Jordan

Jordan

south and east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and Israel to the west, sharing control of the Dead Sea with the latter.

The desert kingdom emerged out of the post-World War I division of the Middle East by Britain and France. In 1946, Jordan became an independent sovereign state officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan. HP Pavilion dm3-1040EV Laptop Keyboard

After capturing the West Bank area of Cisjordan during the 1948–49 war with Israel, Abdullah I took the titleKing of Jordan and Palestine, and he officially changed the country's name to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949. HP G56-118CA Laptop Keyboard

Jordan is classified as a country of "medium human development"[8] by the 2011 Human Development Report, and an emerging market with the third freest economy in West Asia and North Africa (32nd freest worldwide).[9]Jordan has an "upper middle income" economy.[10] Jordan has enjoyed "advanced status" with the European Unionsince December 2010,[11] and it is also a member of the Euro-Mediterranean free trade area. Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League,[12] and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). DELL Vostro PP37L Laptop Keyboard

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In antiquity, the present day Jordan became a home for several ancient kingdoms including: the kingdom of Edom, the kingdom of Moab and the kingdom of Ammon. Throughout different eras of history, parts of the country were laid under the control of some regional powers including Pharaonic Egypt during their wars with the Babylonians and the Hittites; and for discrete periods of times byIsraelites. IBM Lenovo Thinkpad X201 Laptop Keyboard

The Mesha Stele recorded the glory of the King of Edom and the victories over the Israelites and other nations. The Ammon and Moab kingdoms are mentioned in ancient maps, Near Eastern documents, ancient Greco-Romanartifacts, and Christian and Jewish religious scriptures.[13]  DELL 9J.N6782.A01 Laptop Keyboard

Due to its strategic location in the middle of the ancient world, Transjordan came to be controlled by the ancient empires of Persians and later the Macedonian Greeks, who became the dominant force in the region, following the conquests of Alexander the Great. It later fell under the changing influence of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire from the North and the Parthians from the East. Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

The Nabatean kingdom was one of the most prominent states in the region through the middle classic period, since the decline of the Seleucid control of the region in 168 BC. The Nabateans were most probably people of Arabian ancestry, who fell under the early influence of the Hellenistic and Parthian cultures, creating a unique civilized society, which roamed the roads of the deserts. HP Pavilion dv6-2155tx Laptop Keyboard

They controlled the regional and international trade routes of the ancient world by dominating a large area southwest of the fertile crescent, which included the whole of modern Jordan in addition to the southern part of Syria in the north and the northern part of Arabian Peninsula in the south. The Nabataeans developed the Arabic Script, with their language as an intermediary between Aramaean and the ancient Classical Arabic, which evolved into Modern Arabic. DELL XPS M1530 Laptop Keyboard

The Nabateans were largely conquered by the Hasmonean rulers of Judea and many of them forced to convert to Judaism in the late second century BC. However, the Nabataeans managed to maintain a sort of semi-independent kingdom, which covered most parts of modern Jordan and beyond, before it was taken by the Herodians and finally annexed by the still expanding Roman empire in 106 AD. However, apart from Petra, TOSHIBA Satellite L300 Laptop Keyboard

the Romans maintained the prosperity of most of the ancient cities in Transjordan which enjoyed a sort of city-state autonomy under the umbrella of the alliance of the Decapolis. Nabataean civilization left many magnificent archaeological sites at Petra, which is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World as well as recognized by the UNESCO as a world Heritage site. HP Envy 15 Laptop Keyboard

Following the establishment of Roman Empire at Syria, the country was incorporated into the client Judaean Kingdom of Herod, and later the Iudaea Province. With the suppression of Jewish Revolts, HP Pavilion dv6-2112sa Laptop Keyboard

the eastern bank of Transjordan was incorporated into the Syria Palaestina province, while the eastern deserts fell under Parthian and later Persian Sassanid control. During the Greco-Roman period, a number of semi-independent city-states also developed in the region of Transjordan under the umbrella of the Decapolis including: Gerasa (Jerash), Philadelphia (Amman), Raphana (Abila), Dion (Capitolias), Gadara(Umm Qays), and Pella (Irbid). HP Pavilion G6-1223TX Laptop Keyboard

With the decline of the Eastern Roman Empire, Transjordan came to be controlled by the Christian Ghassanid Arab kingdom, which allied with Byzantium. TheByzantine site of Um er-Rasas is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. TOSHIBA A000014900 Laptop Keyboard

In the seventh century, and due to its proximity to Damascus, Transjordan became a heartland for the Arabic Islamic Empire and therefore secured several centuries of stability and prosperity,[citation needed] which allowed the coining of its current Arabic Islamic identity. Different Caliphates' stages, including the Rashidun Empire, ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

Umayyad Empire and Abbasid Empire controlled the region. Several resources pointed that the Abbasid movement, was started in region of Transjordan before it took over the Umayyad empire. After the decline of the Abbasid, It was ruled by several conflicting powers including the Mongols, the Crusaders, the Ayyubids and the Mamluks until it became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1516.[14] HP G62-229WM Laptop Keyboard

The Umayyad caliphs constructed rural estates such as Qasr Mshatta, Qasr al Hallabat, Qasr Kharana, Qasr Tuba, and Qasr Amra. Castles constructed in the later Middle Ages including Ajloun, Al Karak, and Qasr Azraq were used in the Ayyubid, Crusader, and Mamluk eras. TOSHIBA Satellite L300 Laptop Keyboard

In the 11th century, Transjordan witnessed a phase of instability, as it became a battlefield for the Crusades which ended with defeat by the Ayyubids. Jordan suffered also from the Mongol attacks which were blocked by Mamluks. In 1516, Transjordan became part of the Ottoman Empire and remained so until 1918, when the Hashemite Army of the Great Arab Revolt took over, and secured the present day Jordan with the help and support of Transjordanian local tribes. HP Probook 4710S Laptop Keyboard】

During World War I, the Transjordanian tribes fought, along with other tribes of the Hijaz, the Tihamah, and Levantregions, as part of the Arab Army of the Great Arab Revolt. The revolt was launched by the Hashemites and led by Sherif Hussein of Mecca against the Ottoman Empire. It was supported by the Allies of World War I. SONY VAIO PCG-FRV25 Laptop Keyboard

The chronicle of the revolt was written by T. E. Lawrence who, as a young British Army officer, played a liaison role during the revolt. He published the chronicle in London, 1922 under the title "Seven Pillars of Wisdom",[15] which was the basis for the iconic movie "Lawrence of Arabia".GATEWAY AEMA2TAU015 Laptop Keyboard

The Great Arab Revolt was successful in gaining independence for most of the territories of Hijaz and the Levant, including the region of east of Jordan. However, it failed to gain international recognition of the region as an independent state, due mainly to the secret Sykes–Picot Agreement of 1916 and the Balfour Declaration of 1917.[citation needed] This was seen by the Hashemites and the Arabs as betrayal of the previous agreements with the British, HP pavilion DV7-1000 Laptop Keyboard

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including the McMahon–Hussein Correspondence in 1915, in which the British stated their willingness to recognize the independence of the Arab state in Hijaz and the Levant. However, a compromise was eventually reached and the Emirate of Transjordan was created under the reign of the Hashemites. HP Pavilion dv6-2106ea Laptop Keyboard

In September 1922 the Council of the League of Nations recognized Transjordan as a state under the British Mandate andTransjordan memorandum excluded the territories east of the River Jordan from all of the provisions of the mandate dealing with Jewish settlement.[16] HP G42-380LA Laptop Keyboard

The Permanent Court of International Justice and an International Court of Arbitration established by the Council of the League of Nations handed down rulings in 1925 which determined that both a Jewish and an Arab state in the Mandatory regions of Palestine and Transjordan were to be newly created successor states of the Ottoman Empire as defined by international law.[17] The country remained under British supervision until 1946. SONY VAIO VPCF12AFM Laptop Keyboard

The Hashemite leadership met multiple difficulties upon assuming power in the region. The most serious threats to emir Abdullah's position in Transjordan were repeated Wahhabi incursions from Najd into southern parts of his territory.[18] The emir was powerless to repel those raids by himself, thus the British maintained a military base, HP Pavilion dv6-2160sv Laptop Keyboard

with a small air force, at Marka, close to Amman.[18] The British military force was the primary obstacle against the Ikhwan, and was also used to help emir Abdullah with the suppression of local rebellions at Kura and later by Sultan Adwan, in 1921 and 1923 respectively.[18] DELL NSK-DD101 Laptop Keyboard

On 25 May 1946 the United Nations approved the end of the British Mandate and recognized Transjordan as an independent sovereign kingdom. The Parliament of Transjordan proclaimed King Abdullah as the first King. The country's name was later changed from Transjordan to Jordan.[19] Packard Bell NEW90 laptop keyboard

On 24 April 1950, Jordan formally annexed the West Bank and East Jerusalem, an act that was regarded as illegal and void by the Arab League. The move formed part of Jordan’s "Greater Syria Plan" expansionist policy,[20] and in response, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Syria joined Egypt in demanding Jordan’s expulsion from the Arab League.[21][22] HP Pavilion dv6-2053eo laptop keyboard

A motion to expel Jordan from the League was prevented by the dissenting votes of Yemen and Iraq.[23] On 12 June 1950, the Arab League declared the annexation was a temporary, practical measure and that Jordan was holding the territory as a “trustee” pending a future settlement.[24][25] TOSHIBA Satellite L775D-S7340 laptop keyboard

Modern

Abdullah I was assassinated in 1951 by a Palestinian militant Mustafa Ashu, of the jihad al-muqaddas, as he was leaving the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The reason for his murder was allegedly the power rivalry of the al-Husseinis over control of Palestine, which was declared a part of the Hashemite Kingdom by Abdullah I. Though Amin al-Husseini, former mufti of Jerusalem, was not directly charged in the plot, Musa al-Husseini was among the 6 executed by Jordanian authorities, following the assassination. Packard Bell NEW95 laptop keyboard

On 27 July 1953, King Hussein of Jordan announced that East Jerusalem was "the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom" and would form an "integral and inseparable part" of Jordan.[26] In 1957 Jordan terminated the Anglo-Jordanian treaty, one year after the king sacked the British personnel serving in the Jordanian Army. This act of Arabization ensured the complete sovereignty of Jordan as a fully independent nation. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

In May 1967, Jordan signed a military pact with Egypt. In June 1967, it joined Egypt, Syria and Iraq in the Six Day Waragainst Israel, which ended in an Israeli victory and the capture of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The period following the war saw an upsurge in the activity and numbers of Arab Palestinian paramilitary elements (fedayeen) within the state of Jordan. These distinct, armed militias were becoming a "HP Pavilion dv3-2157cl laptop keyboard

state within a state", threatening Jordan's rule of law. King Hussein's armed forces targeted the fedayeen, and open fighting erupted in June 1970. The battle in which Palestinian fighters from various Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) groups were expelled from Jordan is commonly known as Black September. HP Pavilion ze2315us laptop keyboard

The heaviest fighting occurred in northern Jordan and Amman. In the ensuing heavy fighting, a Syrian tank force invaded northern Jordan to back the fedayeen fighters, but subsequently retreated. King Hussein urgently asked the United States and Great Britain to intervene against Syria. Consequently, Israel performed mock air strikes on the Syrian column at the Americans' request. Soon after, Syrian President Nureddin al-Atassi, SONY VAIO PCG-FRV28 laptop keyboard

ordered a hasty retreat from Jordanian soil.[27][28] By 22 September, Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo arranged a cease-fire beginning the following day. However, sporadic violence continued until Jordanian forces, led by Habis Al-Majali, with the help of Iraqi forces,[29] won a decisive victory over the fedayeen on July 1971, expelling them, and ultimately the PLO's Yasser Arafat of Jordan. HP 550 Laptop Keyboard

In 1973, allied Arab League forces attacked Israel in the Yom Kippur War, and fighting occurred along the 1967 Jordan River cease-fire line. Jordan sent a brigade to Syria to attack Israeli units on Syrian territory but did not engage Israeli forces from Jordanian territory. At the Rabat summit conference in 1974, Jordan was now in a more secure position to agree, along with the rest of the Arab League, that the PLO was the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people", thereby relinquishing to that organization its role as representative of the West Bank. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

The Amman Agreement of 11 February 1985, declared that the PLO and Jordan would pursue a proposed confederation between the state of Jordan and a Palestinian state.[30] In 1988, King Hussein dissolved the Jordanian parliament and renounced Jordanian claims to the West Bank. The PLO assumed responsibility as the Provisional Government of Palestine and an independent state was declared.[31] Compaq Presario CQ57-319WM Laptop Keyboard

In 1991 Jordan agreed to participate in direct peace negotiations with Israel at the Madrid Conference, sponsored by the US and the Soviet Union. It negotiated an end to hostilities with Israel and signed a declaration to that effect on 25 July 1994. As a result, an Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty was concluded on 26 October 1994. King Hussein was later honored when his picture appeared on an Israeli postage stamp in recognition of the good relations he established with his neighbor. Since the signing of the peace treaty, Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

the United States not only contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in an annual foreign aid stipend to Jordan, but also has allowed it to establish a free trade zone in which to manufacture goods that will enter the US without paying the usual import taxes as long as a percentage of the material used in them is purchased in Israel. ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

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The last major strain in Jordan's relations with Israel occurred in September 1997, when Israeli agents allegedly entered Jordan using Canadian passports and poisoned Khaled Meshal, a senior leader of Hamas. Israel provided an antidote to the poison and released dozens of political prisoners, including Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. SONY Vaio PCG-K23 Laptop Keyboard

Jordan lies between latitudes 29° and 34° N, and longitudes 35° and 40° E (a small area lies west of 35°). It consists of an arid plateau in the east, irrigated by oasis and seasonal water streams, with highland area in the west of arable land and Mediterranean evergreen forestry. DELL NSK-DJD01 Laptop Keyboard

The Jordan Rift Valley of the Jordan River separates Jordan from Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The highest point in the country is Jabal Umm al Dami, at 1,854 m (6,083 ft) above sea level, its top is also covered with snow, while the lowest is the Dead Sea −420 m (−1,378 ft). Jordan is part of a region considered to be "the cradle of civilization", the Levant region of the Fertile Crescent. HP G61-320US Laptop Keyboard

Major cities include the capital Amman and as-Salt in the west, Irbid, Jerash and Zarqa, in the northwest and Madaba, Karak and Aqaba in the southwest. Major towns in the eastern part of the country are the oasis town of Azraq and Ruwaished. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

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Abdullah became king on 7 February 1999, upon the death of his father King Hussein. Hussein had recently named himCrown Prince on 24 January, replacing Hussein's brother Hassan, who had served many years in the position. He is the namesake of King Abdullah I, his great grandfather who founded modern Jordan.[32]  HP G42-372LA Laptop Keyboard

Jordan's economy has improved greatly since Abdullah ascended to the throne in 1999, and he has been credited with increasing foreign investment, improving public-private partnerships, and providing the foundation for Aqaba's free trade zone and Jordan's flourishing information and communication technology (ICT) sector. He also set up five other special economic zones: Irbid, Ajloun, Mafraq, HP G42-415DX Laptop Keyboard

 Ma'an, and the Dead Sea. As a result of these reforms, Jordan's economic growth has doubled to 6% annually under King Abdullah's rule compared to the latter half of the 1990s.[33] Foreign direct investment from the West as well as the countries of the Persian Gulf has continued to increase.[34] He also negotiated a free trade agreement with the United States, which was the third free trade agreement for the U.S. and the first with an Arab country.[35] HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

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During the suspension of Parliament between 2001 and 2003, the scope of King Abdullah II's power was demonstrated with the passing of 110 temporary laws. Two of these laws dealt with elections and were criticized as having the effect of reducing the power of Parliament.[36][37] In 2005 King Abdullah expressed his intentions of making Jordan a democratic country.[38] Thus far, however, democratic development has been limited, with the monarchy maintaining most power and its allies dominating parliament. Elections were held in November 2010. HP Envy 15 Laptop Keyboard

In response to domestic and regional unrest, in February 2011 King Abdallah replaced his prime minister and formed a National Dialogue Commission with a reform mandate. The King told the new prime minister to "take quick, concrete and practical steps to launch a genuine political reform process", "to strengthen democracy," and provide Jordanians with the "dignified life they deserve."[39] The King called for an "immediate revision" of laws governing politics and public freedoms. SONY VAIO VPCF12AFM Laptop Keyboard

The climate in Jordan is semi-dry in summer with average temperature in the mid 30 °C (86 °F) and relatively cold in winter averaging around 13 °C(55 °F). The western part of the country receives greater precipitation during the winter season from November to March and snowfall in Amman (756 m (2,480 ft) ~ 1,280 m (4,199 ft) above sea-level) and Western Heights of 500 m (1,640 ft). ACER Aspire 5315 Laptop Keyboard

Excluding the rift valley the rest of the country is entirely above 300 m (984 ft) (SL).[42] The weather is humid from November to March and semi dry for the rest of the year. With hot, dry summers and cool winters during which practically all of the precipitation occurs, the country has a Mediterranean-style climate. In general, the farther inland from the Mediterranean a given part of the country lies, the greater are the seasonal contrasts in temperature and the less rainfall. HP 576835-001 Laptop Keyboard

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy with an appointed government. The reigning monarch is the chief executive and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The king exercises his executive authority through the prime ministers and the Council of Ministers, or cabinet. Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Laptop Keyboard

The cabinet is responsible before the democratically elected House of Deputies which, along with theHouse of Notables (Senate), constitutes the legislative branch of the government. The judicial branch is an independent branch of the government. HP Pavilion dv6-2002ew Laptop Keyboard

King Abdullah II succeeded his father Hussein following the latter's death in February 1999. Abdullah moved quickly to reaffirm Jordan's peace treaty with Israel and its relations with the United States. Abdullah, during the first year in power, refocused the government's agenda on economic reform. HP Pavilion dv6-2006tx Laptop Keyboard

The Parliament of Jordan consists of two Chambers: The Chamber of Deputies (‘Majlis al-Nuwaab’) and the Senate (‘Majlis al-Aayan’; literally, ‘Assembly of Notables’). The Senate has 60 Senators, all of whom are directly appointed by the King,[43] while the Chamber of Deputies/House of Representatives has 120 elected members representing 12 constituencies. The elected Chamber of Deputies can initiate legislation, but it has to pass through the senate and government, which are both appointed by the King.[44]

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Jordan has multi-party politics. Political parties contest fewer than a fifth of the seats, while the rest go to independent politicians.[45] A new political parties law enacted in July 2012 placed parties under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior, and forbid the establishment of religion-based parties.[46] SONY VAIO VGN-FW180FU Laptop Keyboard

The last parliamentary elections were held on 23 January 2013. Because of a history of rigged elections, government critics have dismissed them as merely cosmetic. Some opposition groups, including the largest, the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, and the protest network known as Hirak boycotted the vote.[47]  HP 417525-B31 Laptop Keyboard

The highest court is the Court of Cassation, followed by the Courts of Appeal.[48] The lower courts are divided into civil courts and sharia courts. Civil courts have jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases, while the sharia courts have jurisdiction over personal status for Muslims, including marriage, divorce, and inheritance; parallel tribunals handle such matters for non-Muslims.[48] Shari’a courts also have jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the Islamicwaqfs. In cases involving parties of different religions, regular courts have jurisdiction.[49] SONY VGN-FE28H Laptop Keyboard

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The Constitution of Jordan was adopted on January 11, 1952 and has been amended many times. Article 97 of Jordan's constitution guarantees the independence of the judicial branch, clearly stating that judges are 'subject to no authority but that of the law.' While the king must approve the appointment and dismissal of judges, DELL Vostro 1014 Laptop Keyboard

in practice these are supervised by the Higher Judicial Council. Article 99 of the Constitution divides the courts into three categories: civil, religious and special. The civil courts deal with civil and criminal matters in accordance with the law, and they have jurisdiction over all persons in all matters, civil and criminal, including cases brought against the government. The civil courts include Magistrate Courts, Courts of First Instance, Courts of Appeal, High Administrative Courts and the Supreme Court. Lenovo 63Y0047 Laptop Keyboard

The Family Law in force is the Personal Status Law of 1976.[50] Sharia Courts have jurisdiction over personal status matters relating to Muslims.[51]

Jordan's law enforcement ranked 24th in the world, 4th in the Middle East, in terms of police services' reliability in the Global Competitiveness Report. Jordan also ranked 13th in the world and 3rd in the Middle East in terms of prevention of organized crime, making it one of the safest countries in the world.[52] HP Pavilion dv3-2320tx Laptop Keyboard

Jordan has followed a pro-Western foreign policy and maintained close relations with the United States and the United Kingdom. These relations were damaged by Jordan's neutrality and maintaining relations with Iraq during the first Gulf War. Following the Gulf War, Jordan largely restored its relations with Western countries through its participation in the Southwest Asia peace process and enforcement of UN sanctions against Iraq. Relations between Jordan and the Persian Gulf countries improved substantially after King Hussein's death. TOSHIBA Satellite P500 Laptop Keyboard

Jordan is a key ally of the USA and, together with Egypt, one of only two Arab nations to have made peace with Israel.[53][54]

In Israel in 2009, several Likud lawmakers proposed a bill that called for a Palestinian state on both sides of the Jordan River, presuming that Jordan should be the alternative homeland for the Palestinians. Later, following similar remarks by the Israeli Speaker of the Knesset, twenty Jordanian lawmakers proposed a bill in the Jordanian Parliamentin which the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan would be frozen. The Israeli Foreign Ministry disavowed the original proposal.[55][56] SONY VAIO VGN-SZ440 Laptop Keyboard

The Jordanian military enjoys strong support and aid from the United States, the United Kingdom and France. This is due to its critical position between Israel, the West Bank, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia with very close proximity to Lebanon and Egypt. The development of the Special Operations Forces has been particularly significant, enhancing the capability of the forces to react rapidly to threats to state security, as well as training special forces from the region and beyond.[57][58] SONY 147963021 Laptop Keyboard

There are about 50,000 Jordanian troops working with the United Nations in peacekeeping missions across the world. These soldiers provide everything from military defense, training of native police, medical help, and charity. Jordan ranks third internationally in taking part in UN peacekeeping missions.[59] Jordan has one of the highest levels of peacekeeping troop contributions of all U.N. member states.[60] GATEWAY M-6834 Laptop Keyboard

Jordan has dispatched several field hospitals to conflict zones and areas affected by natural disasters across the world such as Iraq, the West Bank, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Haiti, Indonesia, Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra Leone and Pakistan. The Kingdom's field hospitals extended aid to more than one million people in Iraq, some one million in the West Bank and 55,000 in Lebanon. According to the military, HP Mini 110-3112tu Laptop Keyboard

there are Jordanian peacekeeping forces in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Jordanian Armed Forces field hospital in Afghanistan has since 2002 provided assistance to some 750,000 persons and has significantly reduced the suffering of people residing in areas where the hospital operates.In some missions, the number of Jordanian troops was the second largest, the sources said.[61] Jordan also provides extensive training of security forces in Iraq,[62] the Palestinian territories,[63] and the GCC.[64] SONY VAIO VGN-N21S/W Laptop Keyboard

The 2010 Arab Democracy Index from the Arab Reform Initiative ranked Jordan first in the state of democratic reforms out of fifteen Arab countries.[65]

Civil liberties and political rights scored 5 and 6 respectively in Freedom House's Freedom in the World 2011 report, where 1 is most free and 7 is least free. This earned Jordan "Not Free" status.[66] Jordan ranked ahead of 6, behind 4, and the same as 8 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. HP Pavilion dm1-1010st Laptop Keyboard

Jordan ranked 6th among the 19 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, and 50th out of 178 countries worldwide in the 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) issued by Transparency International.[67] Jordan's 2010 CPI score was 4.7 on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 10 (very clean). Jordan ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in February 2005[68] and has been a regional leader in spearheading efforts to promote the UNCAC and its implementation.[52] ACER Aspire 4720 Laptop Keyboard

According to a 2010 Pew Global Attitudes survey, 86% of Jordanians polled supported the death penalty for those who leave Islam; 58% supported whippings and cutting off of hands for theft and robbery; and 70% support stoning people who commit adultery.[69]

Jordan is classified by the World Bank as an "upper middle income country."[10] The economy has grown at an average rate of 4.3% per annum since 2005.[70] Approximately 13% of the population lives on less than US$ 3 a day.[70] SONY VAIO VGN-N220E/W Laptop Keyboard

The GDP per capita rose by 351% in the 1970s, declined 30% in the 1980s, and rose 36% in the 1990s.[71][not in citation given] Jordan has a free trade agreement with Turkey.[72] Jordan also enjoys advanced status with the EU.[73] ACER Aspire 5540 Laptop Keyboard

The Jordanian economy is beset by insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources.[3] Other challenges include high budget deficit, high outstanding public debt, high levels of poverty and unemployment.[70] Unemployment for 2012 is nominally around 13%,APPLE MacBook Air A1304 Laptop Keyboard

but is thought by many analysts to be as high as a quarter of the working age population.[74] Youth unemployment is nearly 30%.[74] Jordan has few natural resources and a small industrial base.[74]Corruption is particularly pronounced, and the use of wasta is widespread.[74] Jordan suffers from a brain drain of its most talented workers.[74] Remittances from Jordanian expatriates are a major source of foreign exchange.[75] HP Mini 110-1038TU Laptop Keyboard

Due to slow domestic growth, high energy and food subsidies and a bloated public sector workforce, Jordan usually runs annual budget deficits, which are partially offsets by international aid.[74] HP G61-435ST Laptop Keyboard

Jordan’s economy is relatively well diversified.[75] Trade and finance combined account for nearly one-third of GDP; transportation and communication, public utilities, and construction account for one-fifth, and mining and manufacturing constitute nearly that proportion.[75] Despite plans to increase the private sector, the state remains the dominant force in Jordan’s economy.[75] The government employs between one-third and two-thirds of all workers.[74] TOSHIBA Satellite C650-182 Laptop Keyboard

In 2000, Jordan joined the World Trade Organization and signed the Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement; in 2001, it signed an association agreement with the European Union.[76]

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70]

The Great Recession and the turmoil caused by the Arab Spring have depressed Jordan's GDP growth, impacting export-oriented sectors, construction, and tourism.[3] Tourist arrivals have dropped sharply since 2011, hitting an important source of revenue and employment.[77] ACER Aspire 5810T-8929 Laptop Keyboard

In an attempt to quell popular discontent, the government promised in 2011 to keep energy and food prices artificially low, while raising wages and pensions for bloated public sector.[77] Jordan's finances have also been strained by a series of natural gas pipeline attacks in Egypt, causing Jordan to substitute more expensive heavy fuel oils to generate electricity.[78] The government was then forced to spend at least $500 million to cover the resulting fuel shortage.[77] HP G42-363LA Laptop Keyboard

The International Monetary Fund agreed to a three-year, $2 billion loan in August 2012. As part of the deal, Jordan was expected to cut spending.[74] In November 2012, the government cut subsidies on fuel.[79] As a result, large scale protests broke out across the country, and the King subsequently reversed the increase.”[74]  HP Pavilion dv6-2180ep laptop keyboard

The total foreign debt in 2012 was $22 billion, representing 72% of GDP. Roughly two-thirds of this total had been raised on the domestic market, with the remaining owed to overseas lenders.[79] In late November 2012, the budgetary shortfall was estimated at around $3 billion, or about 11% of GDP.[79] Growth was expected to reach 3% by the end of 2012, and the IMF predicts GDP will increase by 3.5% in 2013, rising to 4.5% by 2017.[79] The inflation rate was forecast at 4.5% by the end of 2012.[79] HP Pavilion DV6-1119ez laptop keyboard

The official currency in Jordan is the Jordanian dinar, which is pegged to the IMF's special drawing rights (SDRs), equivalent to an exchange rate of 1 US$ = 0.709 dinar, or approximately 1 dinar = 1.41044 dollars.[80] ACER Aspire One A150-1905 laptop keyboard

The proportion of skilled workers in Jordan is among the highest in the region.[81] Agriculture in Jordan constituted almost 40% of GNP in the early 1950s; on the eve of the June 1967 War, it was 17%.[82] By the mid-1980s, agriculture's share of GNP in Jordan was only about 6%.[82] Jordan has hosted the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa six times and plans to hold it again at the Dead Sea for the seventh time in 2013.[83] Compaq Presario CQ71-411EZ laptop keyboard

Four nuclear power plants are planned with the first one to be operational in 2019.[89]

Since the beginning of 2010, the government of Jordan has been seeking approval from the US for producing nuclear fuel from Jordan's uranium for use in nuclear power plants that Jordan plans to build. According to Haaretz, Jordan learned that the US position is essentially the Israeli position, and the US has rejected Jordan's request for approval.[90] HP Pavilion dv6-2132et laptop keyboard

Natural gas was discovered in Jordan in 1987, and the estimated size of the reserve discovered was about 230 billion cubic feet, and quantities are very modest compared with its neighbours. It was the development of the Risha field in the Eastern Desert beside the Iraqi border, and the field produces nearly 30 million cubic feet of gas a day, to be sent to a nearby power plant to produce nearly 10% of the Jordan's Electric needs.[91] TOSHIBA Satellite P505D-S8934 laptop keyboard

Despite the fact that reserves of crude oil are non-commercial, Jordan possesses one of the world's richest stockpiles of oil shale where there are huge quantities that could be commercially exploited in the central and northern regions west of the country. FUJITSU Amilo Mini Ui 3520 laptop keyboard

The moisture content and ash within is relatively low. And the total thermal value is 7.5 megajoules/kg, and the content of ointments reach 9% of the weight of the organic content.[92] A switch to power plants operated by oil shale has the potential to reduce Jordan's energy bill by at least 40–50 per cent, according to the National Electric Power Company.[93] ASUS F5Z laptop keyboard

Tourism accounted for 10%–12% of the country's Gross National Product in 2006. In 2010, there were 8 million visitors to Jordan. The result was $3.4 billion in tourism revenues, $4.4 billion if medical tourists are included.[94] SONY VAIO VGN-NW320F/T laptop keyboard

Jordan offers everything from world-class historical and cultural sites like Petra and Jerash to modern entertainment in urban areas most notably Amman. Moreover, seaside recreation is present in Aqaba and Dead Sea through numerous international resorts. Eco-tourists have numerous nature reserves to choose from as like Dana Nature Reserve. Religious tourists visit Mt. Nebo, the Baptist Site, and the mosaic city of Madaba. COMPAQ Presario CQ40-107AU laptop keyboard

Jordan has nightclubs, discothèques and bars in Amman, Irbid, Aqaba, and many 4 and 5-star hotels. Furthermore, beach clubs are also offered at the Dead Sea and Aqaba. Jordan played host to the Petra Prana Festival in 2007 which celebrated Petra's win as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World with world-renowned DJs like Tiesto and Sarah Main. The annual Distant Heat festival in Wadi Rum and Aqaba ranked as one of the world's top 10 raves. HP 413554-001 Laptop Keyboard

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Jordan has been a medical tourism destination in the Middle East since the 1970s. A study conducted by Jordan's Private Hospitals Association (PHA) found that 250,000 patients from 102 countries received treatment in the kingdom in 2010, compared to 190,000 in 2007, bringing over $1 billion in revenue. It is the region's top medical tourism destination as rated by the World Bank, and fifth in the world overall.[95][96][97]  APPLE MacBook Pro 15 inch MA463KH A Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

It is estimated that Jordan received 50,000 Libyan patients and 80,000 Syrian refugees, who also sought treatment in Jordanian hospitals, in the first six months of 2012.[98]

Jordan's main focus of attention in its marketing effort are the ex-Soviet states, Europe, and America.[99] Most common medical procedures on Arab and foreign patients included organ transplants, open heart surgeries, infertility treatment, laser vision corrections, bone operations and cancer treatment.[100] Compaq Presario C733TU Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

a well-developed transportation infrastructure. Jordan ranked as having the 35th best infrastructure in the world, one of the highest rankings in the developing world, according to the World Economic Forum's Index of Economic Competitiveness.[101] SONY NSK-S8101 Laptop Keyboard

The Port of Aqaba was ranked as having the "Best Container Terminal" in the Middle East in 2006 by Lloyds List.[102]

There are three commercial airports, all receiving and sending international commercial flights, two of them in Ammanand the third is located in the city of Aqaba. The largest airport in the country is Queen Alia International Airportin Amman that serves as the hub of the international airline Royal Jordanian.  Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

The airport is currently under significant expansion in a bid to make it the hub for the Levant. Amman Civil Airport was the country's main airport before it was replaced by Queen Alia Airport but it still serves several regional routes. King Hussein International Airport serves Aqaba with connections to Amman and several regional and international cities. TOSHIBA KFRSBA064A laptop keyboard

In 2007, there were 700,000–1,000,000 Iraqis in Jordan.[107] Since the Iraq War many Christians (Assyrians/Chaldeans) fromIraq have settled permanently or temporarily in Jordan. They could number as many as 500,000.[108] There were also 15,000 Lebanese who emigrated to Jordan following the 2006 War with Israel.[109] HP G61-455EE laptop keyboard

There are 1,200,000 illegal and some 500,000 legal migrant workers in the Kingdom.[110] Furthermore, there are thousands of foreign women working in nightclubs, hotels and bars across the kingdom, mostly from Eastern Europe and North Africa.[111][112][113] HP Pavilion dv6-2164sl laptop keyboard

Jordan is home to a relatively large American and European expatriate population concentrated mainly in the capital as the city is home to many international organizations and diplomatic missions that base their regional operations in Amman.[114][115] Packard Bell Easynote TK85 laptop keyboard

According to UNRWA, Jordan was home to 1,951,603 Palestinian refugees in 2008, most of them Jordanian citizens.[116] 338,000 of them were living in UNRWA refugee camps.[117] Jordan revoked the citizenship of thousands of Palestinians to thwart any attempt to resettle West Bank residents in Jordan. Compaq Presario CQ62 laptop keyboard

West Bank Palestinians with family in Jordan or Jordanian citizenship were issued yellow cards guaranteeing them all the rights of Jordanian citizenship. Palestinians living in Jordan with family in the West Bank were also issued yellow cards. All other Palestinians wishing such Jordanian papers were issued green cards to facilitate travel into Jordan.[118] SONY VAIO VGN-AR270P laptop keyboard

The official language is Modern Standard Arabic, a literary language taught in the schools. The native languages of most Jordanians are dialects ofJordanian Arabic, a nonstandard version of Arabic with many influences from English, French and Turkish.

English, though without an official status, is widely spoken throughout the country and is the de facto language of commerce and banking, as well as a co-official status in the education sector; almost all university-level classes are held in English. HP Pavilion DV6-1010ea laptop keyboard

Russian, Circassian, Armenian, Tagalog, Tamil, and Chechen are quite popular among their communities and acknowledged widely in the kingdom.

It's believed that most, if not all, public schools in the country teach the English and Standard Arabic (to a degree). French is elective in many schools, mainly in the private sector. L'Ecole française d'Amman and Lycée français d'Amman are the most famous French language schools in the capital. French remains an elite language in Jordan, despite not enjoying the popularity it did in older times. HP V107046AS1 laptop keyboard

German is an increasingly popular language among the elite and the educated; it's been most likely introduced at a larger scale after the début of theDeutsch Universität, or as officially named, the German-Jordanian University. A historic society of German Protestants of Amman continue to use the German language in their events and daily lives.[119] HP Pavilion dv3-2155mx laptop keyboard

The media in Jordan revolves mainly around English, with many British and mostly American programmes and films shown on local television and cinemas.Egyptian Arabic is very popular, with many Egyptian movies playing in cinemas across the country. HP Pavilion dv6-2117eo laptop keyboard

The government-owned Jordan TV shows programmes and newscasts in Arabic (Standard and Jordanian), English and French; Radio Jordan offers radio services in Standard Arabic, the Jordanian dialects (informally), English and French, as well. It should be noted that when an English-language film is shown in a cinema, it'll be translated to both: French and Standard Arabic. SONY VAIO VGN-NW11S/S Laptop Keyboard

Islam is the official religion and approximately 92% of the population is Muslim, primarily of the Sunni branch of Islam.

Jordan has laws promoting religious freedom, but they fall short of protecting all minority groups. Muslims who convert to another religion as well as missionaries face societal and legal discrimination.[120] SONY VAIO VGN-CS31S/V Laptop Keyboard

According to the Legatum Prosperity Index, 46.2% of Jordanians regularly attend religious services in 2006.[121]

Jordan has an indigenous Christian minority. Christians made up 30% of the Jordanian population in 1950.[122] TOSHIBA Satellite L300 Laptop Keyboard

Other religious minorities groups in Jordan include adherents to the Druze and Bahá'í Faith. The Druze are mainly located in the eastern oasis town of Azraq, some villages on the Syrian border and the city of Zarka, while the village Adassiyeh bordering the Jordan Valley is home to Jordan's Bahá'í community. Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

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Although religion and tradition play an important part in modern-day Jordanian society, Jordanians live in a relatively secular society that is increasingly grappling with the effects of globalization. Jordan is considered one of the Arab World's most cosmopolitan countries.[124] 67% of Jordanian youth identify themselves as liberals, second highest in the Arab World after Lebanon.[125] DELL V100830AS1 Laptop Keyboard

According to the Center for Strategic Studies, 52% of Jordanians support a secular state in which religious practices were considered to be “private matters that must be differentiated from social and political life", 6% express indifference towards a secular state or a more religious one, while 42% prefer more religious involvement in social and political life.[126] HP AEUT5U00010 Laptop Keyboard

Jordan prides itself on its health service, one of the best in the region.[129] Government figures have put total health spending in 2002 at some 7.5% of Gross domestic product (GDP), while international health organizations place the figure even higher, HP Pavilion dv5-1104tu Laptop Keyboard

at approximately 9.3% of GDP. The CIA World Factbookestimates life expectancy in Jordan is 80.18 years, the second highest in the region (after Israel).[130] The WHO gives a considerably lower figure however, at 73.0 years for 2011.[131] There were 203 physicians per 100,000 people in the years 2000–2004.[132] ASUS X53S Laptop Keyboard

The country's health care system is divided between public and private institutions. In the public sector, the Ministry of Health operates 1,245 primary health-care centers and 27 hospitals, accounting for 37% of all hospital beds in the country; the military's Royal Medical Services runs 11 hospitals, providing 24% of all beds; and the Jordan University Hospital accounts for 3% of total beds in the country. SONY VAIO VGN-CS31S/V Laptop Keyboard

The private sector provides 36% of all hospital beds, distributed among 56 hospitals. In 1 June 2007, Jordan Hospital (as the biggest private hospital) was the first general specialty hospital to get the international accreditation JCAHO.[133] The King Hussein Cancer Center is a leading cancer treatment center. HP Pavilion G6-1223TX Laptop Keyboard

70% of the population has medical insurance.[134] Childhood immunization rates have increased steadily over the past 15 years; by 2002 immunizations andvaccines reached more than 95% of children under five.[133] Water and sanitation, available to only 10% of the population in 1950, now reach 99% of Jordanians, according to government statistics. SAMSUNG N148 Laptop Keyboard

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135]

The adult literacy rate in 2010 was 92.6%.[136] The Jordanian educational system consists of a two-year cycle of pre-school education, ten years of compulsory basic education, and two years of secondary academic or vocational education, after which the students sit for the Tawjihi.[137] UNESCO ranked Jordan's education system 18th out of 94 nations for providing gender equality in education.[138] 20.5% of Jordan's total government expenditures goes to education compared to 2.5% in Turkey and 3.86% in Syria.[139][ HP G62-a05SG Laptop Keyboard

140][141] Secondary school enrollment has increased from 63% to 97% of high school aged students in Jordan and between 79% and 85% of high school students in Jordan move on to higher education.[142] ACER NSK-H361D Laptop Keyboard

In Jordan there are 2,000 researchers per million people, compared to 5,000 researchers per million for the top-performing countries.[143] According to the Global Innovation Index 2011, Jordan is the 3rd most innovative economy in the Middle East, behind Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.[144] SONY VAIO VGN-CR520E Laptop Keyboard

The kingdom has 10 public and 16 private universities, in addition to some 54 community colleges, of which 14 are public, 24 private and others affiliated with the Jordan Armed Forces, the Civil Defence Department, the ministry of health and UNRWA.[145] There are over 200,000 Jordanian students enrolled in universities each year. An additional 20,000 Jordanians pursue higher education abroad primarily in the United States and Great Britain.[146] HP G62-225NR Laptop Keyboard

Jordan is already home to several international universities such as German-Jordanian University, Columbia University, NYIT,DePaul University, and the American University of Madaba. George Washington University is planning to establish a medical university in Jordan as well.[147] SONY VAIO VGN NR260E/W Laptop Keyboard

According to the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, the top-ranking universities in the country are the University of Jordan (1507th worldwide),Yarmouk University (2165th) and the Jordan University of Science & Technology (2335th).[148] HP Pavilion G60-230 Laptop Keyboard

The West Bank (Arabic: الضفة الغربية‎ aḍ-Ḍaffah l-Ġarbiyyah, Hebrew: הגדה המערבית‎, HaGadah HaMa'aravit, also Hebrew: יהודה ושומרון‎ Yehuda ve-Shomron (Judea and Samaria)[1][2]) is a landlocked territory, located in Western Asia. The West Bank shares boundaries (demarcated by the Jordanian-Israeli armistice of 1949) to the west, north, and south with the state of Israel, and to the east, across the Jordan River, with the Kingdom of Jordan. The West Bank also contains a significant coastline along the western bank of the Dead Sea.[3] HP Pavilion G60-230 Laptop Keyboard

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has a land area of 5,640 km2 and 220 km2 water, the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea.[3] It has an estimated population of 2,622,544 (June 2012). More than 80 percent, about 2,100,000,[3] are Palestinian Arabs, and approximately 500,000 are Jewish Israelis living in the West Bank,[3] including about 192,000 in East Jerusalem,[4] in Israeli settlements. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.[5][6][7][8] HP Pavilion DV6-1010ea Laptop Keyboard\

From 1517 through 1917, the area now known as the West Bank was under Ottoman rule as part of the provinces of Syria. At the 1920 San Remo conference, the victorious Allied powers (France, UK, USA, etc.) allocated the area to the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the Second World War, the United Nations passed the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 (II) Future Government of Palestine, SONY 148781311 Laptop Keyboard

which aimed to establish two states within Mandate Palestine. The Resolution designated the territory described as "the hill country of Samaria and Judea" (including what is now known as the "West Bank") as part of the proposed Arab state, but following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War this area was captured by Transjordan (renamed Jordan in 1949). "West Bank" or "Cisjordan" became the name for the area west of the Jordan River, ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

as "East Bank" or "Transjordan" designated the area east of the river. The interim boundary between Israel and Jordan's West Bank was defined in the 1949 Armistice Agreements. Jordan ruled over the West Bank from 1948 until 1967, annexing it in 1950. Jordan's claim was never formally recognized by the international community, with the exception of the United Kingdom.[9][10] SONY 147963021 Laptop Keyboard

In June 1967, the West Bank and East Jerusalem were captured by Israel as a result of the Six-Day War. With the exception of East Jerusalem and the former Israeli-Jordanian no man's land, the West Bank was not annexed by Israel but has remained under Israeli military control and is referred to as Judea and Samaria Area by Israel. Although the 1974 Arab League summit resolution at Rabat designated the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLOHP Pavilion dv6-2117eo Laptop Keyboard

) as the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people”, Jordan did not officially relinquish its claim to the area until 1988,[11] when it severed all administrative and legal ties with the West Bank and eventually stripped West Bank Palestinians of Jordanian citizenship.[12] HP AEUT3U00140 Laptop Keyboard

Since the 1993 Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority officially controls a geographically non-contiguous approx. 11% of the West Bank (known as Area A), permanently subject to Israeli incursions, rendering it as an area of very limited autonomy. Area B (approx. 28%) is subject to Israeli military control and Palestinian civil control. Area C (approx. 61%) is under full Israeli control. Though 164 nations refer to the West Bank, ACER ZU2 Laptop Keyboard

including East Jerusalem, as “Occupied Palestinian Territory”,[13][14] the state of Israel insists that only territories captured in war from “an established and recognized sovereign” should be considered occupied territories.[15] Israel's occupation of this territory is not recognized by any state. After the 2007 split between Fatah and Hamas, the West Bank areas under Palestinian control are an exclusive part of the Palestinian Authority, while the Gaza Strip is ruled by Hamas.  HP 576835-001 Laptop Keyboard

The name West Bank in Palestine, a translation of the Arabic term ad-difa’a al-gharbiya, was coined by the Jordanians after the territory, conquered by Jordan's Arab Legion in 1948, was annexed to Transjordan, forming the new Kingdom of Jordan in 1949–50. This annexation by Jordan was recognized by only a handful of countries, among them Britain and Pakistan.  DELL Studio 1458 Laptop Keyboard

Most international bodies, the Arab League, and most Palestinians rejected the legality of the Jordanian annexation. The term was chosen to differentiate the "West bank of the River Jordan", the newly annexed territory, from the "East Bank" of this river, Transjordan. Before the end of World War I and the creation of the British Mandate of Palestine(that preceded the modern history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict), HP Pavilion G6-1223TX Laptop Keyboard

the last state to control the land today referred to as the West Bank was the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Syria. The Ottoman Empire administrative region that included the modern West Bank was referred to by the Ottomans as the Beirut Vilayet. The specific district that included the modern West Bank was known as the Sanjak of Nablus. DELL Vostro 3500 Laptop Keyboard

The neo-Latin name Cisjordan or Cis-Jordan (literally "in front of the River Jordan" or "on this side of the [River] Jordan") is the usual name for the territory in the Romance languages and Hungarian. The analogousTransjordan (literally "behind of the River Jordan") has historically been used to designate the region now comprising the state of Jordan, which lies to the east, on the "other side" of the Jordan River. DELL Precision M4500 Laptop Keyboard

In English, the name Cisjordan is occasionally used to designate the entire region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, particularly in the historical context of the British Mandate and earlier times. SAMSUNG N140 Laptop Keyboard

The use of Cisjordan to refer to the smaller region discussed in this article, while common in scholarly fields including archaeology, is rare in general English usage. The name West Bank is standard usage for this geo-political entity in English and some of the other Germanic languages. For the low-lying area immediately west of the Jordan, the name Jordan Valley is used.[citation needed] SONY VAIO VGN-NR11Z/S Laptop Keyboard

The region now known as the "West Bank" represents portion of the former British Mandate for Palestine (1920–47). It was designated as part of a proposed Arab state by the United Nations (UN) partition plan for Palestine in 1947. The plan recommended partition of the British Mandate into a Jewish State, an Arab State, and an internationally administered enclave of Jerusalem,[16] a more broad region of the modern-day West Bank was assigned to the Arab State. Compaq Presario CQ62-410US laptop keyboard

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Upon the departure of the British forces in May 1948 and the proclamation of the State of Israel, the armies of five Arab countries entered Palestine. In the ensuing Arab-Israeli War the West Bank was occupied by Jordanian and Iraqi forces. In the 1949 Armistice Agreements, the West Bank was declared part of Jordanian territory and defined the interim boundarybetween Israel and Jordan. SONY VAIO VGN-FS770 laptop keyboard

Jordan occupied the West Bank from 1948 until 1967. Formally annexing it on April 24, 1950. Jordan's claim was never recognized by the international community, with the exception of the United Kingdom and Pakistan.[9][10] HP Pavilion dv5-1233se laptop keyboard

The idea of an independent Palestinian state was not raised by the Arab populations there at the time. King Abdullah of Jordan was crowned King of Jerusalem and granted Palestinian Arabs in the West Bank and East Jerusalem Jordanian citizenship.[17] HP Pavilion dv6580el laptop keyboard

During the 1950s, there was a significant influx of Palestinian refugees and violence together with Israeli reprisal raidsacross the "Green Line".[citation needed]

In May 1967 Egypt ordered out U.N. peacekeeping troops and re-militarized the Sinai peninsula, and commenced an economic blockade of Israel through the straits of Tiran at the same time. Fearing an Egyptian attack, SONY VGN-FE28B laptop keyboard

the government of Levi Eshkol attempted to restrict any confrontation to Egypt alone. In particular it did whatever it could to avoid fighting Jordan in a two-front war. However, "carried along by a powerful current of Arab nationalism", on 30 May 1967 King Husseinflew to Egypt and signed a mutual defense treaty in which the two countries agreed to consider "any armed attack on either state or its forces as an attack on both".[18][19] On 5 June, the Israel Defense Forces launched a pre-emptive attack on Egypt[20] which began what came to be known as the Six Day War. Packard Bell NEW95 laptop keyboard

Jordan soon began shelling targets in west Jerusalem, Netanya, and the outskirts of Tel Aviv.[21] Despite this, Israel sent a message promising not to initiate any action against Jordan if it stayed out of the war. Hussein replied that it was too late, "the die was cast".[18] On the evening of 5 June the Israeli cabinet convened to decide what to do; Yigal Allon and Menahem Begin argued that this was an opportunity to take the Old City of Jerusalem, HP Pavilion DV6-1124ca laptop keyboard

but Eshkol decided to defer any decision until Moshe Dayan and Yitzhak Rabin could be consulted.[22] Uzi Narkis made a number of proposals for military action, including the capture of Latrun, but the cabinet turned him down. The Israeli military only commenced action after Government House was captured, which was seen as a threat to the security of Jerusalem.[23] On 6 J une Dayan encircled the city, but, Lenovo Thinkpad X220T laptop keyboard

fearing damage to holy places and having to fight in built-up areas, he ordered his troops not to go in. However, upon hearing that the U.N. was about to declare a ceasefire, he changed his mind, and without cabinet clearance, decided to take the city.[22] After fierce fighting with Jordanian troops in and around the Jerusalem area, Israel captured the Old City on 7 June. SAMSUNG NP-N145-JPM2 laptop keyboard

specific decision had been made to capture any other territories controlled by Jordan. After the Old City was captured, Dayan told his troops to dig in to hold it. When an armored brigade commander entered the West Bank on his own initiative, and stated that he could see Jericho, Dayan ordered him back. SONY VAIO VGN-FZ320E/B laptop keyboard

However, when intelligence reports indicated that Hussein had withdrawn his forces across the Jordan river, Dayan ordered his troops to capture the West Bank.[23] Over the next two days, the IDF swiftly captured the rest of the West Bank and blew up the Abdullah and Hussein Bridges over the Jordan, thereby severing the West Bank from the East.[24] According to Narkis: SAMSUNG Q330 Series laptop keyboard

First, the Israeli government had no intention of capturing the West Bank. On the contrary, it was opposed to it. Second, there was not any provocation on the part of the IDF. Third, the rein was only loosened when a real threat to Jerusalem's security emerged. The end result was something that no one had planned.[25] SONY Vaio VGN-AW235J/B laptop keyboard

The Arab League's Khartoum conference in September declared continuing belligerency, and stated the league's principles of "no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with it".[26] In November 1967, UN Security Council Resolution 242 was unanimously adopted, calling for "the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East" to be achieved by "the application of both the following principles:" SONY KFRMBA220A laptop keyboard

"Withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict" (see semantic dispute) and: "Termination of all claims or states of belligerency" and respect for the right of every state in the area to live in peace within secure and recognised boundaries. Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon entered into consultations with the UN Special representative over the implementation of 242.[27] The text did not refer to the PLO or to any Palestinian representative because none was recognized at that time. SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

Until 1974, Jordan demanded the restoration of its control over the West Bank.[28] In 1988, Jordan's King Hussein announced "full legal and administrative disengagement from the West Bank."[29] On July 28, 1988, King Hussein announced the cessation of a $1.3 billion development program for the West Bank. Over the next few days, he formally dissolved Parliament, ending West Bank representation in the legislature, and severed all administrative and legal ties with West Bank.[30] DELL Latitude D830 Laptop Keyboard

As a result of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process agreement in 1995, the Palestine Authority has been given territorial administration over the West Bank.

By September 2012, with their application for full membership stalled due to the inability of Security Council members to 'make a unanimous recommendation', the Palestine Authority had decided to pursue an upgrade in status from "observer entity" to "non-member observer state". On November 27 it was announced that the appeal had been officially made, and would be put to a vote in the General Assembly on November 29, HP Mini 210-2036tu Laptop Keyboard

where their status upgrade was expected to be supported by a majority of states. In addition to granting Palestine "non-member observer state status", the draft resolution "expresses the hope that the Security Council will consider favourably the application submitted on 23 September 2011 by the State of Palestine for admission to full membership in the United Nations, endorses the two state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, and stresses the need for an immediate resumption of negotiations between the two parties." Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 Laptop Keyboard

On Thursday, November 29, 2012, In a 138-9 vote (with 41 abstaining) General Assembly resolution 67/19 passed, upgrading Palestine to "non-member observer state" status in the United Nations.[31][32] The new status equates Palestine's with that of the Holy See.The change in status was described by The Independent as "de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine".[33] COMPAQ Presario C700 Laptop Keyboard

The vote was a historic benchmark for the sovereign State of Palestine and its citizens, whilst it was a diplomatic setback for Israel and the United States. Status as an observer state in the UN will allow the State of Palestine to join treaties and specialised UN agencies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation,[34] the Law of the Seas Treaty and the International Criminal Court. It shall permit Palestine to claim legal rights over its territorial waters and air space as a sovereign state recognised by the UN. HP 550 Laptop Keyboard

The UN has permitted Palestine to title its representative office to the UN as 'The Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations',[35] and Palestine has started to re-title its name accordingly on postal stamps, official documents and passports,[32][36] whilst it has instructed its diplomats to officially represent 'The State of Palestine', as opposed to the 'Palestine National Authority'.[32] SONY VAIO VGN-NR21Z/S Laptop Keyboard

Additionally, on 17 December 2012, UN Chief of Protocol Yeocheol Yoon decided that "the designation of 'State of Palestine' shall be used by the Secretariat in all official United Nations documents",[37] thus recognising the PLO-proclaimed State of Palestine as being sovereign over the territories of Palestine and its citizens under international law. IBM Lenovo ThinkPad R51 1833 Laptop Keyboard

As of February 2013, 131 (67.9%) of the 193 member states of the United Nations have recognised the State of Palestine as sovereign over both West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Many of the countries that do not recognise the State of Palestine nevertheless recognise the PLO as the 'representative of the Palestinian people'HP Pavilion dv5-1233se Laptop Keyboard

Area A, 2.7%, full civil control of the Palestinian Authority, comprises Palestinian towns, and some rural areas away from Israeli settlements in the north (between Jenin, Nablus, Tubas, and Tulkarm), the south (around Hebron), and one in the center south of Salfit.[42] Area B, 25.2%, adds other populated rural areas, many closer to the center of the West Bank. Area C contains all the Israeli settlements, roads used to access the settlements, buffer zones (near settlements, roads, strategic areas, and Israel), and almost all of the Jordan Valley and the Judean Desert. DELL Latitude D830 Laptop Keyboard

Areas A and B are themselves divided among 227 separate areas (199 of which are smaller than 2 square kilometres (1 sq mi)) that are separated from one another by Israeli-controlled Area C. [43] Areas A, B, and C cross the 11Governorates used as administrative divisions by the Palestinian National Authority, Israel, and the IDF and named after major cities. The mainly open areas of Area C were to be handed over to the Palestinians by 1999 under the Oslo Accords. This was never done.[44] HP Pavilion G6-1B59WM Laptop Keyboard

According to B'tselem, while the vast majority of the Palestinian population lives in areas A and B, the vacant land available for construction in dozens of villages and towns across the West Bank is situated on the margins of the communities and defined as area C.[45] SONY VAIO VGN-SZ440 Laptop Keyboard

An assessment by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in 2007 found that approximately 40% of the West Bank was taken up by Israeli infrastructure. The infrastructure, consisting of settlements, the barrier, military bases and closed military areas, Israeli declared nature reserves and the roads that accompany them is off-limits or tightly controlled to Palestinians.[46] Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

In June 2011, the Independent Commission for Human Rights published a report that found that Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were subjected in 2010 to an “almost systematic campaign” of human rights abuse by thePalestinian Authority and Hamas, as well as by Israeli authorities, with the security forces of the PA and Hamas being responsible for torture, arrests and arbitrary detentions.[47] Lenovo 63Y0047 Laptop Keyboard

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