Jordan
         n 1: a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John
               the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan [syn: {Jordan},
               {Jordan River}]
         2: an Arab kingdom in southwestern Asia on the Red Sea [syn:
            {Jordan}, {Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan}]

English Dictionary: Jordan	by the DICT Development Group
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
jordan almond n variety of large almond from Malaga, Spain; used in confectionery an almond covered with a sugar coating that is hard and flavored and colored
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Jordan curve n a closed curve that does not intersect itself [syn: {simple closed curve}, Jordan curve]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Jordan River n a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan Synonym(s): Jordan, Jordan River
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Jordanella n flagfishes Synonym(s): Jordanella, genus Jordanella
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Jordanella floridae n a fish with a dark-blue back and whitish sides with red stripes; found in swamps and streams of Florida Synonym(s): flagfish, American flagfish, Jordanella floridae
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Jordanian adj of or relating to or characteristic of Jordan or its people; "Jordanian archeological sites" n a native or inhabitant of Jordan
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Jordanian dinar n the basic unit of money in Jordan; equal to 1,000 fils Synonym(s): Jordanian dinar, dinar
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
Jordanian monetary unit n monetary unit in Jordan
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Jordan \Jor"dan\, Jorden \Jor"den\, n. [Prob. fr. the river       Jordan, and shortened fr. Jordan bottle a bottle of water       from the Jordan, brought back by pilgrims.]       1. A pot or vessel with a large neck, formerly used by             physicians and alchemists. [Obs.] --Halliwell.          2. A chamber pot. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Jordan \Jor"dan\, Jorden \Jor"den\, n. [Prob. fr. the river       Jordan, and shortened fr. Jordan bottle a bottle of water       from the Jordan, brought back by pilgrims.]       1. A pot or vessel with a large neck, formerly used by             physicians and alchemists. [Obs.] --Halliwell.          2. A chamber pot. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Jurdon \Jur"don\, n.       Jordan. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:
Jordan, AR       Zip code(s): 72519    Jordan, MN (city, FIPS 32174)       Location: 44.66850 N, 93.63225 W       Population (1990): 2909 (1091 housing units)       Area: 5.7 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)       Zip code(s): 55352    Jordan, MT (town, FIPS 39925)       Location: 47.32115 N, 106.91002 W       Population (1990): 494 (258 housing units)       Area: 0.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)       Zip code(s): 59337    Jordan, NY (village, FIPS 38825)       Location: 43.06571 N, 76.47326 W       Population (1990): 1325 (510 housing units)       Area: 2.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)       Zip code(s): 13080
From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:
Jordan Valley, OR (city, FIPS 37850)       Location: 42.97656 N, 117.05431 W       Population (1990): 364 (179 housing units)       Area: 5.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)       Zip code(s): 97910
From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:
Jordanville, NY       Zip code(s): 13361
From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:
Jourdanton, TX (city, FIPS 38116)       Location: 28.91274 N, 98.54136 W       Population (1990): 3220 (1172 housing units)       Area: 8.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)       Zip code(s): 78026
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Jordan       Heb. Yarden, "the descender;" Arab. Nahr-esh-Sheriah, "the       watering-place" the chief river of Palestine. It flows from       north to south down a deep valley in the centre of the country.       The name descender is significant of the fact that there is       along its whole course a descent to its banks; or it may simply       denote the rapidity with which it "descends" to the Dead Sea.                It originates in the snows of Hermon, which feed its perennial       fountains. Two sources are generally spoken of. (1.) From the       western base of a hill on which once stood the city of Dan, the       northern border-city of Palestine, there gushes forth a       considerable fountain called the Leddan, which is the largest       fountain in Syria and the principal source of the Jordan. (2.)       Beside the ruins of Banias, the ancient Caesarea Philippi and       the yet more ancient Panium, is a lofty cliff of limestone, at       the base of which is a fountain. This is the other source of the       Jordan, and has always been regarded by the Jews as its true       source. It rushes down to the plain in a foaming torrent, and       joins the Leddan about 5 miles south of Dan (Tell-el-Kady). (3.)       But besides these two historical fountains there is a third,       called the Hasbany, which rises in the bottom of a valley at the       western base of Hermon, 12 miles north of Tell-el-Kady. It joins       the main stream about a mile below the junction of the Leddan       and the Banias. The river thus formed is at this point about 45       feet wide, and flows in a channel from 12 to 20 feet below the       plain. After this it flows, "with a swift current and a       much-twisted course," through a marshy plain for some 6 miles,       when it falls into the Lake Huleh, "the waters of Merom" (q.v.).                During this part of its course the Jordan has descended about       1,100 feet. At Banias it is 1,080 feet above sea-level. Flowing       from the southern extremity of Lake Huleh, here almost on a       level with the sea, it flows for 2 miles "through a waste of       islets and papyrus," and then for 9 miles through a narrow gorge       in a foaming torrent onward to the Sea of Galilee (q.v.).                "In the whole valley of the Jordan from the Lake Huleh to the       Sea of Galilee there is not a single settled inhabitant. Along       the whole eastern bank of the river and the lakes, from the base       of Hermon to the ravine of Hieromax, a region of great       fertility, 30 miles long by 7 or 8 wide, there are only some       three inhabited villages. The western bank is almost as       desolate. Ruins are numerous enough. Every mile or two is an old       site of town or village, now well nigh hid beneath a dense       jungle of thorns and thistles. The words of Scripture here recur       to us with peculiar force: 'I will make your cities waste, and       bring your sanctuaries unto desolation...And I will bring the       land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall       be astonished at it...And your land shall be desolate, and your       cities waste. Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as       it lieth desolate' (Lev. 26:31-34).", Dr. Porter's Handbook.                From the Sea of Galilee, at the level of 682 feet below the       Mediterranean, the river flows through a long, low plain called       "the region of Jordan" (Matt. 3:5), and by the modern Arabs the       Ghor, or "sunken plain." This section is properly the Jordan of       Scripture. Down through the midst of the "plain of Jordan" there       winds a ravine varying in breadth from 200 yards to half a mile,       and in depth from 40 to 150 feet. Through it the Jordan flows in       a rapid, rugged, tortuous course down to the Dead Sea. The whole       distance from the southern extremity of the Sea of Galilee to       the Dead Sea is in a straight line about 65 miles, but following       the windings of the river about 200 miles, during which it falls       618 feet. The total length of the Jordan from Banias is about       104 miles in a straight line, during which it falls 2,380 feet.                There are two considerable affluents which enter the river       between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, both from the east.       (1.) The Wady Mandhur, called the Yarmuk by the Rabbins and the       Hieromax by the Greeks. It formed the boundary between Bashan       and Gilead. It drains the plateau of the Hauran. (2.) The Jabbok       or Wady Zerka, formerly the northern boundary of Ammon. It       enters the Jordan about 20 miles north of Jericho.                The first historical notice of the Jordan is in the account of       the separation of Abraham and Lot (Gen. 13:10). "Lot beheld the       plain of Jordan as the garden of the Lord." Jacob crossed and       recrossed "this Jordan" (32:10). The Israelites passed over it       as "on dry ground" (Josh. 3:17; Ps. 114:3). Twice afterwards its       waters were miraculously divided at the same spot by Elijah and       Elisha (2 Kings 2:8, 14).                The Jordan is mentioned in the Old Testament about one hundred       and eighty times, and in the New Testament fifteen times. The       chief events in gospel history connected with it are (1) John       the Baptist's ministry, when "there went out to him Jerusalem,       and all Judaea, and were baptized of him in Jordan" (Matt. 3:6).       (2.) Jesus also "was baptized of John in Jordan" (Mark 1:9).
From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:
Jordan, the river of judgment
From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]:
Jordan       (also see separate West Bank entry)       Jordan:Geography       Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia       Map references: Middle East       Area:    total area: 89,213 sq km    land area: 88,884 sq km    comparative area: slightly smaller than Indiana       Land boundaries: total 1,619 km, Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi    Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km       Coastline: 26 km       Maritime claims:    territorial sea: 3 nm       International disputes: none       Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)       Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great    Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River       Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil       Land use:    arable land: 4%    permanent crops: 0.5%    meadows and pastures: 1%    forest and woodland: 0.5%    other: 94%       Irrigated land: 570 sq km (1989 est.)       Environment:    current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;    overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification    natural hazards: NA    international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,    Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test    Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands       Jordan:People       Population: 4,100,709 (July 1995 est.)       Age structure:    0-14 years: 44% (female 884,462; male 930,266)    15-64 years: 53% (female 1,058,060; male 1,119,347)    65 years and over: 3% (female 53,709; male 54,865) (July 1995 est.)       Population growth rate: 2.69% (1995 est.)       Birth rate: 37.32 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)       Death rate: 4.02 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)       Net migration rate: -6.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)       Infant mortality rate: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)       Life expectancy at birth:    total population: 72.27 years    male: 70.43 years    female: 74.21 years (1995 est.)       Total fertility rate: 5.25 children born/woman (1995 est.)       Nationality:    noun: Jordanian(s)    adjective: Jordanian       Ethnic divisions: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%       Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%       Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper    and middle classes       Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991)    total population: 83%    male: 91%    female: 75%       Labor force: 600,000 (1992)    by occupation: industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels    10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%,    agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)       Jordan:Government       Names:    conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan    conventional short form: Jordan    local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah    local short form: Al Urdun    former: Transjordan       Digraph: JO       Type: constitutional monarchy       Capital: Amman       Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular -    muhafazah); Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az    Zarqa', Irbid, Ma'an       Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under    British administration)       National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)       Constitution: 8 January 1952       Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review    of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not    accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction       Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal       Executive branch:    chief of state: King HUSSEIN Bin Talal Al Hashimi (since 11 August    1952)    head of government: Prime Minister Zayd BIN SHAKIR (since 8 January    1995)    cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch       Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma)    House of Notables (Majlis al-A'ayan): consists of a 40-member body    appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures    House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1993 (next to    be held NA November 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA;    seats - (80 total) Muslim Brotherhood (fundamentalist) 16, Independent    Islamic bloc (generally traditionalist) 6, Radical leftist 3,    pro-government 55    note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by    the King several times since 1974 and in November 1989 the first    parliamentary elections in 22 years were held       Judicial branch: Court of Cassation       Political parties and leaders: Al-'Ahd (Pledge) Party, Sec. Gen. 'Abd    al-Hadi al-MAJALI; Al-Ahrar (Liberals) Party, Sec. Gen. Ahmad    al-ZU'BI; Al-Hurriyah (Freedom) Party, Sec. Gen. Fawwaz al-ZUBI;    Al-Watan (Homeland) Party, leader 'Akif al-FAYIZ; Al-Yaqazah    (Awakening) Party, Sec. Gen. 'Abd al-Ra'uf al-RAWABIDAH;    Constitutional Jordanian Arab Front Party, leader Milhim al-TALL;    Democratic Arab Islamic Movement Party-Du'a', Sec. Gen. Yusuf Abu    BAKR; Democratic Arab Unionist Party-Wad, Sec. Gen. Anis al-MU'ASHIR;    Islamic Action Front (IAF), Sec. Gen. Ishaq al-FARHAN; Jordanian Arab    Democratic Party, Sec. Gen. Mu'nis al-RAZZAZ; Jordanian Arab Masses    Party, Sec. Gen. 'Abd al-Khaliq SHATAT; Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'th    Party, Command First Secretary Taysir al-HIMSI; Jordanian Communist    Party (JCP), Sec. Gen. Ya'qub ZAYADIN; Jordanian Democratic Popular    Unity Party, Sec. Gen. 'Azmi al-KHAWAJA; Jordanian Democratic    Progressive Party, Sec. Gen. 'Ali 'AMIR; Jordanian National Alliance    Party, Sec. Gen. Mijhim al-KHURAYSHAH; Jordanian People's Democratic    Party-Hashd, Sec. Gen. Taysir al-ZIBRI; Jordanian Socialist Democratic    Party, Sec. Gen. 'Isa MADANAT; Pan-Arab Action Front Party, Sec. Gen.    Muhammad al-ZU'BI; Popular Unity Party-the Unionists, Sec. Gen. Talal    al-RAMAHI; Progress and Justice Party, Sec. Gen. 'Ali al-SA'D;    Progressive Arab Ba'th Party, Command Secretary Mahmud al-MA'AYITAH;    Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party, Sec. Gen. Sulayman 'ARAR       Member of: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77,    IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,    IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent),    ITU, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL,    UNOMOZ, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO       Diplomatic representation in US:    chief of mission: Ambassador Fayiz A. TARAWNEH    chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008    telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664    FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110       US diplomatic representation:    chief of mission: Ambassador Wesley E. EGAN, Jr.    embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman    mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200    telephone: [962] (6) 820101    FAX: [962] (6) 820159       Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green    with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small    white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the    seven fundamental laws of the Koran       Economy       Overview: Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom    of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual real GNP growth    averaged more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however,    reductions in both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed real    economic growth to an average of roughly 2% per year. Imports - mainly    oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and food - outstripped exports,    with the difference covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In    mid-1989, the Jordanian Government began debt-rescheduling    negotiations and agreed to implement an IMF-supported program designed    to gradually reduce the budget deficit and implement badly needed    structural reforms. The Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990,    however, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems,    forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt    payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab    states, worker remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded    the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting    GDP growth, and straining government resources. The economy rebounded    in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers    returning from the Gulf, but the recovery was uneven throughout 1994.    The government is implementing the reform program adopted in 1992 and    continues to secure rescheduling and write-offs of its heavy foreign    debt. Debt, poverty, and unemployment remain Jordan's biggest on-going    problems.       National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $17 billion (1994    est.)       National product real growth rate: 5.5% (1994 est.)       National product per capita: $4,280 (1994 est.)       Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1994 est.)       Unemployment rate: 16% (1994 est.)       Budget:    revenues: $2 billion    expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $630    million (1995 est.)       Exports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994)    commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products,    manufactures    partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE       Imports: $3.5 billion (c.i.f., 1994)    commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live    animals, manufactured goods    partners: EU, US, Iraq, Japan, Turkey       External debt: $6 billion (March 1995 est.)       Industrial production: growth rate 3% (1993 est.); accounts for 20% of    GDP       Electricity:    capacity: 1,050,000 kW    production: 4.2 billion kWh    consumption per capita: 1,072 kWh (1993)       Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash,    light manufacturing       Agriculture: accounts for about 8% of GDP; wheat, barley, citrus    fruit, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry; large net    importer of food       Economic aid:    recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.7 billion;    Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments    (1970-89), $1.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.5 billion;    Communist countries (1970-89), $44 million       Currency: 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils       Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.6994 (January    1995), 0.5987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993), 0.6797 (1992), 0.6808 (1991),    0.6636 (1990)       Fiscal year: calendar year       Jordan:Transportation       Railroads:    total: 789 km    narrow gauge: 789 km 1.050-m gauge       Highways:    total: 7,500 km    paved: asphalt 5,500 km    unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 2,000 km       Pipelines: crude oil 209 km       Ports: Al'Aqabah       Merchant marine:    total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 61,678 GRT/113,080 DWT    ships by type: bulk 1, oil tanker 1       Airports:    total: 17    with paved runways over 3,047 m: 9    with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4    with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1    with paved runways under 914 m: 2    with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1       Jordan:Communications       Telephone system: 81,500 telephones; adequate telephone system    local: NA microwave, cable, and radio links    intercity: NA    international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1    ARABSAT earth station; coaxial cable and microwave to Iraq, Saudi    Arabia, and Syria; microwave link to Lebanon is inactive; participant    in MEDARABTEL, a microwave radio relay network linking Syria, Jordan,    Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco       Radio:    broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0    radios: NA       Television:    broadcast stations: 8 and 1 TV receive-only satellite link    televisions: NA       Jordan:Defense Forces       Branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian Land    Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force); Ministry of    the Interior's Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime    or crisis situations)       Manpower availability: males age 15-49 981,004; males fit for military    service 699,891; males reach military age (18) annually 45,494 (1995    est.)       Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $564.2 million, 9.1%    of GDP (1995 est.)