From British control to a Kingdom

Jordan's history began around 2000BC when Semitic Aromites settled around the Jordan river. The area has since fallen under the control of Hittites, Egyptians, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans and British amongst others. In 1921, in the aftermath of World War I, the Palestinian province of Transjordan, originally planned as part of a Jewish state was given by the British to King Abdullah I of the Hashemite family. In 1946, full independence followed. Today called Jordan it is ruled by King Abdullah II.

Free trade and educated workforce

With little in the way of natural resources Jordan has had to work harder than most to create and develop its economy. It has done this by developing a highly educated workforce, opening more Free Trade Agreements than any other Middle Eastern country and economic liberalisation. Its GDP growth has been at around 7% p.a. for a decade prior to the global economic crisis. Jordan's future growth is pinned on its uranium and oil exports, its IT industry and its growing tourism sector.