector. Many
Jordanian workers have moved abroad in search of employment and their
remittances are an essential means of support for many families.
III.HISTORY
In biblical times, the country that is now Jordan contained the lands of Edom,
Moab, Ammon, and Bashan. Together with other Middle Eastern territories, Jordan
passed in turn to the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, and, about 330 B.C.,
the Seleucids. Conflict between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies enabled the Arabic-
speaking Nabataeans to create a kingdom in southeast Jordan. In A.D. 106 it became
part of the Roman province of Arabia and in 633–636 was conquered by the Arabs. In
the 16th century, Jordan submitted to Ottoman Turkish rule and was administered
from Damascus. Taken from the Turks by the British in World War I, Jordan (formerly
known as Transjordan) was separated from the Palestine mandate in 1920, and in
1921, placed under the rule of Abdullah ibn Hussein.
From the beginning of his reign, Hussein had to steer a careful course between
his powerful neighbor to the west, Israel, and rising Arab nationalism, frequently a
direct threat to his throne.
IV. CLIPPINGS
V. CONCLUSION