country profile
Country profile
jordan
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WHAT'S UP WITH JORDAN
GEOGRAPHY
Jordan is located east of Israel and south of Syria in Southern Asia covering about 92, 000 kilometres squared. Jordan is surrounded by land except for a small fraction of its south which connects to the Red Sea.
HISTORY
From 8,000 BC until around 3,200 BC the area now known as Jordan was home to Stone Age hunters, villagers, potters and mainly farmers however the people famously progressed in the fields of metal and stone work. After 1,500 BC Jordan separated into the four kingdoms of Moab, Edom and Amon with Petra as their capital. Jordan stayed under Roman rule until it was conquered by Muslims in the 7th century. Jordan fell under Turkish and British rule in the next few centuries until it finally became independent in 1946. In more recent centuries, Jordan has experienced many hardships with its neighbor Israel however these were settled with the 1994 peace treaty signed by both sides.
ECONOMY
For the past decade Jordan's economy has been growing by 7% each year mainly from the countries characteristics that attract investors which include its popularity for tourism, defense, cosmetic and farming industries. The country's main downfall is its scarce water supply however this issue is currently being addressed with education and smart water usage systems.
TRUE OR FALSE
One of the main stereotypes of Jordanian people is that they are very stubborn, proud and don't like to spend their money. Of course while there are people with these characteristics from all the nations of the world, not all Jordanian's are the same majority of which are very respectful, traditional and never accept money from family- usually always offering to pay for each other. Another stereotype associated with Jordan is that they live on their traditional dish Mansaf. This is untrue however as even Jordanian's get sick of the rice dish. As part of Jordanian culture, when inviting someone of superiority or fondness it is mandatory that the expensive dish is served as a show of politeness and respect.
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS
In Jordan it it tradition for events to be female and male segregated from each other (this includes weddings, which last for three nights) resulting in all houses having more than one entry to more than one living room. In Jordan it is usually for each tribe to fill out an entire area for example in the country town of Bayooda the majority of people share the tribe name Al Neimat meaning everyone is related to each other and therefore all know each other. However Jordanian's are very friendly to outsiders, always offering help and support. If you are a female befriending a male is not recommended as it is against tradition whereas befriending and making conversation is quite easy with the females. This goes for males trying to befriend females.. don't do it as it is disrespectful and may ruin someone's family name or chances of getting married in the future.
For men it is usual to stay up all night with other males smoking and socializing with opportunities to make friends almost anywhere especially at work. For females a very social place I found was the bus stop, schools and the universities. Jordanian's are very friendly in general and offer their loyalty and trust quite easily. They like to know everything about you and don't hide things from each other so prepare for them to not seeing a problem with going through your phone.
WALK THE WALK, TALK THE TALK
In Jordan the language spoken is a form of Arabic which is more formal than most dialects. Jordanian's don't get particularly offended if you don't know the language fully however if you go to buy anything and the sellers (males majority of the time, even in makeup and women's clothing stores) see you're not from Jordan prepared to be ripped off. As mentioned before however Jordanian's are very friendly and helpful - also some can speak amazing English - so getting around Jordan is quite easy. One thing that is considered offensive is wearing revealing clothing. You don't need to cover your head however your arms and legs should be covered especially if you are female. A very unique aspect of Jordanian culture is their greeting which can vary but is usually one kiss on the right cheek and three on the left cheek while shaking their right hand. This form of greeting should only be between people of the same gender or everyone closely related to you.
Also be very aware of hand gestures such as raised palms, pointing and especially thumbs up which can be greatly offensive not just in Jordan but majority of the Middle East.
CULTCHA VULTCHA, WHAT TO EXPECT
An important aspect of Jordanian culture is their form of furniture which is usually floor cushions. When sitting down women receive blankets to cover their legs and feet so they are able to stretch their legs and be comfortable. After sitting is when your are first offered Jordanian coffee in a small glass cup which is used by everyone in the room - sharing cups is tradition. After everyone has had coffee, tea usually with mint leaves and then drink and other refreshments are offered. Rejecting refreshments are very offensive to the hosts so eat up. As mentioned before the traditional dish mansaf must be served to guests of high respect however a very unique aspect of this dish is that it is the only meal eaten with no utensils just the right hand.
When leaving the house it is not necessary to be in big groups but at least one other person is usual. As mentioned before is it necessary to cover up though with loose fitting clothes preferably. One place where you don't need to cover up however is your home. In Jordan women who permanently wear the headscarf in public aren't required to wear them if they are in their own homes. But they do always wear shoes because walking barefoot is rude... confused yet?
YOU HAVE TO GO...
It is not hard to see how tourism is one of Jordan's biggest source of income (it's also not hard to see why Jordanian's are so proud of their homeland), it is basically packed with historical sites that portray the countries history, beliefs and culture. Throughout the country there are roman ruins, castles, seas and museums at every turn. Jerash and Raphana are two of Jordan's main Roman cities preserved to this day, Wadi Rum is the largest valley in Jordan with amazing views of the sunset, Ajloun is home to the remainder of a 12th century castle, and both the Red Sea and the Dead Sea can be visited. Jordan is also home to many Islamic prophets graves and mosques which reflect on the religious side of the country. All up it is pretty much impossible to be bored in Jordan. These iconic places are not in any way a burden to the country as it is a healthy source of income which also provides more jobs and employment for people. The people around the sites have been taken care of, as have the sites environments.
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE
Even a person of Arabian background may find it hard to settle in Jordan as it is so different and old fashioned in language, culture and tradition. For people not used to Arabian customs at all they may find the country a little intimidating and strange with the strict rules but however in the end it will become obvious that the Jordanian way of life is what shapes its people into the kind, respectful and friendly citizens that they are. When travelling to Jordan be aware of their customs of keeping modest in both the way you dress and speak - or you speak to, their traditions of food and hosting, their ways of socialising and most importantly their close ties of family and friendship. Accepting these traditions and customs will surely make your trip to Jordan one to remember.
GEOGRAPHY
Jordan is located east of Israel and south of Syria in Southern Asia covering about 92, 000 kilometres squared. Jordan is surrounded by land except for a small fraction of its south which connects to the Red Sea.
HISTORY
From 8,000 BC until around 3,200 BC the area now known as Jordan was home to Stone Age hunters, villagers, potters and mainly farmers however the people famously progressed in the fields of metal and stone work. After 1,500 BC Jordan separated into the four kingdoms of Moab, Edom and Amon with Petra as their capital. Jordan stayed under Roman rule until it was conquered by Muslims in the 7th century. Jordan fell under Turkish and British rule in the next few centuries until it finally became independent in 1946. In more recent centuries, Jordan has experienced many hardships with its neighbor Israel however these were settled with the 1994 peace treaty signed by both sides.
ECONOMY
For the past decade Jordan's economy has been growing by 7% each year mainly from the countries characteristics that attract investors which include its popularity for tourism, defense, cosmetic and farming industries. The country's main downfall is its scarce water supply however this issue is currently being addressed with education and smart water usage systems.
TRUE OR FALSE
One of the main stereotypes of Jordanian people is that they are very stubborn, proud and don't like to spend their money. Of course while there are people with these characteristics from all the nations of the world, not all Jordanian's are the same majority of which are very respectful, traditional and never accept money from family- usually always offering to pay for each other. Another stereotype associated with Jordan is that they live on their traditional dish Mansaf. This is untrue however as even Jordanian's get sick of the rice dish. As part of Jordanian culture, when inviting someone of superiority or fondness it is mandatory that the expensive dish is served as a show of politeness and respect.
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS
In Jordan it it tradition for events to be female and male segregated from each other (this includes weddings, which last for three nights) resulting in all houses having more than one entry to more than one living room. In Jordan it is usually for each tribe to fill out an entire area for example in the country town of Bayooda the majority of people share the tribe name Al Neimat meaning everyone is related to each other and therefore all know each other. However Jordanian's are very friendly to outsiders, always offering help and support. If you are a female befriending a male is not recommended as it is against tradition whereas befriending and making conversation is quite easy with the females. This goes for males trying to befriend females.. don't do it as it is disrespectful and may ruin someone's family name or chances of getting married in the future.
For men it is usual to stay up all night with other males smoking and socializing with opportunities to make friends almost anywhere especially at work. For females a very social place I found was the bus stop, schools and the universities. Jordanian's are very friendly in general and offer their loyalty and trust quite easily. They like to know everything about you and don't hide things from each other so prepare for them to not seeing a problem with going through your phone.
WALK THE WALK, TALK THE TALK
In Jordan the language spoken is a form of Arabic which is more formal than most dialects. Jordanian's don't get particularly offended if you don't know the language fully however if you go to buy anything and the sellers (males majority of the time, even in makeup and women's clothing stores) see you're not from Jordan prepared to be ripped off. As mentioned before however Jordanian's are very friendly and helpful - also some can speak amazing English - so getting around Jordan is quite easy. One thing that is considered offensive is wearing revealing clothing. You don't need to cover your head however your arms and legs should be covered especially if you are female. A very unique aspect of Jordanian culture is their greeting which can vary but is usually one kiss on the right cheek and three on the left cheek while shaking their right hand. This form of greeting should only be between people of the same gender or everyone closely related to you.
Also be very aware of hand gestures such as raised palms, pointing and especially thumbs up which can be greatly offensive not just in Jordan but majority of the Middle East.
CULTCHA VULTCHA, WHAT TO EXPECT
An important aspect of Jordanian culture is their form of furniture which is usually floor cushions. When sitting down women receive blankets to cover their legs and feet so they are able to stretch their legs and be comfortable. After sitting is when your are first offered Jordanian coffee in a small glass cup which is used by everyone in the room - sharing cups is tradition. After everyone has had coffee, tea usually with mint leaves and then drink and other refreshments are offered. Rejecting refreshments are very offensive to the hosts so eat up. As mentioned before the traditional dish mansaf must be served to guests of high respect however a very unique aspect of this dish is that it is the only meal eaten with no utensils just the right hand.
When leaving the house it is not necessary to be in big groups but at least one other person is usual. As mentioned before is it necessary to cover up though with loose fitting clothes preferably. One place where you don't need to cover up however is your home. In Jordan women who permanently wear the headscarf in public aren't required to wear them if they are in their own homes. But they do always wear shoes because walking barefoot is rude... confused yet?
YOU HAVE TO GO...
It is not hard to see how tourism is one of Jordan's biggest source of income (it's also not hard to see why Jordanian's are so proud of their homeland), it is basically packed with historical sites that portray the countries history, beliefs and culture. Throughout the country there are roman ruins, castles, seas and museums at every turn. Jerash and Raphana are two of Jordan's main Roman cities preserved to this day, Wadi Rum is the largest valley in Jordan with amazing views of the sunset, Ajloun is home to the remainder of a 12th century castle, and both the Red Sea and the Dead Sea can be visited. Jordan is also home to many Islamic prophets graves and mosques which reflect on the religious side of the country. All up it is pretty much impossible to be bored in Jordan. These iconic places are not in any way a burden to the country as it is a healthy source of income which also provides more jobs and employment for people. The people around the sites have been taken care of, as have the sites environments.
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE
Even a person of Arabian background may find it hard to settle in Jordan as it is so different and old fashioned in language, culture and tradition. For people not used to Arabian customs at all they may find the country a little intimidating and strange with the strict rules but however in the end it will become obvious that the Jordanian way of life is what shapes its people into the kind, respectful and friendly citizens that they are. When travelling to Jordan be aware of their customs of keeping modest in both the way you dress and speak - or you speak to, their traditions of food and hosting, their ways of socialising and most importantly their close ties of family and friendship. Accepting these traditions and customs will surely make your trip to Jordan one to remember.