Jordan Education

Jordan, river, in the Middle East, originating in several headstreams in the Anti-Lebanon mountains of eastern Lebanon and southwestern Syria. It flows about 322 km (about 200 mi) from north to south, through Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) into the Dead Sea. Between Lake Tiberias and the Dead Sea, the Jordan valley is called Ghawr (Ghor) Valley; it is about 105 km (about 65 mi) long. The river, its valley, and the two seas lie within the Great Rift Valley, a depression extending from Syria to Mozambique in southeastern Africa. The Jordan descends several thousand feet from its source to the Dead Sea. The northern part of the river forms part of the boundaries between Israel and Syria and between Israel and Jordan. The southern part of the river lies within Jordanian territory; the western part, however, has been occupied by Israel since 1967. The Jordan River is frequently referred to in the Bible and in the New Testament is mentioned as the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ. The power created by the currents of the river makes possible the construction of hydroelectric power stations and the use of the water for irrigation, especially in the desert of the Negev.