Jordan

In brief

Jordan is a country in Western Asia. Its capital is Amman. With 11.5 million inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 83rd in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Its area is 89,342 km². It shares land borders with Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

GDP per capita stands at $5,348 (2025), 116th in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 78 years (2024). 93% of the population lives in cities.

History of Jordan

The Nabataeans carved the city of Petra out of the rock; the Romans built Jerash. After the caliphates and four centuries of Ottoman rule, the Great Arab Revolt of 1916 paved the way for the Emirate of Transjordan, created in 1921 under British mandate for Emir Abdullah. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has been independent since 25 May 1946. It lost the West Bank in 1967 and made peace with Israel in 1994. King Abdullah II has reigned since 1999. The country hosts very large numbers of Palestinian and Syrian refugees.

Geography of Jordan

Desert covers most of Jordan, such as Wadi Rum and its sandstone cliffs. In the west, the Jordan valley drops down to the Dead Sea. The country’s only sea access is the Gulf of Aqaba, on the Red Sea.

Map of Jordan

Download the map (SVG)Interactive world map

Flag of Jordan

The flag of Jordan is red, white, green and black. Its official proportions are 1:2 (height to width).

• Black28%
• Green28%
• Red25%
• White20%

Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.

What the flag stands for

Black, white and green, with a red triangle bearing a white seven-pointed star. It takes up the flag of the Great Arab Revolt; the star’s seven points evoke the seven verses of the first sura of the Quran.

Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Jordan” and “Flag of Jordan”.

See also: flags with a star.

Download the flag (SVG) All 7 red, white, green and black flags All the flags of the world

Fact file

Economy and society