Jordan covers a total area of 89,342 square kilometres (34,495 square miles), making it the 110th largest country in the world — roughly the same size as the U.S. state of Indiana or about a third of the United Kingdom. Despite its modest footprint, this Middle Eastern kingdom packs an extraordinary range of landscapes into its borders, from the lowest point on Earth to rose-red desert canyons.
Jordan's Area at a Glance
Jordan's 89,342 km² accounts for only about 0.06% of the planet's total land surface of roughly 148.94 million km². That places it well inside the smaller half of the world's nations, sitting between countries like Portugal and Azerbaijan in the global size rankings. For comparison, it is smaller than Hungary but larger than Ireland or the small island nation of Sri Lanka.
- Total area: 89,342 km² (34,495 sq mi)
- World rank: 110th largest country
- Continent: Asia (Western Asia / Middle East)
- Capital: Amman
- Coastline: just 26 km on the Gulf of Aqaba
What makes Jordan unusual is not its overall size but how little of that land is usable. Around 80% of the country is desert, and less than 5% of its territory receives enough rainfall to support rain-fed agriculture, concentrating most of the population and farming into the fertile northwestern highlands.
The Shape and Reach of the Country
Jordan stretches roughly 400 km from north to south and about 380 km from east to west, giving it a fairly compact, blocky outline. Its borders are largely the product of 20th-century diplomacy rather than natural features — the long, ruler-straight lines across the eastern desert reflect agreements drawn up after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
The country shares land borders with five neighbours: Saudi Arabia to the south and east, Iraq to the northeast, Syria to the north, and Israel and the Palestinian West Bank to the west. Its only sea access is a tiny 26 km sliver of coast at Aqaba on the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba — one of the shortest coastlines of any country, yet a vital outlet that hosts Jordan's only seaport.
Dramatic Elevation Range
For a country its size, Jordan has a remarkable spread of altitude. Its highest point is Jabal Umm ad Dami in the far south, rising to 1,854 metres (6,083 ft) near Wadi Rum. At the opposite extreme lies the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest exposed land on Earth at about 430 metres below sea level — and still dropping each year.
That gives Jordan a vertical range of well over 2,200 metres squeezed into a relatively short distance. The Great Rift Valley runs the length of the western border, carrying the Jordan River and the shrinking Dead Sea. To the east of the highlands, the land flattens into the vast arid plateau of the Syrian Desert, where temperatures swing sharply between scorching days and cold nights.
How Jordan Compares to Other Places
Size comparisons help bring 89,342 km² into focus:
- vs. the United Kingdom (243,610 km²): Jordan is about 37% as large.
- vs. South Korea (100,210 km²): Jordan is roughly 89% the size.
- vs. Indiana (94,321 km²): almost identical — a useful U.S. yardstick.
- vs. Portugal (92,212 km²): very slightly smaller.
- vs. Austria (83,879 km²): Jordan is a touch larger.
Within the Middle East, Jordan is dwarfed by neighbours like Saudi Arabia, which is more than 24 times larger. Yet it is considerably bigger than nearby states such as Lebanon or Kuwait, placing it among the mid-sized nations of the region.
Landscapes That Punch Above Their Size
Jordan's compact territory contains some of the most celebrated landscapes on Earth. The Dead Sea, with around 34% salinity, is so dense that swimmers float effortlessly on its surface. Wadi Rum, a sweep of red sandstone valleys and towering rock formations nicknamed the "Valley of the Moon," has stood in for Mars in films including The Martian and Dune. And the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, carved into rose-coloured cliffs and "rediscovered" by the West in 1812, draws visitors from around the globe.
Water scarcity remains the defining challenge of Jordan's geography — it is one of the most water-poor countries in the world. To learn more about the kingdom's history, culture, and travel highlights, see our jordan country guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jordan a big or small country?
Jordan is a small-to-mid-sized country. At 89,342 km² it ranks 110th in the world and is comparable in area to Portugal, Austria, or the U.S. state of Indiana.
How does Jordan's size compare to Israel?
Jordan is significantly larger than Israel, which covers roughly 22,000 km². Jordan is about four times the size of its western neighbour, though much of that extra land is uninhabited desert.
How much of Jordan is desert?
Around 80% of Jordan is desert, mostly the arid eastern plateau that forms part of the wider Syrian Desert. The remaining usable land is concentrated in the cooler, wetter highlands of the northwest.
What is the lowest and highest point in Jordan?
The lowest point is the shore of the Dead Sea at about 430 m below sea level — the lowest dry land on Earth. The highest point is Jabal Umm ad Dami at 1,854 m (6,083 ft) in the south near Wadi Rum.