Jordan History

Jordan is a Middle Eastern country and is officially known as the Kingdom of Jordan. It is bordered by Syria in the north, Iraq in the east, Saudi Arabia in the south east, and Israel in the west. The country has only one outlet to the sea through the port of Aqaba. Most of the country is on a desert plateau and there is very little rainfall in the country. Like most of the Middle Eastern countries Jordan enjoys a fairly ancient history.

There is evidence of human activity in the Transjordan area which dates back to the Paleolithic period, between 500,000 – 17,000 years BC. Archeologists have found evidence of tools such as flint, basalt hand axes, knives and other implements in the area. In biblical times, Jordan contained the lands of Edom, Moab, Ammon, and Bashan. Along with other Middle Eastern areas Jordan was ruled by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Seleucids. History tells us that conflicts between the Seleucids and Ptolemies helped the Arabic speaking Nabataeans to create a kingdom in south eastern Jordan. Later it became a part of the Roman province of Arabia which was than conquered by the Arabs. Jordan was then brought under the Ottoman Turkish rule. World War I saw the British take custody of Jordan and place it under the rule of Abdullah bin Hussein. Jordan was given independence from the British in 1923. King Abdullah was assassinated in the year 1951 and his son Talal succeeded him. He was deposed the next year and Talal’s son Hussein succeeded him.

Jordan is a constitutional monarchy based on the constitution promulgated in 1952. The executive authority is vested in the King and his council of ministers. The King signs and executes all laws. The history of Jordan tells us that from the beginning of his rule, King Hussein had to balance between powerful Israel on the one hand and the Arab nationalism on the other. The 1961 breakup of the UAR eased the pressure on Hussein. Jordan was also involved in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, and in the process it lost East Jerusalem and the area west of the Jordan River, which is known as the West Bank.  The Palestinian guerillas used force and took over parts of Jordan when they faced defeat.  In spite of the intervention of Syria, Jordan defeated the Palestinians. The Jordanians repelled the Syrians and drove them out. Hussein was successful in crushing the Palestinian strength in Jordan.

Jordan’s stand during the Persian Gulf War strained its relations with the United States and led to the stop of U.S. aid. King Hussein later joined the Middle East peace talks in 1991 which helped restore his country’s relations with the United States. July 1994 saw a new page in Jordan-Israeli relations when King Hussein of Jordan and Prime Minister Rabin of Israel sign a declaration of peace between the two countries, and history was made.

With the signing of the historical agreement, Jordan’s relations with the United States and the Arab countries improved. Now having established peace in the region, Jordan was now determined to improve and stabilize its economy. It was determined to attract foreign investment and sought the help of the United States for seeking membership to the World Trade Organization. King Hussein deposed his brother and nominated his son as the new crown prince. Abdullah became the king after the death of his father, Hussein. Parliamentary elections were held in 2007 and pro-government and independent candidates won 104 of the 110 seats. After the election, King Abdullah named Nader Dahabi as prime minister and advised him to focus on improving Jordan’s economy.