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 Jordan
is a small country situated at the junction of the Levantine and Arabian areas
of the Middle East. The country is
bordered on the north by Syria, to the east by Iraq, and by Saudi Arabia on the
east and south.
To the west is
Israel and the occupied West Bank, while Jordan’s only outlet to the sea, the
Gulf of Aqaba, is to the south.
Jordan occupies an area of approximately 96,188 square kilometers
including the Dead Sea, making it similar in size Austria or Portugal.
However, Jordan’s diverse terrain and
landscape belie its actual size, demonstrating a variety usually found only in
large countries.
Western
Jordan has essentially a Mediterranean climate with a hot, dry summer, a cool,
with winter and two short transitional seasons.
However, about 75% of the country can be described as having
a desert climate with less than 200 mm of rain annually.
Jordan can be divided into three main
geographic and climatic areas:
the
Jordan Valley, the Mountain Heights Plateau, and the eastern desert, or Badia
region.
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 Innoculations
are not required unless you are traveling
from an infected location.
If you
come from a country
where diseases such as cholera and yellow fever are
prevalent, you will have to show a certificate of inoculation at you point of
entry into Jordan.
Although not
required it is not a bad idea to have preventative shots for polio, tetanus and
typhoid.
Jordan is one of the
cleanest and safest countries, but it is nonetheless advisable to take some
precautions until your digestive system adjusts.
Hotels rated four-star and up have their own filtering
systems, and their tap water is safe to drink.
In other places, bottled water is recommended.
All fruit and vegetables should be
washed thoroughly, in addition to salads and cold meats, which have been
sitting out for a long time, should be avoided. Especially during summer
months.
All Jordanian dairy
products are pasteurized and safe.
Medical services are well developed throughout Jordan, with a medical
center or clinic in every town and village.
There are hospitals in Amman, Aqaba,
Ma’an,
Karak, Madaba,
Zarqa, Irbid and
Ramtha.
In the
larger towns and cities many of the doctors have been trained overseas and
speak English.
Antibiotics and
other drugs normally sold on prescription in the West are often available over
the counter in Jordan.
You should
carry proscriptions of any medicaments you may need, making sure you have the
generic name, as specific brand may not be available.
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 Effective
immediately, entry visas are free of charge when entering Jordan through any of
the Aqaba borders.
For other borders in Jordan: Any non-Arab
visitor to Jordan, whether entering for business or as a tourist, needs an
entry visa. The fee required for a
visa, is $15. Entrance visas are obtainable at the airport
&
borders for visitors.
Although
some
nationalities
must
apply
in advance
in their
country.
These are obtainable from
any Jordanian diplomatic mission abroad, where they generally take a day to
receive.
Visas obtained in Jordanian consulates are valid for 3-4 months from the
date of issue, and can be issued for multiple entries.
Tourist visas allow a stay of up to one
month initially.
However, this
period can easily be extended for up to another two months.
After that date you must exit and
re-enter the country, or undergo immigration procedures.
If your visa has not been renewed
properly by the time you leave Jordan you will have to pay a fine at the
border.
If you plan to stay for
more than two weeks in Jordan, you will need to register at the nearest police
station.
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The
departure tax when leaving Jordan is $8.
Animal Quarantine
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 Jordan
operates
on the
metric
system.
Length
is counted
in meters,
distances
in
kilometers,
weight in
kilograms
and volume
in liters. You
may come
across the
measurement
for land
which is
the dunum.One
dunum is
equivalent
to
approximately
1000
square
meters
(10,760
square
feet).
Currency and Credit Cards
 The
Jordanian currency is the
Dinar, or JD.
It is subdivided into 1000
fils, 100
fils, 50
fils, 25 fils , 10 and 5
fils.
The daily exchange rate is
published in local newspapers.
You
can change foreign cash or travelers’ checks at any bank in Jordan.
Only travelers’ checks will be charged
a commission.
There are also
authorized moneychangers in Amman, Aqaba, and
Irbid, and you will usually get a
slightly better rate of exchange at moneychangers than at banks.
Hotels of three stars or above will
also change money but at a less favorable rate.
Foreigners are permitted to open accounts at Jordanian banks
in either Jordanian Dinars or in foreign currencies.
Currency exchange operates under the guidelines and
regulations of the Central Bank of Jordan.
The Central Bank also sets the minimum and maximum interest
rates for financial institutions to follow.
Credit cards are accepted at most large hotels, restaurants,
car rental companies and tourist shops.
(The most widely accepted cards are American Express, Visa, Diners
Club and MasterCard).
You can
also use your cards to draw cash (up to 500 JDs) at any bank linked with your
credit card network.
The automatic
cash machines outside some banks in Amman can only be used by Jordanian bank
account holders, and you should not attempt to use them.
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 Government
departments
are open
from 08:00
to 15:00
and close
Thursday
and
Friday.
Banks
are open
from 08:00
to 15:00
and are
closed on
Friday and
Sunday.
Small
shops
are open
long
hours,
from
around
09:00
until
20:00 or
21:00,
often
closing
for a
couple of
hours in
the
mid-afternoon.
Most
Moslem
shop
owners
close
early or
do not
open on
Friday,
and
Christians
follow
similar
rules on
Sunday.
However,
the
markets
and street
stalls
downtown
remain
open all
week long,
and Friday
is their
busiest
day of the
week.
During
Ramadan,
the Moslem
holy month
of
fasting,
business
hours are
shorter.
Museums
are
generally
open every
day except
Tuesday,
but
opening
hours
sometimes
vary.
|
 Jordan’s
electricity
supply is 220 volts/50
cycles AC. Sockets are
generally
of the
two-pronged
European
variety,
while a
variety of
other
sockets
and plugs,
especially
the 13 amp
square
three-pinned
plug, are
in use.
To
be safe,
bring a
multi-purpose
adapter.
American
equipment
requires
both an
adapter
and a
transformer.
Most
varieties
of
adapters
and
transformers
are
readily
available
in
electrical
shops
throughout
Jordan. Electrical
current in
Jordan is
reliable
and
uninterrupted.
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Holidays
in Jordan are either religious (Islamic or Christian) or celebrations of important events
in
Jordanian or Arab history. Non-Islamic holidays are fixed, while Islamic
holidays vary according to the lunar Moslem calendar.
Islamic Holidays- As the lunar Hijra
calendar is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian
calendar, each year Islamic
holidays fall approximately 11 days earlier than the previous year.
The
precise dates are known only shortly before they fall, as they depend on the
sighting of the moon.
Because the Islamic Hijra calendar is lunar, the exact dates of
Islamic festivals can only be determined the night before each celebration.
Eid
al-Fitr:
Also know as Eid
al-Azir (The small holiday), marks the end of Ramadan, the
month of fasting.
It is three-day
celebration.
Eid al-Adha:
Know commonly as Eid
al-Kabeer (The big holiday), falls at the end of the month
of Hajj
(pilgrimage to
Mecca).
It commemorates the
Prophet Abraham’s offering of Isma’il for sacrifice.
During this four-day celebration, families who can afford to
slaughter a lamb, share the meat with poorer Moslems.
Hijra New Year:
Islamic New Year
The Prophet Mohammed’s
Birthday
al-Isra
was al-Mi'raj: This holiday is the
celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and
his ascension to the heavens, where he led all the prophets in prayer.
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Many of the better
hotels and restaurants will add a gratuity of about 10% to your bill.