Jordan's Geography | Jordan Geography
Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: Total: 92,300 sq km land: 91,971 sq km water: 329 sq km
Area - comparative: Slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: Total: 1,635 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Coastline: 26 km
Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain: Mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Natural resources: Phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use: Arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 1.83% other: 95.5% (2001)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues: Limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: Strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank



