History of Jordan in Timeline

Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is located in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Bordered by Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, it features the Jordan River and a coastline along the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba. Amman is the capital and largest city. The country's geography is defined by the Jordan Rift Valley and its position in the Levant.

1905: Shoubak Revolt

In 1905, Transjordan's tribes revolted during the Shoubak revolt, which was brutally suppressed.

1908: Hejaz Railway Construction

In 1908, the construction of the Hejaz Railway, stretching across Transjordan, helped the population economically.

1908: Young Turk Revolution

In the wake of the 1908 Young Turk Revolution, the Ottoman Empire adopted increasing policies of Turkification and centralization.

1910: Karak Revolts

In 1910, Transjordan's tribes revolted during the Karak revolts, which were brutally suppressed.

1915: Armenian Refugees

Descendants of Armenians who sought refuge in the Levant during the 1915 Armenian genocide numbered approximately 5,000 persons, mainly residing in Amman.

1915: McMahon-Hussein Correspondence

In 1915, the McMahon-Hussein Correspondence occurred, in which the British stated their willingness to recognize the independence of a unified Arab state.

June 1916: Start of Arab Revolt

On 5 June 1916, the Arab Revolt started from Medina, marking the beginning of the end of Ottoman rule.

1916: Great Arab Revolt

In 1916, the Great Arab Revolt occurred during World War I, leading to the partitioning of former Ottoman Syria.

1916: Sykes-Picot Agreement

In 1916, the Sykes-Picot Agreement, a secret agreement, divided the region into French and British spheres of influence.

July 1917: Battle of Aqaba

On 6 July 1917, the fighting in the Arab Revolt reached Transjordan in the Battle of Aqaba.

1917: Balfour Declaration

In 1917, Britain announced the Balfour Declaration, expressing support for the establishment of a "national home" for Jews in Palestine.

October 1918: Faisal Enters Damascus

In October 1918, Faisal entered Damascus and established an Arab-led military administration in OETA East, later declared as the Arab Kingdom of Syria, both of which Transjordan was part of.

July 1920: Battle of Maysalun

On 24 July 1920, the Hashemite Kingdom over Syria was forced to surrender to French troops during the Battle of Maysalun.

August 1920: Herbert Samuel's Declaration in As-Salt

On 21 August 1920, British High Commissioner Herbert Samuel declared in As-Salt that the British government would aid the establishment of local governments in Transjordan.

October 1920: Establishment of the Arab Legion

On 22 October 1920, the first organised army in Jordan was established, named the "Arab Legion".

November 1920: Arrival of Abdullah in Ma'an

On 21 November 1920, Abdullah arrived from Hejaz in Ma'an to redeem the Greater Syrian Kingdom.

March 1921: Inclusion of Transjordan in Mandate for Palestine

In March 1921, the British decided to add Transjordan to their Mandate for Palestine.

April 1921: Establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan

On 11 April 1921, the Emirate of Transjordan was established with Abdullah as emir.

April 1921: Organization of the First Police Force

On 11 April 1921, the first police force was organized in Jordan after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

1921: Rebellions at Kura

In 1921, small local rebellions at Kura were suppressed by Abdullah's forces.

1921: Establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan

In 1921, the Emirate of Transjordan was established as a British protectorate.

September 1922: Recognition by the League of Nations

In September 1922, the Council of the League of Nations recognised Transjordan as a state.

1923: Rebellions at Kura

In 1923, small local rebellions at Kura were suppressed by Abdullah's forces.

1924: Hashemite Dynasty Custodianship

Since 1924, the ruling Hashemite dynasty has had custodianship over holy sites in Jerusalem.

1930: Christian Population Percentage

In 1930, Christians made up about 20% of Jordan's population.

March 1946: Signing of the Treaty of London

On 22 March 1946, the Treaty of London was signed, recognizing the independence of Transjordan.

May 1946: Establishment of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

On 25 May 1946, Transjordan was raised to the status of a kingdom and named the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

1946: Growth of the Arab Legion

By 1946, the Arab Legion grew from 150 men in 1920 to 8,000.

1946: Independence of Jordan

In 1946, Jordan gained independence and became officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

1946: Population of Amman

The population of Amman was 65,754 in 1946.

1946: End of British Mandate

Transjordan remained a British mandate until 1946.

May 1948: Intervention in the Palestine War

On 15 May 1948, Jordan intervened in the 1948 Palestine war along with several other Arab states.

1948: Jordan's Capture of the West Bank

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Jordan captured the West Bank, which proved the effectiveness of the Arab Legion.

1948: Acceptance of Refugees

From as early as 1948, Jordan has accepted refugees from multiple neighboring countries in conflict.

1948: Arrival of Palestinian refugees

The first wave of Palestinian refugees arrived in Jordan during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

1949: Official name of the country

Until 1949, the country continued to be referred to as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan in English.

April 1950: Annexation of the West Bank

On 24 April 1950, Jordan formally annexed the West Bank after the Jericho Conference.

June 1950: Arab League Declaration on Annexation

On 12 June 1950, the Arab League declared that Jordan's annexation of the West Bank was a temporary measure.

1950: Water and Sanitation Access

In 1950, only 10% of the population of Jordan had access to water and sanitation.

1951: Assassination of King Abdullah

In 1951, King Abdullah was assassinated at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

1952: Adoption of the Jordanian Constitution

In 1952, Jordan adopted its constitution. The constitution has been amended a number of times since then, and it is the legal framework that governs the monarch, government, bicameral legislature, and judiciary.

1952: Establishment of Modern Constitution

In 1952, King Talal established Jordan's modern constitution.

1953: Ascension of King Hussein

In 1953, Hussein ascended to the throne at age 17, succeeding his father Talal.

December 1955: Membership in the United Nations

On 14 December 1955, Jordan became a member of the United Nations.

March 1956: Arabisation of Army Command

On 1 March 1956, King Hussein Arabised the command of the Army by dismissing senior British officers.

1956: Establishment of the Public Safety Directorate

In 1956, the Public Safety Directorate was established in Jordan, after police duties were carried out by the Arab Legion and the Transjordan Frontier Force.

July 1958: Dissolution of Arab Federation

On 14 July 1958, The Arab Federation between Jordan and Iraq was dissolved after Iraqi King Faisal II was deposed.

1966: Establishment of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature

In 1966, The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature was set up in Jordan to protect and manage Jordan's natural resources.

June 1967: Six-Day War

In June 1967, Jordan joined the Six-Day War after Israel launched a preemptive strike on Egypt, resulting in Jordan losing control of the West Bank.

1967: Occupation of the West Bank

In 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank, which had been annexed by Jordan.

1967: Jordan Loses Control of West Bank

In 1967, Jordan lost control of the West Bank to Israel during the Six-Day War.

1967: Jordan Views Independent Palestinian State

Jordan views an independent Palestinian state with the 1967 borders as part of the two-state solution and of supreme national interest.

1967: Influx of Palestinian refugees

The influx of Palestinian refugees to Jordan peaked in the 1967 Six-Day War.

1968: Battle of Karameh

In 1968, the Jordanian Armed Forces and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) repelled an Israeli attack on the Karameh camp.

September 1970: Black September

In September 1970, the Jordanian army targeted the fedayeen, leading to the expulsion of Palestinian fighters from various PLO groups into Lebanon, in a conflict known as Black September.

1973: Yom Kippur War

In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, Jordan sent a brigade to Syria to attack Israeli units on Syrian territory but did not engage Israeli forces from Jordanian territory.

1974: Rabat Summit Conference

At the Rabat summit conference in 1974, Jordan and the rest of the Arab League agreed that the PLO was the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people".

1979: Average persons per household in Jordan

In the census of 1979, the average number of persons per household in Jordan was 6.7.

1987: Discovery of Natural Gas

In 1987, natural gas was discovered in Jordan.

1988: Jordan Renounces Claim to West Bank

In 1988, Jordan renounced its claim to the West Bank in favor of the Palestinians.

1988: Renunciation of Claims to West Bank

In 1988, Jordan renounced its claims to the West Bank.

1990: Damage to Relations During First Gulf War

During the first Gulf War in 1990, Jordan's relations with the United States and the United Kingdom were damaged due to Jordan's neutrality and maintenance of relations with Iraq.

1990: Arrival of Palestinian refugees

The arrival of Palestinian refugees in Jordan peaked again in the 1990 Gulf War.

1991: Madrid Conference

In 1991, at the Madrid Conference, Jordan agreed to negotiate a peace treaty.

October 1994: Signing of Peace Treaty

On 26 October 1994, the Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed.

1994: Peace Treaty with Israel

In 1994, Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel.

1997: Poisoning of Khaled Mashal

In 1997, Israeli agents poisoned Khaled Mashal, a senior Hamas leader, leading to international pressure on Israel.

February 1999: Abdullah II Ascends to the Throne

In February 1999, Abdullah II ascended to the throne after the death of his father King Hussein. He reaffirmed Jordan's commitment to the peace treaty with Israel and its relations with the United States.

1999: Improvement of Relations with Gulf Countries

After King Hussein's death in 1999, relations between Jordan and the Persian Gulf countries greatly improved.

1999: Establishment of Jordan Design and Development Bureau

In 1999, the Jordan Design and Development Bureau defence company was established by King Abdullah II.

2000: Jordan Joins World Trade Organisation

In 2000, Jordan joined the World Trade Organisation and signed the Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement, thus becoming the first Arab country to establish a free trade agreement with the United States.

2002: Childhood Immunization Rates

By 2002, childhood immunizations and vaccines reached more than 95% of children under five in Jordan.

2002: Labor force in industry

More than 21% of the labor force in Jordan was employed in industry in 2002.

2003: Influx of Mandaeans from Iraq

Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, an estimated 1,400 Mandaeans came to Amman, Jordan, fleeing persecution.

2003: Influx of Iraqi Refugees

Following the Iraq War in 2003, up to 1,000,000 Iraqis moved to Jordan.

2004: Economic Growth Rate

Between 2004 and 2008, Jordan's economy grew at an average rate of 8% per annum.

2004: Industrial sector contribution

In 2004, the industrial sector in Jordan accounted for approximately 26% of the GDP.

2004: AFC Asian Cup Quarter-Finals

The Jordanian national football team reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup in 2004.

November 2005: Al-Qaeda bombings in Amman

In November 2005, Al-Qaeda, under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, launched coordinated explosions in three hotel lobbies in Amman, resulting in 60 deaths and 115 injuries. These bombings, which targeted civilians, led to widespread outrage among Jordanians and prompted Jordan to dramatically improve its internal security.

2005: Establishment of the German Jordanian University

In 2005, German was introduced at a larger scale in Jordan with the establishment of the German Jordanian University.

2006: Lebanese Immigration

In 2006, approximately 15,000 Lebanese immigrants arrived in Jordan following the Lebanon War.

2006: Port of Aqaba ranked Best Container Terminal

In 2006, the Port of Aqaba was ranked as being the "Best Container Terminal" in the Middle East by Lloyd's List.

June 2007: Jordan Hospital Accreditation

On June 1, 2007, Jordan Hospital, as the biggest private hospital, was the first general specialty hospital to gain the international accreditation JCAHO.

2007: Patients receiving treatment in Jordan

A study conducted by Jordan's Private Hospitals Association found that 190,000 patients from 102 countries received treatment in Jordan in 2007.

2007: Assyrian Christian Population

In 2007, there were up to 150,000 Assyrian Christians in Jordan, many of whom were Eastern Aramaic-speaking refugees from Iraq.

2008: Economic Growth Rate

Between 2004 and 2008, Jordan's economy grew at an average rate of 8% per annum.

2008: End of Economic Boom

Until 2008, Abdullah II's economic reforms led to an economic boom.

2009: Net Official Development Assistance

In 2009, net official development assistance to Jordan totalled US$761 million.

2010: Patients receiving treatment in Jordan

A study conducted by Jordan's Private Hospitals Association found that 250,000 patients from 102 countries received treatment in Jordan in 2010.

2010: Jordan ranked 35th best infrastructure

According to the 2010 World Economic Forum's Index of Economic Competitiveness, Jordan is ranked as having the 35th best infrastructure in the world.

2010: Economic Growth Rate

From 2010 onwards, Jordan's economy grew at around 2.6% per annum.

2010: Arab Spring

In 2010, Jordan was mostly unaffected by the violence that swept the region following the Arab Spring.

2010: Visitors to Jordan

In 2010, there were 8 million visitors to Jordan.

2010: FIBA World Basketball Cup Qualification

Jordan qualified for the FIBA 2010 World Basketball Cup.

2010: Syrian Refugee Crisis

Since 2010, over 1.4 million Syrian refugees have fled to Jordan to escape the violence in Syria, with the largest population residing in the Zaatari refugee camp.

2011: Jordan road network

According to data from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, as of 2011, the road network in Jordan consisted of 2,878 km of main roads; 2,592 km of rural roads and 1,733 km of side roads.

2011: Impact of Arab Spring on Tourism

After 2011, the number of tourist arrivals in Jordan dropped sharply due to the turmoil caused by the Arab Spring.

2011: Deposition of Ali Abdullah Saleh

In 2011, Ali Abdullah Saleh was deposed in the Yemeni uprising.

2011: Jordan and Morocco Try to Join Gulf Cooperation Council

In 2011, Jordan and Morocco tried to join the Gulf Cooperation Council, but the Gulf countries offered a five-year development aid program instead.

2011: Jordan's foreign debt

In 2011, Jordan's foreign debt was $19 billion, which represented 60% of its GDP.

2011: Renewable energy contribution

In 2011, renewable energy contributed to 3% of Jordan's electricity.

2011: Arab Spring Protests

In 2011, the Arab Spring protests erupted, demanding economic and political reforms. In response to domestic unrest, Abdullah replaced his prime minister and introduced reforms. Jordan remained largely unscathed despite an influx of 1.4 million Syrian refugees.

2011: AFC Asian Cup Quarter-Finals

The Jordanian national football team reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup in 2011.

2012: Jordan builds liquified natural gas port

In 2012, Jordan built a liquified natural gas port in Aqaba to temporarily substitute the supply, while formulating a strategy to rationalize energy consumption and to diversify its energy sources.

2012: Establishment of the Constitutional Court

In 2012, the constitutional court was set up in Jordan in order to hear cases regarding the constitutionality of laws.

2012: Government Cuts Subsidies on Fuel

In 2012, the government cut subsidies on fuel in Jordan, increasing its price. The decision, which was later revoked, caused large-scale protests to break out across the country.

2012: Olympic Qualifying

Jordan almost reached the 2012 Olympics after losing the final of the 2010 Asian Cup to China, settling for silver.

2013: Queen Alia International Airport expansion completed

In 2013, the expansion of Queen Alia International Airport was completed, featuring new terminals at a cost of $700 million and the capacity to handle over 16 million passengers annually.

2014: Christian Population Estimate

According to a 2014 estimate by the Orthodox Church, Christians in Jordan numbered around 250,000, all of whom were Arabic-speaking.

2014: Iraqi Christian Refugees

Around 12,000 Iraqi Christians sought refuge in Jordan in 2014 after the Islamic State took the city of Mosul.

2014: Participation in Aerial Bombardment Campaign Against ISIS

In 2014, Jordan joined an aerial bombardment campaign by an international coalition led by the United States against the Islamic State as part of its intervention in the Syrian Civil War.

2014: Queen Alia International Airport award

In 2014, Queen Alia International Airport was awarded 'the best airport by region: Middle East' by the Airport Service Quality survey.

2014: Construction of the 7Hills Skatepark

In 2014, a NGO Make Life Skate Life completed construction of the 7Hills Skatepark, the first skatepark in Jordan, located in Downtown Amman.

2014: Industry contribution to GDP

In 2014, industry accounted for 6% of Jordan's GDP.

2014: ICT sector contributions

In 2014, the ICT sector in Jordan accounted for more than 84,000 jobs and contributed to 12% of the GDP.

2014: National Football Team World Cup Qualifying

In 2014, the Jordanian national football team came within a play-off of reaching the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, but lost the two-legged tie against Uruguay.

2015: Literacy Rate in Jordan

According to UNESCO, the literacy rate in Jordan was 98.01% in 2015, considered the highest in the Middle East and Arab world.

2015: Refugee Population

As of 2015, Jordan was hosting an estimated 2.1 million Palestinian refugees and 1.4 million Syrian refugees.

2015: Improved Water and Sanitation Access

By 2015, access to water and sanitation had reached 98% of Jordanians.

2015: Iraqi Refugee Numbers in Jordan

By 2015, the number of Iraqis in Jordan was 130,911, following a return of many who had migrated after the 2003 Iraq War.

2015: Participation in Saudi Arabian-led Military Intervention in Yemen

In 2015, Jordan participated in the Saudi Arabian-led military intervention in Yemen against the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

2015: Queen Alia International Airport award

In 2015, Queen Alia International Airport was again awarded 'the best airport by region: Middle East' by the Airport Service Quality survey.

2015: Remittances reach $3.8 billion

In 2015, remittances to Jordan totaled $3.8 billion, making it the fourth-largest recipient in the region.

2015: Company exports worth $72 million

In 2015, the Jordan Design and Development Bureau exported $72 million worth of industries to over 42 countries.

2015: Establishment of the Jordan Trail

In 2015, the Jordan Trail, a 650 km hiking trail stretching the entire country from north to south, crossing several attractions, was established.

2015: Census Records of Foreign Nationals

The 2015 census recorded the presence of 1,265,000 Syrians, 636,270 Egyptians, 634,182 Palestinians, 130,911 Iraqis, 31,163 Yemenis, 22,700 Libyans, and 197,385 individuals from other nationalities residing in Jordan.

2015: Jordan Census Results

The 2015 census showed Jordan had a population of 9,531,712 people, with 2.9 million non-citizens and 1,977,534 households, averaging 4.8 persons per household. The population of Amman exceeded 4 million by 2015.

2015: Increased Control of Media and Internet

The 2015 report noted "the Arab Spring and the Syrian conflict have led the authorities to tighten their grip on the media and, in particular, the Internet, despite an outcry from civil society". Internet penetration in Jordan reached 76% in 2015.

January 2016: Academy Award Nomination for Jordanian Film

In January 2016, for the first time ever, a Jordanian film called "Theeb" was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

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March 2016: FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Hosting

In March 2016, the women's football team was ranked 58th in the world. Also in 2016, Jordan hosted the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, the first women's sports tournament in the Middle East.

December 2016: Palestinian refugees in Jordan

As of December 2016, Jordan was home to 2,175,491 Palestinian refugees, most of whom had been granted Jordanian citizenship.

2016: Jordan's First Olympic Medal

At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Ahmad Abughaush won Jordan's first ever medal of any colour at the games by taking gold in the −67 kg weight taekwondo event.

2016: Attacks on Natural Gas Pipeline

Between 2011 and 2016, the natural gas pipeline in Sinai supplying Jordan from Egypt was attacked 32 times by Islamic State affiliates.

2016: Jordan's GDP

In 2016, Jordan's GDP was $39.453 billion.

2016: Jordan's debt reaches $35.1 billion

In 2016, Jordan's debt reached $35.1 billion, representing 93% of its GDP, due to regional instability, decreased tourism and foreign investments, increased military expenditures, attacks on Egyptian pipelines, trade collapse with Iraq and Syria, Syrian refugee expenses and accumulated loan interest.

2016: Law Enforcement Ranking

In 2016, Jordan's law enforcement was ranked 37th in the world and 3rd in the Middle East, in terms of police services' performance, by the World Internal Security and Police Index.

2016: Political Parties Contest Seats in Elections

In 2016, political parties contested one-fifth of the seats in Jordanian elections, with the remainder belonging to independent politicians.

2016: Re-introduction of proportional representation

In 2016, proportional representation was re-introduced to the Jordanian parliament. This move was intended to eventually lead to the establishment of parliamentary governments.

2016: Jordanian House of Representatives Election

In 2016, the 130 members of the lower House of Representatives were elected through party-list proportional representation in 23 constituencies for a 4-year term.

2016: Jordan Research and Training Reactor commissioned

In 2016, the Jordan Research and Training Reactor, a 5 MW training reactor located at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Ar Ramtha, was commissioned.

2016: Decrease in tourists

Jordan experienced a 70% decrease in the number of tourists from 2010 to 2016.

2017: GDP per Capita

By 2017, Jordan's GDP per capita was $9,406 per capita by purchasing power parity.

2017: Opening of SESAME facility

In 2017, the Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) facility was opened in Jordan.

2017: Life Expectancy in Jordan

In 2017, the average life expectancy in Jordan was around 74.8 years.

2017: Tourist numbers start to recover

Tourist numbers in Jordan started to recover in 2017 after being severely affected by regional turbulence since 2010.

2018: Austerity program prevents debt from rising above 95%

In 2018, Jordan's austerity program successfully prevented the debt from rising above 95% of GDP.

2018: Poverty Rate in Jordan

In 2018, approximately 15.7% of Jordan's population lived on or below the national poverty line.

2018: Talks to build nuclear plant

In 2018, the Atomic Energy Commission announced that Jordan was in talks with multiple companies to build its first commercial nuclear plant.

2018: Government aims for 20% renewable energy

In 2018, the Jordanian government announced that it sought to beat the initial target of 10% for renewable energy and aim for 20% by 2020.

2019: Renewable energy projects completed

By early 2019, it was reported that more than 1090 MW of renewable energy projects had been completed in Jordan, contributing to 8% of the country's electricity.

2019: Basketball World Cup in China

Jordan reached the 2019 World Basketball Cup in China.

2020: Jordan aims to generate 10% energy by renewables

After having initially set the percentage of renewable energy, Jordan aimed to generate by 2020 at 10%.

April 2021: Arrests related to destabilization plot

On 4 April 2021, 19 people were arrested in Jordan, including Prince Hamzeh, who was placed under house arrest after being accused of working to destabilize the kingdom.

2021: Human Freedom Index and Corruption Perceptions Index

In 2021, Jordan ranked 94th globally in the Cato Institute's Human Freedom Index and ranked 58th in the Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International.