About Jordan
Location:
Jordan is located in the heart of the Middle East, Northwest of Saudi
Arabia, South of Syria, Southwest of Iraq, and East of Israel and the Palestenian
National Authority. Jordan has access to the Red Sea via the port city of Aqaba, located at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba. Geographic co-ordinates: 29 -
34 00 N, 35 - 39 E Area total: 89,213 sq. km (34, 445 sq. miles) land: 88,884 sq.
km (34, 318 sq. miles) water: 329 sq. km (127 sq. miles).
Population: 4.9 million.
Climate and
Geography :
Jordan has a combination of Mediterranean and arid desert climates, with Mediterranean
prevailing in the North and West of the country, while the majority of the country
is desert. Generally, the country has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, with
annual average temperatures ranging from 12 to 25 C (54 to 77 F) and summertime
highs reaching the 40 C (105-115 F) in the desert regions. Rainfall averages vary
from 50 mm (1.97 inches) annually in the desert to 800 mm (31.5 inches) in the northern
hills, some of which falls as snow in some years. Jordan enjoys a range of geographical
features, starting from the Jordan Rift Valley in the West ending at the desert
plateau of the East, with a range of small hills running the length of the country
in between. Lowest Point: Dead Sea, -408 meters (-1338.6 feet) Highest Point: Jebel
Rum, 1734 meters (5689 feet).
Currency
and Exchange Rates :
Jordan's
currency is the Jordanian Dinar, or JD. It is subdivided into 1000 fils, or 100
qirsh or piastres. It appears in paper notes of 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 JD denominations.
Coins come in denominations of 0.5 JD, 0.25 JD, and 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5 fils.
The daily exchange rate is published in local newspapers.
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Currency
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Lowest buying price
(Fils)
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Highest selling price
(Fils)
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United States Dollar
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708/00
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710/00
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(As from June 28, 2001) You can change foreign cash
or travellers’ checks at any bank in Jordan. Only travellers’ checks will be charged
a commission. Also, there are authorized money-changers in Amman, Aqaba and Irbid,
and you will usually get a slightly better rate of exchange at money-changers than
at banks. Hotels of three stars or above will also change money but at a less favourable
rate. Foreigners are permitted to open accounts at Jordanian banks in either Jordanian
Dinar or in foreign currencies. Currency exchange operates under the guidelines
and regulations of the Central Bank of Jordan. The Central Bank also sets the minimum
and maximum interest rates for financial institutions to follow.
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