Geography |
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, located in the Middle East, is bounded on the north by Syria, on the east by Iraq and Saudi Arabia, on the south by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf of Aqaba, and on the west by Israel and the West Bank, an area previously held by Jordan that has been occupied by Israel since 1967. The area of Jordan is 89 210 km2.
The Jordan River and the Rift Valley, and extension of the Great Rift Valley in Africa, follow the western border of the country. The Jordan River flows from the north through the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and empties into the Dead Sea. Much of the valley is below sea level, and the elevation at the Dead Sea (366 m below sea level) is the world's lowest point.
To the east, the land rises abruptly to a height of about 600 to 900 m, then slopes gently in a plateau toward the Syrian Desert. Steep-walled valleys (wadis) cut the plateau. To the south, the Arabian Plateau is characterised by deep canyons, hills and mountains to 1 500 m.
The average winter temperature is above 7° C, but there can be occasional frosts. January is the coldest month. August is the warmest month, with temperatures in Amman averaging 26° C. In the Jordan Valley, however, summer temperatures may reach 49° C. Precipitation is most common in the winter and ranges from about 660 mm in the north-western corner to less than 120 mm in desert areas.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.