Amman

Amman is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of five million as of 2026, Amman is Jordan's primate city and is the largest city in the Levant region, the seventh-largest city in the Arab world, and the eighth-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East.

Settlement in Amman dates to the 8th millennium BC at 'Ain Ghazal, home to the world's oldest human statues. During the Iron Age, Rabat Aman was the capital of the Ammonite Kingdom. In the 3rd century BC, the city was conquered by the Greeks and renamed Philadelphia, later part of the Nabataean, and the Roman realms. In the 7th century, Philadelphia was conquered by the Rashidun Caliphate, who restored its original name. Throughout most of the Islamic era, Amman alternated between periods of relative prosperity and devastation. The city was largely abandoned during the Ottoman period from the 15th century until 1878, when Circassians were resettled there. Amman grew after it was connected to the Hejaz Railway, and the subsequent formation of its first municipal council in 1909.

Amman witnessed rapid growth after its designation as Transjordan's capital in 1921, receiving migrations from different Jordanian and Levantine cities, and later several successive waves of refugees: Palestinians in 1948 and 1967; Iraqis in 1990 and 2003; and Syrians since 2011. It was initially built on seven hills, but now spans over 19 hills combining 22 areas, which are administered by the Greater Amman Municipality. Areas of Amman have gained their names from either the hills (jabal) or the valleys (wadi) they occupy, such as Jabal al-Luweibdeh and Wadi Abdoun. East Amman is predominantly filled with historic sites that frequently host cultural activities, while West Amman is more modern and serves as the economic center of the city.

Approximately one million visitors arrived in Amman in 2018, which made it the 89th most-visited city in the world and the 12th most-visited Arab city. Amman has a relatively fast growing economy and it is ranked as a Beta− global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.