Jordan is located in the Middle East and shares borders with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. Jordan lies to the east of the Jordan River. The country's population is concentrated in the capital, Amman, and some other major cities such as Zarqa and Irbid.
Population: 8.1 million
Ethnic Groups: Arab (98%), Circassian (1%), Armenian (1%)
Languages: Arabic (Official), English
Religions: Muslim (Official - Predominantly Sunni) (97.2%), Christian (2.2%), Buddhist (0.4%), Hindu (0.1%), Jewish (<0.1%), Folk Religion (<0.1%), Unaffiliated (<0.1%), Other (<0.1%)
CIA: The World Factbook - Last Updated July 12, 2017
In Canada: 14,250
In the GTA: 5,325
In Toronto: 1,480
Primary Areas of Settlement in the GTA (Social Atlas):
Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Toronto, King City, Richmond Hill, Whitchurch-Stouffville, and Ajax.
Jordan was part of the Turkish Empire until 1918 and became independent from Britain in 1946. Sunni Islam is the state religion. The constitution promotes religious freedom - but only as long as Islamic law is not violated. There is no separation of church (or mosque) and state; religion, politics, faith, and culture are all intertwined in Jordan. There is increasing pressure to restrict religious freedoms, and Christians have been oppressed as a result of government policy. Many Christians look to emigration as a safe and obvious escape to these pressures. Although poverty and unemployment are still problematic in Jordan, the living standard is generally considered good. Jordan has great transportation infrastructure, efficient communication services, and good healthcare.