Geography and Maps

Latitude/Longitude (Capital City)
31º 57' N, 35º 56' E

Relative Location Jordan is in both the northern and eastern hemispheres. Positioned in the Middle East, a recognized geographical region of southwestern Asia, the country is bordered by Israel, Syria (Golan Heights), Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Land Statistics
Coastline 16 miles (26 km)

Land Areas
(land) 35,510 sq miles (91,971 sq km)
(water) 127 sq miles (329 sq km)

Land boundaries
total: 1,635 km

Landforms Jordan is generally a flat desert plateau, east and west, as the western edges of the Syrian and Ard As Sawwan deserts stretch across the land. In the west, the Great Rift Valley (high hills and mountains) separates the East and West Banks of the Jordan River. Significant bordering bodies of water include the Dead Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Sea of Galilee.

Highest Point: Jabal Ram - 5,689 ft. (1,734 m)

Lowest Point: Dead Sea - (-1,349 ft.) (-411 m) below sea level

Land Divisions: 12 governorates, including: Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an and Madaba.

Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 2.67% - permanent crops: 1.83% - other: 95.5% (2001)

Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1998 est.)