About Jordan
Jordan is a country with a rich history, culture and captivating sites that has a lot to offer its visitors. Jordan represents a diversity of landscapes and enchanting touristic sites, from natural and religious to historic and recreational. From the Rose Red City of Petra, recently voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, to the Dead Sea, known as nature’s living miracle and the lowest point on earth, Jordan is a land of fascinating contrasts.
Traveling from the ever-changing Jordan Valley to the remote desert canyons, immense and still, you can explore the historic castles, gaze in awe at the haunting wilderness of Wadi Rum, or bathe in the soothing waters of the Red Sea. For more information on Jordan, please visit www.visitjordan.com.
Capital: Amman
King: Abdullah II ibn Alhussein of Jordan
Currency: Jordanian dinar
Population: 11.33 million (2023)
Official language: Arabic
Dialing code: +962
Location: Amman JO
Time Zone: +2:00 hours from UTC/GMT
Airport Code: AMM
Transportation in Jordan
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Taxis
Taxis are inexpensive and often the most convenient form of transportation in Jordan, even over substantial distances, such as the trip between Amman and Aqaba. The white-painted «service taxis» ride fixed routes and are shared. Private taxis are painted yellow; they can be taken from ranks outside hotels, or hailed in the street. (UBER service is also available in Jordan). Taxis from and to the airport cost around 20 JOD.
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Buses
Several companies offer charter buses and regular tours in a fleet of modern, air-conditioned coaches. For schedules please ask your hotel concierge.
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Car Rental
Jordan has an excellent and expanding road network, and renting a car can be a good way to see the country. A driving license valid in your country of origin is acceptable, provided you have held it for at least one year. Driving is on the right. Road, signs on the highways are in Arabic and English. Brown signs are designed for tourists.
Why Jordan?
With an impressive 2000 researchers per 1 million people, Jordan has one of the highest rates of per capita expenditure on research and development within the region according to The World Bank. Science and research are critical to evolving the innovation culture in Jordan, and there are countless research centers in the country, which operate in the fields of energy, medical, technology, and nanotechnology, among others. Graduates in scientific studies constitute more than 40% of total graduates from Jordanian universities. Jordan is constantly increasing the impact of the research sector on the economy by developing its research infrastructure, and transferring knowledge and technology between science and business.
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Jordan Safety
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Jordan has consistently been recognized as one of the safest countries within the Middle East.
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In 2023, it was ranked impressively as the fourth safest country in the Arab world and 62nd globally out of 163 countries, according to the Global Peace Index, with notably low crime rates.
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Jordan is proudly home to numerous research centers, including:
The Royal Scientific Society:
The largest applied research institution, consultancy, and technical support service provider in the country, RSS is a regional leader in the fields of science and technology. Supported by more than 500 science specialists, researchers, technical support staff, highly skilled management, and faculty, RSS has become recognized as a local, regional and international research and development hub.
The National Energy Research Center (NERC):
NERC is one of the specialized technical centers of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) for research, development and training in the fields of new and renewable energy. It consists of four specialized divisions: the Wind Energy Division; Photovoltaic Division; Energy Efficiency and Solar Thermal Division; and Oil shale and Bioenergy Division.
SESAME:
The Middle East’s first major international research center is an intergovernmental scientific and technological center that is open to all scientists from the Middle East and elsewhere.
The National Center for Research and Development (NCRD):
NCRD aims to develop scientific capabilities in the areas of nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy, Badia research and any other research interest of importance to Jordan.