JORDAN
Vacations and Sightseeing
Vacations and Sightseeing
| Basic information | |
| Official language | Arabic |
| Capital | Amman |
| Area | 89.342 km² |
| Population | 10,372,975 (2021) |
| Currency | Jordanian dinar (JOD) |
| Web | .jo |
| Code. | JOR |
| Tel. | +962 |
Vacations and Sightseeing
Tourism was hit hard by the loss of the West Bank, but it has since recovered and become the most important economic sector after phosphate mining; however, the Gulf crisis and war led to sharp cutbacks. The most important tourist centres are the rocky city of Petra, Djerash (Gerasa), the seaside resort of Aqaba and the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. More and more tourists come to Jordan, especially from Arab countries. Modern hotels and improved infrastructure should further stimulate this sector.
Petra, the wonder of the world, is without doubt Jordan's most valuable treasure and the country's biggest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the steep rock face by the Nabataeans, an Arab people who settled here more than 2,000 years ago at a major hub for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia to Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. The entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge, over 1 km long, flanked on either side by steep, 80m-high cliffs. The walk through the Siq is an experience in itself. The colours and formations of the rocks are dazzling. In Petra, there are many sights from different cultures to admire.
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