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Jordan Geography:
Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references:
Area:
total:
92,300 sq km
land:
91,971 sq km
water:
329 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries:
total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline:
26 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate:
Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain:
Mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
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.)
Natural hazards:
Droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
Limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank |
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