 A land of Biblical stories, lost cities and Lawrence of Arabia, Jordan is a magical and untapped country simply oozing romance and mystery. If it was located in any other part of the world, Jordan would be awash with tourists. But the source of its wealth of amazing sites is also the cause of its isolation. The dangerous and unstable reputation of the Middle East keeps out all but the most intrepid travellers. But here’s the great surprise: Jordan is, on the whole, a very safe, peaceful and friendly country.
In a land without the oil wealth of its neighbours and with limited natural resources, Jordan has created one of the most energetic and progressive societies in the Middle East. Opportunities abound if regional peace is agreed and tourism could become one of the most important elements in the country’s economic revival.
 Despite being a small country, Jordan has always been at the heart of power struggles in the Middle-East since it lies at the crossroads of what Christians, Jews and Muslims call the Holy Land. Yet this is what attracts so many visitors. Jordan is home to cities that were thriving long before the birth of Christ. You can walk the same roads mentioned in the Old Testament, among a landscape that hasn’t changed much in the last 2,000 years. Visit the lost city of Petra, considered the eighth wonder of the world or watch chariot races in the restored Roman Hippodrome at Jerash. Stand on the very spot where Jesus was baptised by John in the Jordan River and follow the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia from his headquarters at Azraq into the wild Wadi Rum.
 There are many world-class hotels in Jordan offering luxury, excellent facilities and entertainment. If you would prefer something slightly less extravagant, there are many mid-range hotels available offering good facilities and service and ideal for the entire family.
The highlights are endless and best of all, there really aren’t that many tourists to obscure the atmosphere. You can ride camels in the desert with Bedouin nomads and then go scuba diving in the stunning underwater world of the Red Sea. It’s this range of activity that makes Jordan such an amazing destination and the traveller who is willing to make the journey will be well-rewarded. So don’t let the inherent dangers of the greater Middle-East deter you from exploring the relatively safe and peaceful land of Jordan.
Weather
 Jordan’s climate is one of extremes, depending on where you are in the country. The Jordan Valley lies below sea level, which means it is warm during the winter but incredibly hot and stifling during the summer. The Plateau area, on the other hand, sees the occasional snowfall during the winter months. Amman gets quite cold during the winter and even receives a fair amount of chilly precipitation.
Overall, Jordan is a desert country and as such, experiences typical desert weather. This means plenty of blazing sun, warm temperatures throughout the year and dust on just about everything. The hottest region of Jordan is the Jordan Valley, which regularly hits 40°C in the day during summer. But the clear night skies mean that much of this heat dissipates, leaving pleasantly cool sleeping conditions. The other main region of Jordan, the Plateau area, is warmer and drier throughout the year, with temperatures fluctuating between the lower 20s and the upper 30s (°C).
Although 75 per cent of Jordan is considered a desert, receiving very little rainfall, areas such as Amman get consistent precipitation between November and March. So be sure to bring your raingear if you visit during the winter. The Red Sea resort town of Aqaba is a warm and dry haven during the winter, as is the desert region. The temperatures hit their lowest nationwide in December and January, when you’ll definitely want to have some warm clothes on hand. Even during the summer, nights can be surprisingly cool. Otherwise, bring plenty of lightweight clothes for visits between May and September. Spring and fall are the most pleasant times of the year in Jordan. The skies are reliably clear and blue, and the temperatures are comfortably warm.
History
 Up until the early 20th century, Jordan was part of Palestine, one of the oldest civilisations in the world. Archaeological sites along the Jordan River date back to 9000 BC, testifying to its antiquity. From 3000 BC, the area was inhabited by the Canaanites and Amorites and after them by Sargon, the great Sumerian king. Abraham led a group of nomads from Mesopotamia to the mountains of present-day Israel in 1800 BC, beginning the history of the Israelites, who set up their first kingdom here in 1023 BC.
The heritage of the region where Jordan now stands is some of the most important in humanity’s timeline. The Roman Empire absorbed Israel in 63 BC, placing it under the control of consuls such as Herod and Pontius Pilate. Jesus lived and preached in this area, giving birth to one of the world’s largest religions, Christianity. The region received a major boost in 331 AD, when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and began to promote the Holy Land. Suddenly, Palestine became a pilgrimage site and a rash of religious building swept the region.
 Christianity’s hold over Palestine only lasted until 638, when Jerusalem fell to Caliph Omar and was declared a Holy City of Islam. This religious conflict led to the Crusades and murderous activity on both sides. But for most of its modern history, Palestine has been controlled by Islam. Over the next 500 years, the Holy Land changed hands with dull regularity as empires ebbed and waned. Eventually, much of the region fell under the control of the Ottoman Empire, but the desert area of today’s Jordan avoided most of these changes and remained a Bedouin stronghold.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in WWI, Britain assumed control of Palestine, creating the state of Trans-Jordan, with King Abdullah as the ruler. In 1953, King Hussein renamed the state Jordan and took full control of his new country. This sparked a boom period, as tourism increased and aid flowed in from the United States. The 1967 Six Day War with Israel killed Jordan’s burgeoning tourist industry and saw the new nation lose its part of Jerusalem and the West Bank. Infighting between the Palestinians and King Hussein created tension in Jordan, but ended when most of the PLO radicals moved to Lebanon.
 In 1994, Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel. This naturally angered the Palestinians and many Arabs, but King Hussein was intent on seeing peace in the region. He worked hard to bring democracy to Jordan, but his assassination in 1999 left things uncertain. King Abdullah II is now the king of Jordan, and enjoys popular support from his citizens as well as the respect of much of the Arab community. Despite the ever-present tensions of this powder keg region of the world, Jordan continues to try and broker peace. With no oil revenues coming in, Jordan relies heavily on tourism to bolster its economy. With its wealth of historical sites and near absence of tourists, Jordan is a great destination, and safer than most people would imagine.
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