Jordan

Jordan sits in the Middle East and borders Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Highlands cover the western terrain, and deserts cover the eastern region. The lowest elevation on earth, the Dead Sea, lies along Jordan’s western border.

  • Population
    6,187,000
  • Land mass
    34,495
  • Life Expectancy
    73 years
  • Literacy Rate
    92%
  • Access to Safe Water
    96%
  • Under Age 5 Mortality Rate
    22/1000
Jordan Map

US Comparison to Jordan

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Jordan United States
Population
6,187,000
307,000,000
Land Mass
34,495
3,794,083 sq miles
Life Expectancy
73 years
78 years
Infant Mortality
22/1000
7/1000
Literacy Rate
92%
97%
School Enrollment
94%
92%
Access to Safe Water
96%
100%
Average Annual Income
$4,350
$41,400

World Vision in Jordan Today

World Vision is committed to partnering with the Iraqi refugees in Jordan to improve their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their children, families, and communities. Highlights of World Vision’s work in Jordan include:

  • Providing refugees with food, mattresses, and basic healthcare items.
  • Building safe places for children to play and continue informal learning.
  • Offering vocational training to refugees to increase their economic opportunities.

World Vision History in Jordan

World Vision Jordan began as a liaison office supporting operations in Iraq in 2003. At the end of 2004, World Vision postponed operations inside Iraq, but continued to support work inside the country through local partners, via the liaison office in Jordan. 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 website http://www.iraqichildrentrapped.org/ focusing on children with no access to education or basic health care.

Geography & People

Geography and people

Jordan sits in the Middle East and borders Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Highlands cover the western terrain, and deserts cover the eastern region. The lowest elevation on earth, the Dead Sea, lies along Jordan’s western border.

Very little rain falls in the eastern deserts, while the west experiences some rain 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 and Circassians. Also, about 1.8 million Palestinian refugees and several hundred thousand Iraqi refugees reside in Jordan. Arabic is the national language, but upper and middle class Jordanians often use English.

History

Jordan gained independence from Britain in 1946 and adopted its name in 1950. 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, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees came to Jordan.

A constitutional monarchy has ruled Jordan since its independence. The monarch usually elects a prime minister and cabinet, but the government held elections in 2007. The king still retains power to appoint new government officials.

Prayer Requests for Jordan

Please pray for the people of Jordan and for peace and stability in their country.

Jordan Facts

  • Jordan has one of the smallest economies in the Middle East, mainly because the country's natural resources are quite limited.
  • Almost 13 percent of Jordanians are unemployed and more than 14 percent live below the poverty line.
  • With limited water resources, Jordan cannot produce enough crops to feed its people. The World Food Program estimates that about six percent of the population is undernourished and four percent of children under five are underweight.
  • The flood of refugees has put even more strain on Jordan's resources and economy.

Child Sponsorship

Through sponsorship, World Vision is partnering with families and communities to help meet immediate needs and promote lasting changes that will strengthen communities and move families toward self-reliance.

Each year sponsors receive updates about their sponsored child and their community. Sponsors also learn about the child's continuing activities and new accomplishments so when they correspond with their child, they can encourage them in their education, hobbies and endeavors.

The commitment of World Vision sponsors helps provide children with love, hope, and opportunities for a healthy, productive future. May God bless sponsors as they make a lasting difference in the life of a special child.