Jordan is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing control of the Dead Sea. Over half of Jordan is covered by the Arabian Desert. However, the western part of Jordan is arable land and forests. The capital city is Amman.

Petra in Wadi Musa, the home of the Nabateans, is a complete city carved in a mountain. The huge rocks are colorful, mostly pink, and the entrance to the ancient city is through a 1.25 km narrow gorge in the mountain¡Xcalled the Siq. Petra was rediscovered for the western world by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812 and has been designated as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World"