With an area of approximately 90,000 km², Jordan is one of the smallest states in the Middle East; it borders Israel/Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, making it a kind of buffer state. However, compared to its neighbors, it enjoys relative stability—partly due to its integration into Western alliances—despite facing numerous challenges, such as a lack of natural resources and a large refugee population.
The Hashemite Kingdom (established in 1921 under a British protectorate) has been ruled by King Abdullah II since 1999.
