COUNTRY PROFILE

Jordan Flag, Capital and Country Facts

Jordan lies between the Jordan Trench and the arid landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula. The state has only a short access to the Red Sea, so despite its internal situation, it is not a landlocked state. On the flag are black, white and green next to a red triangle with a white star. Its seven tips are an important detail.

Test your knowledge →

Jordan Flag: Meaning & Country Facts · supplied learning collection

Jordan at a glance

Capital: Amman
Quiz continent: Asia
Languages in reference record: Arabic
Currency: Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
Population: 11,520,684 (2025, World Bank)
Area: 89,342 km²
Coastal setting: Not landlocked
ISO codes: JO / JOR
Internet country suffix: .jo, الاردن.

Sea access: Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea
Great salt lake: Dead Sea
Significant Rock Town: Petra
Desert landscape: Wadi Rum
Capital in Antiquity: Amman was named Philadelphia.
Flag star: Seven peaks

Jordan Flag: Design, Meaning and History

The flag has three equally wide transverse stripes: black above, white in the middle and green below. From the rod side, a red triangle protrudes into the surface. It contains a white seven-ray star. It is precisely this star that distinguishes the motif from similar Arab flags, which use the same basic colors and a related arrangement.

The design dates back to the flag of the Arab uprising during the First World War. The three transverse colors are associated with historical Islamic dynasties; red refers to the uprising. The seven-pointed star is referred, among other things, to the seven verses of the first Qur'an. The concrete number of tips is therefore not a random decorative detail.

Capital: Amman

Amman is located in the northwestern highlands and is Jordan’s political and economic center. The city area extends over numerous hills. Its location differs significantly from the deep Jordan moat in the west. On a relatively short distance, altitude and climatic conditions can therefore change greatly, although both rooms belong to the same state.

The city has ancient roots and was known as Philadelphia. However, their current size and national role belong to a different phase of development. The example shows that an old settlement and a modern capital do not have to have the same historical significance. Petra, the most famous archaeological site in Jordan, is also located far south of Amman.

Practise this capital →

Jordan: Geography, History and Culture

The west is shaped by the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, while large eastern areas are dry. In the very southwest lies Aqaba on the Gulf of the Red Sea of the same name. This short stretch of coast provides the country with a seaport. On the map, it is small, economical and transport geographic but of considerable importance for external connections.

Arabic is the official language. The geographical location explains historical contacts between the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula. As a Nabataean city, Petra is connected to ancient trade routes; other cultural sites document Roman, Byzantine or early Islamic eras. Jordan cannot therefore be reduced to a single design or a single historical period.

Wadi Rum is a mixed cultural and natural site on the UNESCO list. The rock and desert landscape thus has not only scenic but also cultural value. Petra and Quseir Amra, on the other hand, belong to the cultural heritage. The comparison makes different forms of recognition visible and helps not to equate the well-known red rock architecture of Petra with the entire image of the country.