Physical setting
Coastal country
geographic context
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Geography & Environment
Geography & Environment in Jordan
AmmanLocal time
Geography & Environment
Jordan’s geography is organized into the deeply lowered western rift, an adjacent highland belt and a broad arid plateau extending across most of the country.
Relief anchor
Jordan Rift, western highlands and eastern plateau
regional relief reference
Jordan at a Glance
Jordan’s geography is organized into the deeply lowered western rift, an adjacent highland belt and a broad arid plateau extending across most of the country.
Physical geography
terrain · drainage · setting
Jordan’s western rift lowlands are bordered by a north-south highland belt, beyond which an extensive semi-desert and desert plateau covers most of the east. The relief focus used here is Jordan Rift, western highlands and eastern plateau, presented as a regional physical reference.
Regional frameWestern Asia
SettingCoastal country
Relief focusJordan Rift, western highlands and eastern plateau
Climate pattern
Jordan is predominantly arid to semi-arid, while the western highlands receive more winter rainfall and show stronger Mediterranean influence.
Water and landform context
The Jordan River and Dead Sea occupy the western rift system, while wadis cut through the highlands and much of the eastern plateau has sparse, seasonal surface drainage.
Terrain, Climate and Environment
Three connected views of Jordan's physical setting.
Relief and terrain
PhysicalJordan’s western rift lowlands are bordered by a north-south highland belt, beyond which an extensive semi-desert and desert plateau covers most of the east. The relief reference on this page is Jordan Rift, western highlands and eastern plateau.
Climate pattern
ClimateJordan is predominantly arid to semi-arid, while the western highlands receive more winter rainfall and show stronger Mediterranean influence.
Environmental setting
EnvironmentThe Jordan River and Dead Sea occupy the western rift system, while wadis cut through the highlands and much of the eastern plateau has sparse, seasonal surface drainage.
Understand the landscape
What Jordan's geographic profile is telling you
Jordan’s pronounced west-to-east relief and rainfall gradient explains the concentration of perennial water in the rift and highlands and the increasingly sparse drainage of the desert plateau.
Detailed Geography & Environment Data
| Measure | Reference | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Physical setting | Coastal country | Geographic classification |
| Relief anchor | Jordan Rift, western highlands and eastern plateau | Regional physical feature |
| Climate | Jordan is predominantly arid to semi-arid, while the western highlands receive more winter rainfall and show stronger Mediterranean influence. | |
| Terrain | Jordan’s western rift lowlands are bordered by a north-south highland belt, beyond which an extensive semi-desert and desert plateau covers most of the east. | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of terrain does Jordan have?
At country scale, the main terrain pattern is: Jordan’s western rift lowlands are bordered by a north-south highland belt, beyond which an extensive semi-desert and desert plateau covers most of the east.
What is Jordan's climate like?
Jordan is predominantly arid to semi-arid, while the western highlands receive more winter rainfall and show stronger Mediterranean influence.
What physical feature helps explain the landscape?
A useful way to read the landscape is through the relationship between relief and drainage. The Jordan River and Dead Sea occupy the western rift system, while wadis cut through the highlands and much of the eastern plateau has sparse, seasonal surface drainage.
Sources & methodology
This physical-geography profile uses Jordan Fourth National Communication to the UNFCCC (2023) to support the terrain, climate, drainage and regional relief descriptions shown on this page. The summary focuses on broad, stable physical features.
View sources used for this page
Jordan Fourth National Communication to the UNFCCC (2023)
Country-authored institutional source used for the physical-geography claims on this page.