In 2002, Jordan was a nation with a population of more than 5 million people. The economy was largely based on services and agricultural exports, though there were also manufacturing and tourism sectors beginning to emerge. According to computerannals, Jordan had an estimated GDP per capita of $4,000 USD. Poverty levels were relatively high and many people lacked access to basic services such as healthcare and education. Infrastructure projects such as roads, ports, airports, and power plants had been completed but foreign investment was still lacking significantly. Additionally, the Jordanian government had implemented various economic reforms which opened up new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs. However, due to political instability there were still many issues that needed to be addressed in order for Jordan to reach its full potential in 2002.

Yearbook 2002

Jordan. The government was reformed on January 14 after adopting a new budget, designed to boost the economy. Prime Minister Ali Abu Raghib stayed in the post and appointed US Ambassador Marwan Muashir as Foreign Minister. King Abdullah announced on August 15 that the election that would have been held in September was postponed to spring 2003. He referred to “difficult regional conditions”, which were interpreted as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the threat of an attack on Iraq. Originally, the election would have been held in November 2001.

According to Countryaah website, national day of Jordan is every May 25. The town of Maan in southern Jordan was shaken by unrest during the year. Kravaller broke out in January after a 17-year-old boy died in police custody. In November, the army entered the city and arrested more than 130 people, many said to be militant Islamists. Five people, including two police officers, were killed in firefights and curfews prevailed for a time. The city, which has about 40,000 residents, many of whom live in great poverty, has previously been shaken by bread riots. Maan is an Islamic stronghold and demonstrations in support of Iraq’s leader Saddam Hussein have taken place.

Iraq promised November 22 to continue supplying oil to Jordan. The countries also agreed on trade exchanges. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Muashir had declared in July that J. would not allow bases to the United States for possible attacks against Iraq.

The Qatar-based TV channel al-Jazira was banned from operating in the country on August 7 since it aired a program that was considered to be forging Jordan’s royal house. Jordan also called his Qatar Ambassador home. The freedom of the press and demonstration rights in Jordan has been restricted in the past year.

Several cases of so-called honor killings were reported, despite a tightening of the law at the end of 2001. Another notable case involved Tujan Faysal, formerly Jordan’s first female MP. She was jailed in March and sentenced in May to 18 months in prison for slander after accusing government members of corruption. She was pardoned by the king in June.

Jordan rejected the chairmanship of the Alliance-Free Movement in mid-April, citing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Malaysia took over the assignment. Nor did King Abdullah visit the Arab League summit in Lebanon at the end of March.

In July, it was announced that ten people who planned to attack Israeli and American targets in Jordan were arrested in the spring. But on October 28, an American diplomat was murdered in the capital Amman. No group took on the deed, which was the first of its kind. The United States sent some staff home.

Israel and Jordan announced in September that they would work together to prevent the Dead Sea from drying out due to water diverting from the Jordan River. The project was estimated to cost $ 800 million.

In mid-December, authorities arrested two alleged members of the al-Qaeda terror network, identified as participating in the assassination of an American diplomat on October 28.

Jordan Country Overview

Visa
Finnish citizen can apply for a visa upon entry. A visa costs about 40 JOD. The passport must have two blank pages for the visa and the passport must be valid for 6 months from arrival in the country. If you continue your trip to other Middle Eastern countries, keep in mind that the Israeli stamp in your passport can bring problems when you arrive in the countries. Visa policies and rates are subject to change without notice depending on local authorities.

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, JOR stands for Jordan.

Insurance
Every person participating in the trip must have a valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses in the event of illness or other similar need. Please check the validity of your own insurance and the terms and conditions of the insurance cancellation cover.

Please pay attention to the special nature of your trip and check the coverage of the insurance in that respect as well. In many locations, the insurance must also be valid when moving at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, in which case it also covers mountain sickness.

Many hiking or diving trips require more extensive insurance, which covers, for example, diving or moving on a glacier. Please check the contents of your insurance with your insurance company.

Vaccinations
Check that your basic vaccinations are valid (tetanus, polio and diphtheria). Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are recommended for the trip. Check vaccination requirements at your health center or

Currency
The Jordanian currency is the dinar (JOD), which is divided into 1000 fils or 100 piastres. Often prices do not indicate the unit, which can confuse tourists. Currency can be obtained from Finland by booking in advance. Check availability and course at www.forex.fi.

Gratuities In
most cases, 10% of gratuities are expected in restaurants.

The time difference in
Jordan is the same as in Finland.

Electric current The electric current in
Jordan is 230 V (50Hz). Jordan has both European and British plugs.

Security
We stay in safe areas during our trip, but pickpocketing is possible and moving around certain areas at night can be unsafe. However, general caution within common sense is desirable throughout the journey.

Climate
Jordan’s climate is really variable depending on the continent and at different times of the year. In winter the temperature drops to around 20 degrees and in summer it can stretch up to 40 degrees. The nights are considerably cooler than the days. The large temperature change is due to the surrounding desert.

Travel Seasons
The best travel time is the spring or fall season, when the days are not so hot compared to summer and the winter rainy season has not yet begun.