Jordan is located in the Middle East and borders Syria, Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea, Palestine, Israel, and Iraq. Covering some 89,342 sq. km., it is located at 31 00 N, 36 00 E.
Jordan is a land steeped in history. It has been home to some of mankind’s earliest settlements and villages, and relics of many of the world’s great civilizations can still be seen today.
As the crossroads of the Middle East, the lands of Jordan and Palestine have served as a strategic nexus connecting Asia, Africa and Europe. Thus, since the dawn of civilization, Jordan’s geography has given it an important role to play as a conduit for trade and communications, connecting east and west, north and south. Jordan continues to play this role today.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional. The monarch is the head of state, the chief executive, and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The king exercises his executive authority through the Council of Ministers. The cabinet, meanwhile, is responsible before the elected House of Deputies, which, along with the Senate, constitutes the legislative branch of the government. The judicial branch is a totally independent branch.