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Population
The
population of Jordan was estimated at 5.2 million in
2001 with a 3.8% growth rate. Jordan's population has
doubled since 1980 with 50% of the population under
eighteen years of age.
Capital
City
Amman
- estimated population 2.1m or 38% of total population
(2001 figure)
Language
Arabic
is the official language but English is widely spoken.
Jordanian business people are well disposed to the UK
and speak and correspond in English. French is the third
language taught in private schools.
Principal
Religions
More
than 80% of the population are Sunni Muslims. There
is a Christian minority, mainly Greek Orthodox, Roman
Catholic and Coptic, and smaller numbers of other Muslim
sects.
International
dialling code from UK
00
962
Local
currency
The
Jordanian Dinar (JD) is made up of 1,000 fils. 10 fils
are referred to as one piastre. Currency notes are available
in denominations of JD 50, 20,10,5,1 and 500 fils. The
500 fils and JD1 notes are gradually being phased out
and converted into coins
Weights
and measures
The
metric system is used widely. Land is measured in dunums
(one dunum = 1,000 sq m).
Public
holidays
Jordan
uses the Gregorian calendar and many public holidays
have fixed dates. The Islamic year contains 354 or 355
days, with the result that Muslim feasts advance by
10 days against the Gregorian calendar each year. Dates
of Muslim feasts vary according to the sighting of the
new moon and therefore cannot be forecast exactly. Official
weekly holiday: Friday.
Public
Holidays
| New
Years Day |
1
January |
| Eid
Al-Fitr* |
7
January |
| Accession
of HM King Hussein |
11
August |
| Birthday
of HM King Hussein |
14
November |
| Army
Day |
10
June |
| King
Abdullah's Birthday |
30
January |
| Hijri
New Year* |
5
April |
| Labour
Day |
1
May |
| The
Prophet's Birthday |
23
May |
| Independence
Day |
25
May |
| Queen's
Golden Jubilee(*) |
2
June |
| Queen's
Golden Jubilee(*) |
3
June |
| King
Hussein's Birthday |
14
November |
| Eid
Al Isra* |
24
October |
| Christmas
Eve(*) |
24
December |
| Christmas
Day |
25
December |
| Boxing
Day(*) |
26
December |
*
Variable dates (*) British Embassy closed
Passports
/ Visas
Business
visitors from the UK can obtain visas from the Embassy
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or upon arrival (JD
10). However visitors are advised to obtain visas prior
to departure. A valid visa is required for entry into
Jordan. Visas are issued depending on the purpose of
visit. Visas are obtainable from the Embassy of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Visas can be obtained in
person between 9.30-13.00 Monday to Friday (except UK
and Jordanian public holidays), and will be processed
within forty-eight hours. Visas can also be obtained
by post: ten working days (from receipt) should be allowed
for processing.
The
cost of a single-entry visa which is valid for three
months is £11. A double-entry visa, also valid
for three months, costs £21.
Exit
tax: The departure tax at any Air, Land and Sea borders
is to be paid by all individuals or groups regardless
of the period of stay in Jordan, amount JD5.000 = $8.00
Applicants
will be required to submit the following:
Application
form available from the Embassy (for postal applicants
this will need to be obtained first from the Visa section
of the Embassy)
Passport
valid for at least 6 months
Postal
order. When applying in person cash may also be used
for payment.
Applications
by post must also a self-addressed envelope with sufficient
postage for the return of passport and visa.
6
Upper Phillimore Gardens
Kensington
LONDON
W8 7HB
Tel: 020 7-937 3685
(0891) 171261 (Visa information: 50p per minute)
Fax: 020 7-937 8795
Health
advice / risks
Although
no vaccinations are required to enter Jordan, doctors
recommend that you have preventative shots for hepatitis
A, polio, tetanus and typhoid.
Drinking
water
Tap water is generally considered safe in major towns
and cities, although it is recommended to drink bottled
water which is widely available.
Travel
routes to Jordan
Air
travel to Jordan is fairly simple. As well as direct
flights from the UK, regular services from Beirut, Damascus
and Cairo and other Middle Eastern cities mean that
Jordan is easily slotted in to a regional trip.
British
Airways operate 5 flights a week (not Wednesdays and
Saturdays), while Royal Jordanian operate daily flights
between London Heathrow and Amman's Queen Alia International
Airport.
How
to get to & from the airport
On
arrival in Jordan, a choice of either airport taxi (JD12-JD15)
or a half-hourly regular bus service is available, to
cover the 30-50 minute journey into Amman. Make sure
the taxi driver uses his meter or the journey could
prove expensive.
Travelling
in jordan
Air
Internal air services are fairly limited. Some Royal
Jordanian Airline flights stop off at Aqaba en route
to international destinations. The only internal scheduled
service is between Aqaba and Amman. Operated by Royal
Wings, 3 flights daily have been introduced since July
02 at a cost of JD 60 for a return trip (for non-Jordanians).
Rail
The railway network is used mainly for phosphate transportation,
with some limited tourist use. Plans for major rail
links with Europe via Syria and with Iraq are unlikely
to advance in the current political climate. The Aqaba
Railway Corporation has a network of 290 km of track
serving the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) at
Al Hassa and Wadi al-Abyad in the south. The rail link
transports around 4.5 million tonnes of phosphate annually
from the mines to the port of Aqaba.
The
Hejaz Railway links Amman to Damascus. Visitors are
advised to use alternative transport as the once weekly
journey takes 8 hours.
Roads
Jordan has some 7,348 km of surfaced road. A network
of main roads extends from Amman to Aqaba, to all main
towns and ultimately to Saudi Arabia, Baghdad and Damascus.
Jordanian
roads are of a high quality. A national or international
driving licence is required.
Driving
on the main roads is safe. Jordanians drive on the right
hand side and tend to use the horn frequently. Minor
roads are only sign-posted in Arabic and so are difficult
to follow. Night driving is dangerous and best avoided.
Taxis
Taxis are widely available and cheap. Ensure the meter
is working before beginning your journey, otherwise
find another taxi. Visitors should ensure they have
the Arabic name for their destination. Shared taxis
are white in colour and best avoided.
Women
visitors are advised to sit in the back of the taxi
even when not alone, a man should sit in the front.
Car
hire
A number of international car hire companies are based
in Amman.
Hotels
Hotel
accommodation in Amman is modern and easy to find.
A
hotel porter will expect a tip of 500 fils (half a dinar)
and hotel restaurants also expect a tip, usually 10%
of the bill (if service charge is not included in the
bill).
Most
major credit cards are accepted in hotels.
Restaurants
The five star hotels provide the best and most expensive
meals in Amman (at approximately £35 per head).
Recommended local restaurants in Amman (there are many
others of good standard):
A
tip of 10% of the bill is usually expected if service
charge is not included in the bill.
Most
resturants accept major international credit cards.
Electricity
supply
Domestic:
220 volts, 50 cycles, AC
Industrial: 220-380 volts, 50 cycles, AC
Lamp
sockets tend to be of the screw type, while wall sockets
vary. A universal adapter may prove useful.
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