Formal Regions
Perceptual Regions
Jordan River Valley
- small, but fertile
- 10,000 years ago, start of ancient villages with harvested crops
- hot, dry summers
- short, mild winters
- 12 inches of rain per year
- part of the the Great Rift Valley (largest fault system in the world)
- the "food bowl" of Jordan
- only 6% of the country
(South 7)
The Desert
- eastern and southern parts of Jordan
- less than 2 inches of rain per year
- 80% of the country's land mass
- northern desert is full of volcanic rock
- a couple of oases (fertile land and springs) are found
- Jordanian Desert is part of the Syrian Desert
(South 8)
Wadi Rum
- "canyon" in Arabic
- so many surrounding hills make it feel below sea level, but in fact, it is not
- some Bedouins (a nomadic tribe of Arabs) live here and depend on tourists for their living
- home of a government-sponsored annual hot-air-balloon event
(South 8)
Highlands
- between desert and the Jordan River
- 2-13 inches of rain per year
- mediterranean climate
- sandstorms are common
(South 9)
