Area comparison map:

about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,744 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (5): Iraq 179 km, Israel 307 km, Saudi Arabia 731 km, Syria 379 km, West Bank 148 km

Coastline:
26 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]

Climate:
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly arid desert plateau; a great north-south geological rift along the west of the country is the dominant topographical feature and includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Jordanian Highlands

Elevation:
mean elevation: 812 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m
highest point: Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use:
agricultural land: 11.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 8.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 1.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 87.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
964 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable, but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

Natural hazards:
droughts; periodic earthquakes; flash floods

Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources; declining water table; salinity; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; biodiversity and ecosystem damage/loss

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; the Dead Sea, the lowest point in Asia and the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lac Assal in Djibouti), lies on Jordan's western border with Israel and the West Bank; Jordan is almost landlocked but does have a 26 km southwestern coastline with a single port, Al 'Aqabah (Aqaba)