Jordan is a country in the Middle East bordered by several countries like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, and Israel.  Ruled under a constitutional monarchy, the country has about 7 million inhabitants.  With limited oil production, Jordan is not as rich as its other neighboring countries in the Middle East but still thrives in the world economy stage.  The following are some facts about this country and its people:

Fact 1:  Jordan is home to the city of Petra, known to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  This city is famous for its rock carvings or architecture that dates back to 2000 years ago. For many people, Petra is Jordan’s most amazing attraction and one of world’s best in terms of archaeology.

Fact 2:  The Dead Sea, which is located in Jordan, is another popular place in this country because it represents the lowest point in all of the Earth.  Situated more than 400 meters below sea level, no other point in any country is as low as the Dead Sea of Jordan.

Fact 3:  Mount Nebo in Jordan is widely believed to be the area where Moses was buried.  Many places in Jordan are of high historical importance especially with great Biblical figures like Moses.

Fact 4:  The Jordan River is the site of Jesus Christ’s baptism by John the Baptist.  Many Christian pilgrims around the world flock to this part of Jordan because of its Biblical and historical significance.

Fact 5:  Jordan is considered a sacred place among many Christian denominations in the world.  Despite its Muslim majority, many sites in Jordan are considered sacred in the Christian religion and community.  Aside from Mount Nebo and the Jordan River, the prophet Elijah was also said to have resided in Jordan.  The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which were mentioned in the Christian Bible are also believed to be ancient cities located in Jordan.

Fact 6:  Jordanian people have a tradition of using the right hand for eating.  As part of their custom, children are taught to use their right hand primarily during meals instead of their left.

Fact 7:  Jordanians believe that bad luck will result when children are praised too often or excessively.  Many children in traditional Jordan don’t get pats on their back or get rewards too often because of this particular belief.

Fact 8:  Refusing a meal invitation for up to three times is not an impolite move in Jordan.  In many other countries, refusals when it comes to food are a big no-no but in Jordan, people don’t have to worry about having to refuse a meal and being judged as impolite after.

Fact 9:  Many buildings in Jordan look the same.  Made from stone or concrete, almost all buildings are adorned with white slabs made from limestone which is abundant in the country.  People in Jordan have seemed to like about this design detail and this resulted to many structures in the country to look pretty much the same.

 Fact 10:  Jordan was previously ruled by an American-born Queen. Former Queen Noor was born in the US and became a citizen of this country before she married King Hussein and became one of Jordan’s royalties.