Updated: March 2009
Jordan
Overview | World Vision's history in Jordan| World Vision in Jordan today
OverviewLocated in the Middle East, the Kingdom of Jordan is bordered by Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The lowest elevation on earth, the Dead Sea, is situated along the western border. Highlands run north to south along the center of Jordan, and deserts cover the eastern two-thirds of the country. The east sees very little rain in a hot desert environment, while the west experiences some precipitation during the winter. Jordan’s few natural resources include phosphates, limestone, and potassium products.Jordanians are mostly of Arab descent, except for a few small communities of Armenians, Circassians, and Kurds. In addition, approximately 1.8 million Iraqi refugees and internally displaced Palestinians reside in Jordan. Arabic is the national language, but English is widely used in commerce and government. Several centuries of invasions and successive rulers came to an end in 1945 after the League of Nations awarded present-day Jordan to the United Kingdom. A year later, the country became the independent Kingdom of Transjordan, a name which would later be shortened to the Kingdom of Jordan. Many decades of hostilities with Israel ended in 1994 when the two countries signed a peace treaty. Following the Coalition invasion of Iraq in 2003, Jordan has seen nearly 700,000 Iraqi refugees spill into the country. Figures released in 2008 show that hosting Iraqi refugees has cost Jordan nearly US$1.6 billion. Only four percent of refugees can afford medical assistance, and half have said they spend up to 25 percent of their income on health care. With only 22 percent of Iraqi adults in Jordan working, the need for economic assistance is great. With little or no income, refugees face increasing pressure, heightening tension in families, and increasing incidents of domestic violence. |  |
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| Figures released in 2008 show that hosting Iraqi refugees has cost Jordan nearly US$1.6 billion. Only four percent of refugees can afford medical assistance, and half have said they spend up to 25 percent of their income on health care. With only 22 percent of Iraqi adults in Jordan working, the need for economic assistance is great. With little or no income, refugees face increasing pressure, heightening tension in families, and increasing incidents of domestic violence. Back to top World Vision's history in JordanWorld Vision has been working with Iraqi refugees in Jordan since early 2007. Through local partners, it has assisted the refugees with supplementary feeding, health care, and informal education for Iraqi children. In 2008, World Vision launched an advocacy Web site focusing on children with no access to education or basic health care.Back to top World Vision in Jordan todayWorld Vision is committed to partnering with the Iraqi refugees in Jordan to enhance their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities, families, and children. World Vision operates several Iraqi refugee-related programs, which are supported by donors from ten countries, including the United States. An overview of the Middle East Iraqi Refugee Crisis:
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