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Encyclopedia—Jordan, country, AsiaLand and PeopleJordan falls into two main geographical regions. Eastern Jordan, which encompasses about 92% of the country's land area, is made up of a section (average elevation: 2,500 ft/760 m) of the Arabian Plateau that in the northeast includes part of the Syrian Desert. In the western part of the plateau are the Jordanian Highlands, which include Jabal Ramm (5,755 ft/1,754 m), Jordan's loftiest point. Extreme western Jordan is made up of a segment of the Great Rift Valley (which continues southward into Africa) and includes the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, and the Arabah (a dry riverbed). The inhabitants of Jordan are mostly of Arab descent. The Palestinians (about 50% of the population) are also descended from the people who lived in Palestine before the Arab conquest (7th cent.), whereas the inhabitants of E Jordan (many of whom belong to Bedouin tribes) are of predominantly Arab ancestry. There are small minorities of Armenians and Circassians. Arabic, the official language, is spoken by virtually everyone. Many in the higher socio-economic groups also speak English. Over 95% of the people are Sunni Muslims; about 5% are Christians, most of whom are Greek Orthodox. Sections in this article: The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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