|
History
The name “Jordan” comes from the Arabic meaning of “flowing down” referring to the neighboring Jordan River which flows down to the Dead Sea. Jordan is the home of the ancient Nabataeans, who were merchants and traders in the
region, and were credited for developing the early Arabic Script.
Modern Jordan was established in the aftermath of World War I when the Hashemite Arab Forces defeated the Ottoman forces in 1916 and declared an Arab State. The British and French forces however who agreed in the secret Sykes-Picot agreement to divide up the Arab lands amongst themselves, instead took control of the region. Jordan fell
under British rule, and was named Trans-Jordan (referring to the East of the Jordan River) in 1920.
Britain granted the nation nominal independence in 1946, and the country was renamed to Jordan in 1951. In 1948, the nation participated in the Arab-Israeli war in Palestine and was able to prevent the Israeli forces from taking the West Bank of the Jordan River, including East Jerusalem. The West Bank was then ruled by Jordan until the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 when Israeli forces occupied the region in a surprise invasion.
Jordan, which has a large Palestinian refugee population of several million people, as a result of the 1948 and 1967 wars, is one of the main borderline states that are affected by the Arab-Israeli conflict. Jordan witnessed a domestic
upheaval in 1970 when fighting broke out between Palestinian rebels and the Jordanian Army. The Palestinian rebels were defeated and expelled from Jordan. In 1994, Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel.
Jordan has played a key role in the conflicts involving Iraq. During the Iraq-Iran War of the 1980’s, Jordan was the
main supply route for goods into Iraq. During the blockade period of the 1990’s through 2003, Jordan was exempt from the sanctions and remained Iraq’s only outlet to the outside world. After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, thousands of Iraqis fled to Jordan causing strain on the Jordanian economy. Since the uprising began in Syria in 2011, thousands of Syrian refugees have fled to Jordan to seek safety from the ongoing civil unrest in the country.
Jordan Facts
- Population: 6,508,887
- Infant Mortality Rate: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births
- Average Family Income: $5,900
- Unemployment Rate: 27%
Life in Jordan
In 2004, Life registered to work as an NGO under the Ministry of Social Development. Life Jordan is providing care to over 600 orphans on a monthly basis and is working to provide emergency food and relief items to Syrian refugee families who are arriving in Jordan daily.
Since its inception Life Jordan has assisted many poor and marginalized students with scholarships to attend college to receive higher education that will benefit the student and their families. Life also hosted children from neighboring countries to receive surgery and medical treatment in Jordan for medical conditions that cannot be treated in their home countries.
Projects
Orphan Sponsorship
Student Sponsorship
Child Surgery
Family/Refugee Assistance
Ramadan
Udhiya
|
