The Jordan Valley, which extends down the entire western flank of Jordan, is the country's most distinctive natural feature. The Jordan Valley forms part of the Great Rift Valley of Africa, which extends down from southern Turkey through Lebanon and Syria to the salty depression of the Dead Sea, where it continues south through Aqaba and the Red Sea to eastern Africa. This fissure was created 20 million years ago by shifting tectonic plates.

The River Jordan
© Jordan Tourism Board

The northern segment of the Jordan Valley, known in Arabic as the Ghor, is the nation's most fertile region. It contains the Jordan River and extends from the northern border down to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River rises from several sources, mainly the Anti-Lebanon Mountains in Syria, and flows down into Lake Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee), 212 meters below sea level. It then drains into the Dead Sea which, at 407 meters below sea level, is the lowest point on earth. The river is between 20 and 30 meters wide near its endpoint. Its flow has been much reduced and its salinity increased because significant amounts have been diverted for irrigational uses.

Several degrees warmer than the rest of the country, its year-round agricultural climate, fertile soils, higher winter rainfall and extensive summer irrigation have made the Ghor the food bowl of Jordan.

The Jordan River ends at the Dead Sea, which, at a level of over 407 meters below sea level, is the lowest place on the earth's surface. It is landlocked and fed by the Jordan River and run-off from side wadis. With no outlet to the sea, intense evaporation concentrates its mineral salts and produces a hypersaline solution. The sea is saturated with salt and minerals–its salt content is about eight times higher than that of the world's ocean–and earns its name by virtue of the fact that it supports no indigenous plant or animal life. The Dead Sea and the neighboring Zarqa Ma'een hot springs are famous for their therapeutic mineral waters, drawing visitors from all over the world.

Dead Sea at night.
© Zohra

South of the Dead Sea, the Jordan Valley runs on through hot, dry Wadi ‘Araba. This spectacular valley is 155 kilometers long and is known for the sheer, barren sides of its mountains. Its primary economic contribution is through potash mining. Wadi ‘Araba rises from 300 meters below sea level at its northern end to 355 meters above sea level at Jabal Risha, and then drops down again to sea level at Aqaba.

The seaside city of Aqaba is Jordan's only outlet to the sea. Its 40 kilometer-long coastline houses not only a tourist resort and Jordan's only port, but also some of the finest coral reefs in the world. The rich marine life of these reefs provides excellent opportunities for snorkeling and diving.

The highlands of Jordan separate the Jordan Valley and its margins from the plains of the eastern desert. This region extends the entire length of the western part of the country, and hosts most of Jordan's main population centers, including Amman, Zarqa, Irbid and Karak. We know that ancient peoples found the area inviting as well, since one can visit the ruins of Jerash, Karak, Madaba, Petra and other historical sites which are found in the Mountain Heights Plateau. These areas receive Jordan's highest rainfall, and are the most richly vegetated in the country.

Wadi Mujib.
© Jad Al Younis, Discovery Eco-Tourism

The region, which extends from Umm Qais in the north to Ras an-Naqab in the south, is intersected by a number of valleys and riverbeds known as wadis. The Arabic word wadi means a watercourse valley which may or may not flow with water after substantial rainfall. All of the wadis which intersect this plateau, including Wadi Mujib, Wadi Mousa, Wadi Hassa and Wadi Zarqa, eventually flow into the Jordan River, the Dead Sea or the usually-dry Jordan Rift. Elevation in the highlands varies considerably, from 600 meters to about 1,500 meters above sea level, with temperature and rainfall patterns varying accordingly.

The northern part of the Mountain Heights Plateau, known as the northern highlands, extends southwards from Umm Qais to just north of Amman, and displays a typical Mediterranean climate and vegetation. This region was known historically as the Land of Gilead, and is characterized by higher elevations and cooler temperatures.

South and east of the northern highlands are the northern steppes, which serve as a buffer between the highlands and the eastern desert. The area, which extends from Irbid through Mafraq and Madaba all the way south to Karak, was formerly covered in steppe vegetation. Much of this has been lost to desertification, however. In the south, the Sharra highlands extend from Shobak south to Ras an-Naqab. This high altitude plain receives little annual rainfall and is consequently lightly vegetated.

Comprising around 75% of Jordan, this area of desert and desert steppe is part of what is known as the North Arab Desert. It stretches into Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, with elevations varying between 600 and 900 meters above sea level. Climate in the Badia varies widely between day and night, and between summer and winter. Daytime summer temperatures can exceed 40°C, while winter nights can be very cold, dry and windy. Rainfall is minimal throughout the year, averaging less than 50 millimeters annually. Although all the regions of the Badia (or desert) are united by their harsh desert climate, similar vegetation types and sparse concentrations of population, they vary considerably according to their underlying geology.

The volcanic formations of the northern Basalt Desert extend into Syria and Saudi Arabia, and are recognizable by the black basalt boulders which cover the landscape. East of the Basalt Desert, the Rweishid Desert is an undulating limestone plateau which extends to the Iraqi border. There is some grassland in this area, and some agriculture is practiced there. Northeast of Amman, the Eastern Desert is crossed by a multitude of vegetated wadis, and includes the Azraq Oasis and the Shomari Wildlife Reserve.

To the south of Amman is the Central Desert, while Wadi Sarhan on Jordan's eastern border drains north into Azraq. Al-Jafr Basin, south of the Central Desert, is crossed by a number of broad, sparsely-vegetated wadis. South of al-Jafr and east of the Rum Desert, al-Mudawwara Desert is characterized by isolated hills and low rocky mountains separated by broad, sandy wadis. The most famous desert in Jordan is the Rum Desert, home of the wondrous Wadi Rum landscape. Towering sandstone mesas dominate this arid area, producing one of the most fantastic desert-scapes in the world.

                                             Arabian Oryx at the Shomari Reserve.
                                                                       © Jordan Tourism Board

Throughout history, the land of Jordan has been renowned for its luxurious vegetation and wildlife. Ancient mosaics and stone engravings in Jawa and Wadi Qatif show pictures of oryx, Capra ibex and oxen. Known in the Bible as the "land of milk and honey," the area was described by more recent historians and travelers as green and rich in wildlife. During the 20th century, however, the health of Jordan's natural habitat has declined significantly. Problems such as desertification, drought and overhunting have damaged the natural landscape and will take many years to rectify.

Fortunately, Jordanians have taken great strides in recent years toward stopping and reversing the decline of their beautiful natural heritage. Even now, the Kingdom retains a rich diversity of animal and plant life that varies between the Jordan Valley, the Mountain Heights Plateau and the Badia Desert region.

The Jordanian habitat and its wildlife communities have undergone significant changes over the centuries and continue to be threatened by a number of factors. A rapidly expanding population, industrial pollution, wildlife hunting and habitat loss due to development have taken a toll on Jordan's wildlife population. Jordan's absorption of hundreds of thousands of people since 1948 has resulted in the over-exploitation of many of its natural resources, and the country's severe shortage of water has led to the draining of underwater aquifers and damage to the Azraq Oasis.

In recent decades, Jordan has addressed these and other threats to the environment, beginning the process of reversing environmental decline. A true foundation of environmental protection requires awareness upon the part of the population, and a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations are actively involved in educating the populace about environmental issues. Jordan's Ministry of Education is also introducing new literature into the government schools' curriculum to promote awareness of environmental issues among the young students.

The National Strategy presents specific recommendations for Jordan on a sectoral basis, addressing the areas of agriculture, air pollution, coastal and marine life, antiquities and cultural resources, mineral resources, wildlife and habitat preservation, population and settlement patterns, and water resources. The plan places considerable emphasis throughout on the conservation of water and agriculturally productive land, of which the contamination or loss of either would bring swift and significant consequences to Jordan.

                      

The gravest environmental challenge that Jordan faces today is the scarcity of water. Indeed, water is the decisive factor in the population/resources equation. Whereas water resources in Jordan have fluctuated around a stationary average, the country's population has continued to rise. A high rate of natural population growth, combined with periodic massive influxes of refugees, has transformed a comfortable balance between population and water in the first half of this century into a chronic and worsening imbalance in the second half. The situation has been exacerbated by the fact that Jordan shares most of its surface water resources with neighboring countries, whose control has partially deprived Jordan of its fair share of water. Current use already exceeds renewable supply. The deficit is covered by the unsustainable practice of overdrawing highland aquifers, resulting in lowered water tables and declining water quality. On a per capita basis, Jordan has one of the lowest levels of water resources in the world. Most experts consider countries with a per capita water production below 1,000 cubic meters per year to be water-poor countries. In 1997, Jordanians consumed a total of 882 million cubic meters (MCM). In 1996, per capita share of water was less than 175 for all uses. This placed Jordan at only 20 percent of the water poverty level. The extent of the crisis is further demonstrated by the fact that, from the 1997 total of 882 MCM, around 225 MCM was pumped from ground water over and above the level of sustainable yield. Likewise, about 70 MCM was pumped from non-renewable fossil water in the southeast of the country.With Jordan's population expected to continue to rise, the gap between water supply and demand threatens to widen significantly. By the year 2025, if current trends continue, per capita water supply will fall from the current 200 cubic meters per person to only 91 cubic meters, putting Jordan in the category of having an absolute water shortage. Only two years from now, in the year 2000, Jordan is expected to require 1257 MCM of water to cover minimum domestic, industrial and agricultural needs. Quantities from sources available by that time will not exceed 960 MCM, bringing the deficit to 297 MCM. Of the required total, 61 percent will be needed to maintain existing agricultural activities, 31 percent for domestic consumption, and six percent for industrial uses.Responding to the challenge, the government has adopted a multi-faceted approach designed to both reduce demand as well as increase supply. The peace treaty signed in 1994 by Jordan and Israel guaranteed Jordan its right to an additional 215 MCM of water annually through new dams, diversion structures, pipelines and a desalination/purification plant. Of this 215 MCM, Jordan is already receiving between 55 and 60 MCM of water from across the border with Israel through a newly-built pipeline. Jordan is also entitled to build a series of dams on the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers to impound its share of flood waters. To this end, the Karama Dam in the Jordan Valley has been built to store 55 MCM of water, mainly from the Yarmouk, and its yield will be used to help irrigate some 6000 hectares in the southern Jordan Valley.