Jordan           Introduction        

Background:        For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities.

Jordan           Geography           

Location:         Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:        31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:         Middle East

Area: total:  92,300 sq km

land:  91,971 sq km

water:  329 sq km

Area - comparative:        slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:         total:  1,619 km

border countries:  Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:         26 km