Snapshots

Middle East and North Africa

Israel

Jordan

United Arab Emirates

Part of a new solar plant, funded by the German government, is seen at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan on Nov. 13, 2017.

Environment, Science & Technology

Economics

Politics

Military & Security

The pact could be the first of many that help Arab states prepare for a hotter and drier future by fusing Isreal’s technological expertise with the UAE’s wealth. 

Normalized UAE-Israeli Ties Yield a Climate-Focused Trade Deal With Jordan 

Security

Israel's Survival Strategy

Environmental Issues

Media

Podcasts

Jordan and Israel are to sign a water-for-energy deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates.

Essential Geopolitics: A Landmark Jordan-Israel Environmental Deal

United States

Iraq

Saudi Arabia

Egypt

Overarching policy continuity aside, the administration has signaled a shift that could allow for more direct engagement with Egypt, and other key allies.

U.S. Policy Continuity Toward Egypt Persists Under Biden, With a Subtle Shift

Egypt's Uphill Battle

Where is it coming from, and what should we expect from Iraq, Jordan and Egypt's new alliance?

Essential Geopolitics: The New Levant Initiative

Assessments

A photo shows a stretch of Jordan’s King Abdullah Canal on March 12, 2018.

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

The new Israeli government’s hawkish Palestinian policies will impede its push to start anew with Jordan after years of stormy relations.



Jordan-Israel Rapprochement Will Hinge on West Bank Tensions

Iran

Turkey

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Iraqi President Barham Saleh and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (from left to right) meet in Baghdad on June 27, 2021. 

Energy

Security and economic coordination between the Arab middle powers will be limited by their deep reliance on external support.

What to Make of Jordan, Egypt and Iraq’s New Alliance

U.S. diplomat Brett McGurk accepts an award recognizing his service in senior national security positions under several White House administrations on April 2, 2019.

The U.S. and the Balance of Power

Alienation on regional security issues like Iran risk straining U.S. coordination with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Egypt. 

How the U.S. Will Ease Its Arab Allies’ Fears of Iran Talks

U.S.-Iran Relations

Men read local newspapers in Amman, Jordan, on April 4, 2021.

The arrest of a former crown prince could harm Jordan’s reputation for stability if the monarchy fails to deter further high-profile displays of dissent.

In Jordan, Private Royal Grievances Go Public

COVID-19

Broken Contracts in the Middle East

The Jihadist Wars

The country’s deteriorating social and economic conditions are driving support to Islamist parties, raising the risk of a government crackdown that fans the flames of radicalism.

COVID-19 Tests Jordan’s Stability 

The arrests of teachers union leaders in Jordan could eventually jeopardize U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the region, should it fuel unrest that successfully prompts political change.

In Jordan, a Government Crackdown on Civil Dissent Risks Backfiring

In this episode of the Essential Geopolitics podcast from Stratfor, a RANE company, Emily Donahue speaks with Stratfor Middle East and North Africa Analyst Ryan Bohl about Israel's impending annexation of parts of the West Bank.

Essential Geopolitics: Israel's Annexation of the West Bank

Syria

The list of challenges Israel's new government faces starts -- but doesn't end -- with COVID-19 

Essential Geopolitics: Israeli Unity Government's Challenges

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen confirmed that Israeli police arrested Jordanian lawmaker Imad Al-Adwan on the Allenby Bridge as he attempted to smuggle firearms into Israel, The Times of Israel reported on April 24.

Israel, Jordan: Israeli Police Arrest Jordanian Lawmaker for Weapons Smuggling

Jordan's foreign minister summoned Israel's ambassador over Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's March 19 remarks that "there is no such thing as a Palestinian people," as well as his use of a banner that showed a far-right map of "Greater Israel," which included territory now controlled by Jordan, Axios reported on March 20.

Jordan, Israel: Comments by Far-Right Israeli Politician Spark Diplomatic Tension

Three police officers were killed in the capital of Amman during a raid on a group of militants that is suspected of killing a police officer in the southern city of Maan on Dec. 15, Reuters reported Dec. 19.

Jordan: Raid Leads to More Police Killings Amid Rising Fuel Prices

Jordan's King Abdullah II said he would restrict former Crown Prince Hamzah's movements, communications and place of residence because he undermined Jordan's national interest and refused to "repent" of his statements that the monarchy saw as a threat to the country, Reuters reported May 19.

Jordan: Government Isolates Former Crown Prince Hamzah

Saudi Arabia provided the fourth annual installment of cash designed to stabilize the Jordanian budget under a 2018 bailout agreement, Al-Monitor reported April 21.

Jordan: Saudi Arabia Sends $50 Million in Financial Aid

Jordan's Prince Hamzah, the country's former crown prince, announced on Twitter that he will drop his royal title in protest of how the government is run, the AP reported April 3.

Jordan: Prince Hamzah Drops Royal Title to Protest Government

Lebanon

Lebanese and Jordanian officials signed a deal to move toward purchasing Jordanian electricity that will supply Lebanon with two hours of electricity per day in about two months, with financing to be negotiated by the World Bank, Bloomberg reported Jan. 26.

Lebanon, Jordan: Signing of Electricity Deal Could Alleviate Lebanese Migration, Unrest

The Syrian Civil War

Jordan’s electricity minister Saleh Kharabsheh said the country is prepared to sign a deal with Lebanon and Syria to supply Lebanon with electricity, ​​The Jerusalem Post reported Jan. 19.

Jordan, Lebanon: Electricity Supply Deal Could Alleviate Beirut's Power Crisis

Afghanistan

Algeria

Antigua and Barbuda

Luxembourg

South Sudan

A view of the Register in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Angola

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Bahrain

Lithuania

Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

Barbados

Benin

Maldives

Malta

Ukraine

Belize

Botswana

Brunei Darussalam

India

North Macedonia

Tajikistan

Bhutan

Bolivia

Burkina Faso

Cambodia

Germany

The President palace in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The administrative center of the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.

Brazil

Burundi

China

Finland

Nepal

Cameroon

Canada

Georgia

Pakistan

Mir Castle in the Minsk region of Belarus.

Cabo Verde

Chile

Federated States of Micronesia

Kuwait

Liechtenstein

Sri Lanka

Central African Republic

Colombia

Fiji

Latvia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chad

Costa Rica

Indonesia

Libya

Russia

Comoros

Cuba

Czech Republic

Japan

A horse grazes in front of Kara-Kul lake in the Chon-Ak-Suu valley, 300 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Morocco

Cote d'Ivoire

Denmark

Dominica

Kiribati

Moldova

Oman

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Dominican Republic

Laos

Palestinian Territories

Djibouti

Ecuador

Holy See (Vatican City)

Malaysia

Qatar

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Greece

Marshall Islands

Eritrea

France

Grenada

Mongolia

Jordan lies in the heart of the Middle East in an area known as the Levant, surrounded by Israel, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea. Rather than being determined by discrete topographical features, Jordan's northern, eastern and southern borders are the result of early 20th century imperial politics. The core of the country is the northern portion of the Jordan Valley and the adjacent highland plateaus, where most of Jordan's nearly 10 million inhabitants reside. Jordan's three biggest cities, Amman, Irbid and Zarqa, are all located in this area. The fertile east bank of the Jordan River is responsible for most of Amman's agricultural production. Most of the rest of the country is desert, containing portions of both the Syrian and Northern Arabian Deserts. Jordan's two primary geographic challenges are its lack of natural resources and its diverse population. For domestic energy needs, Jordan depends on imported oil and natural gas, though it is a significant exporter of phosphates, potash and fertilizers. Native Jordanians are descendants of the Bedouin tribes historically from the region, but over half of Jordan's population is made up of Palestinian Arabs, a reflection of Jordan's shared border and deep historic ties with the Palestinian Territories. Hundreds of thousands of Syrian and Iraqi refugees also live in the country, as well as pockets of Circassians, Armenians and Assyrians. Despite its artificial borders, dearth of natural resources and proximity to regional conflicts in Iraq, Syria and the Palestinian Territories, Jordan has been relatively stable since its founding in 1946. It has succeeded in fostering strategic relationships with countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States. But this stability is a delicate balance, and the country faces a constant uphill struggle against its geographic constraints as it seeks to provide for its population and manage its security.

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel, Jordan: Israeli Police Arrest Jordanian Lawmaker for Weapons Smuggling

Jordan, Israel: Comments by Far-Right Israeli Politician Spark Diplomatic Tension

Jordan: Raid Leads to More Police Killings Amid Rising Fuel Prices

Jordan: Government Isolates Former Crown Prince Hamzah

Jordan: Saudi Arabia Sends $50 Million in Financial Aid

Jordan: Prince Hamzah Drops Royal Title to Protest Government

Lebanon, Jordan: Signing of Electricity Deal Could Alleviate Lebanese Migration, Unrest

Jordan, Lebanon: Electricity Supply Deal Could Alleviate Beirut's Power Crisis

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support