Transport in Jordan

The Abdoun Bridge connecting east and west Amman
A Phosphate train passing near the Desert Highway
The port of Aqaba

With the exception of a railway system, Jordan has a developed public and private transportation system. There are three international airports in Jordan. The Hedjaz Jordan Railway runs one passenger train a day each way.

Roadways

In 2009, it was estimated that Jordan had 7,891 kilometres (4,903 mi) of paved highways. Some of the major highways in Jordan are:

Railways

Total: 507 km - narrow gauge of 1,050 mm (3 ft 5 1132 in) (2008) Railway companies in Jordan are:

Plans

The Jordanian government has begun acquiring land for new rail routes. Following a study by BNP Paribas, three routes are planned, which are expected to be tendered later in 2010. The three routes are:[1]

  1. From the Syrian border, via Zarqa, to the Saudi border; replacing part of the Hedjaz Railway;
  2. Connecting the first line to Aqaba, and from Mafraq to Irbid, replacing another part of the Hedjaz Railway;
  3. A link to the Iraqi border.

However, in late 2010 the government announced an economic relief package and following the 2011 Jordanian protests it was decided to reduce the expected three year capital investment plan in the national railway network by 72 percent, partly to fund the relief package.[2] Therefore, it is unclear when the ambitions railway expansion plan will be carried out.

There are also plans for a light rail system operating between Amman and Zarqa and a funicular and metro line in Amman.

Currently, two connected but non-contiguously operated sections of the Hedjaz Railway exist:

In August 2011, Jordanian government approved the construction of the railway from Aqaba to the Iraqi border (near Trebil). The Iraqis in the meantime started the construction of the line from the border to their current railhead at Ramadi.[3]

Timeline

  • The Israeli business newspaper Globes reported that in a meeting between the Israeli minister of transport, Shaul Mofaz and the Jordanian ambassador in Tel Aviv in November, the transport minister announced that European nations are interested in financing the construction of a Haifa-Irbid-Amman railway.
  • Jordan - Jordanian Transport Minister Saoud Nseirat responds to comments made on Monday, December 12, by Israeli Transport Minister Meir Shitrit. Shitrit had announced his intentions to propose a new standard gauge railway to connect Haifa, Israel, to Irbid, Jordan, passing through King Hussein Bridge and Jenin, a project that could cost as much as $300 million (for the Jordanian portion of the line). Nseirat responded to Shitrit's comments with a denial, stating that there have not been any discussions between the two nations on such a project and no plans for such a connection have been proposed by anyone in the Jordanian government. Shitrit plans to make his formal proposal at a conference for Mediterranean transport ministers in Marrakesh on December 20.[6]

Pipelines

gas 473 km; oil 49 km

Ports and harbors

The port of Aqaba on the Gulf of Aqaba is the only sea port in Jordan.

Merchant marine

total: 7 ships (with a volume of 1,000 gross register tons (GRT) or over) totaling 42,746 GRT/59,100 tonnes deadweight (DWT)
ships by type (1999): bulk carrier 2, cargo ship 2, container ship 1, livestock carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off ship 1 The governments of Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq own and operate the Arab Bridge Maritime company, which is the largest passenger transport company on the Red Sea.

Airports

18 as of 2012

Airports - with paved runways

As of 2012, there was a total of 16 airports, the main airports being:

total (2012): 16
over 10,000 ft (3,048 m): 8
8000 ft to 9,999 ft (2,438 to 3,047 m): 5
under 3,000 ft (914 m): 1

Airports - with unpaved runways

total (2012): 2 under 3000 ft (914 m): 2

Heliports (2016)

56

Maps

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Transport in Jordan.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.

External links

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