Jordan Map
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A host of prophets graced Jordan by living in or traveling through Jordan,
these include Nuh (Noah), Lut (Lot), El-Khedr (St. George), Ibrahim (Abraham), Ilyas (Elijah), Hud,
Shu'ayb (Jethro), Yosha' (Joshua) his tomb near Salt, Musa (Moses) the site of his death on Mount Nebo,
Harun (Aaron) his tomb in Petra, Dawud (David) his Shrine in Mazar Al-Shamali near Kerak, Sulayman
(Solomon), Ayyub (Job), Yahya (John), Eesa (Jesus), and prophet Mohammad, Peace and blessing be upon
them Al
Jordan is a land steeped in history. It has been home to some of mankind's
earliest settlements and villages, and relics of many of the world's great
civilizations can still be seen today.
As the crossroads of the Middle East,
the lands of Jordan and Palestine have served as a strategic nexus connecting
Asia, Africa and Europe.
Thus, since the dawn of civilization, Jordan ' s
geography has given it an important role to play as a conduit for trade and
communications, connecting east and west, north and south. Jordan continues
to play this role today.
Because of its centralized location, the land of Jordan is a geographic
prize which changed hands many times throughout antiquity.
Parts of Jordan were included in the dominions of ancient Iraq, including the Sumerian,
Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian and Mesopotamian Empires.
From the west, Pharaonic Egypt extended its power and culture into Jordan, while the
nomadic Nabateans built their empire in Jordan after migrating from the
south of the Arabian Peninsula.
Finally, Jordan was incorporated into the
classical civilizations of Greece, Rome and Persia, the relics of which are
scattered across the Jordanian landscape.
Since the mid-seventh century CE,
the land of Jordan has remained almost continuously in the hands of various
Arab and Islamic dynasties.
The second geographical factor which has helped shape the history of
Jordan concerns climate.
Only the northern highlands and the Jordan Valley
have received enough rainfall to support large populations.
Therefore, this area has always been more settled by farmers, villagers and townspeople.
Most of the urban civilizations of Jordan have been based in these fertile lands.
To the south and east, meanwhile, there is very little rainfall and
no rivers for irrigation.
These desert areas, which comprise the majority of
Jordan, have rarely supported large settled populations.
In some periods,there appears to have been no settled population at all.
The lifestyle of the Bedouin inhabitants of these desert lands has remained similar in some
respects to that of their Edomite or Nabatean predecessors.
The contrast between the pastoral "desert" and agriculturally fertile
lands is particularly pronounced in Jordan, and much of the area's history
can be linked to population shifts between large urban centers and more
dispersed, nomadic tribal groups.
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