Jordan and the River Jordan that runs through the western part of the country are well known throughout history. But the Jordan of today has a very different government and a very different future. Read on to find out more about the country many people hope will help spread its new peace and prosperity to other countries in the Middle East.
約旦及流經其西部的約旦河在歷史上赫赫有名。然而,今日約旦的政府和未來都有著極不同的面貌。跟著我們去了解為何許多人希望約旦將和平昌盛的新氣象散播至中東其他國家。
A closer look 說古論今
PHOTO: AP
The cultural history of Jordan's people is long and complex. The earliest-known inhabitants of the area were there at least 4,000 years ago, and many people say that the area around Jordan is where human civilization began. It's political history is complicated too. It is a predominantly Arab, Muslim country, but it has had changing relationships with other Arab countries in the region, its neighbor Israel and the governments of western countries like the US.
Many western countries look to Jordan for help building peace between Israel and Palestine. For years, huge numbers of Palestines have lived in Jordan. Currently Jordan has made keeping peace its most important priority, which is a difficult but important goal in that area of the world.
Even though the history of Jordan's people is long and complicated, its current system of government has only existed since its constitution was written in 1952. The constitution allows the people some choice in their government, but it also includes a monarchy that works within the rules of the constitution. Although there are still 28 other monarchs all over the world, Jordan is unique because its king still has a lot of power that kings in other countries do not. It is up to the king to sign laws and decide when to go to war and when not to.
約旦的文化歷史淵遠流長且錯綜複雜,當地最早的居民至少可追溯至四千年前,因而許多人說約旦一帶是人類文明的起源。約旦的歷史亦複雜難解,境內阿拉伯人和穆斯林佔主導地位,但約旦和該地區其他阿拉伯國家、鄰國以色列和美國等西方國家的關係正在改變。
許多西方國家希望藉由約旦在以色列和巴勒斯坦之間搭起和平的橋樑。多年來,大量的巴勒斯坦人居住在約旦,當前約旦將維繫和平視為首要之務,此路雖艱辛,卻是中東地區的重要目標。
約旦人歷史雖長遠複雜,其現行政府體制卻是自一九五二年有成文憲法後才開始運作。憲法賦予人民部分選舉權,同時也承認君主政體。相較於全世界其他二十八個君主政體,約旦的獨特之處在於國王擁有許多其他國王所沒有的權力,只有國王有權簽署法律及宣戰媾和。
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