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Over the past decade, tourism has emerged as one of Jordan's most
rapidly growing economic activities, ranking second in terms of
foreign exchange earnings. An estimated 1.2 million people visited
Jordan in the millennium year, attracted by the country's stunning
landscape, fascinating cultural heritage, and world-class historic
sites.
Jordan
is a modern country with beautiful landscape, rich traditions
and ancient culture. Jordan's terrain extends to approximately
90,000 sq.km., providing a diverse range of landscapes. The Badia
plains lie to the east with hills and mountains in the center.
The fertile rift valley cleaves the length of the country forming
a natural boundary to the west into which the Jordan River flows
and converges at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. The
port of Aqaba, at the southern tip of the Kingdom, gives Jordan
an access to the Red Sea.
The
tourists and visitors can walk through the valleys, hills and
plains whose names have become part of human history by virtue
of the simple deeds and profound messages of prophets who walked
the land and crossed its rivers during their lives. The site of
John the Baptist's settlement at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where
Jesus was baptised, has long been known from the Bible (John 1:28
and 10:40) and from the Byzantine and medieval texts
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