Although Jordan is a small country of around 90,000 km2, it has a great variety of wildlife.
This is attributed to several factors including its geographical location at the junction of three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, as well as its diverse landscape, weather conditions, and geological structure.
Jordan is divided into four different bio-geographical zones; the Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, Saharo-Arabian and Sudanian or Tropical penetration. Within these diverse zones, there are 13 different vegetation types each representing different elements of flora and fauna (Al- Eisawi, 1996).
Much of the country's diversity is due to the formation of the Great Rift Valley.
The titanic forces that created the Rift Valley produced the high Western Mountains.
The altitude ranges from around 400m below sea level by the shores of the Dead Sea up to 1854m at the edge of the Southern Heights.
Apart from the rift valley, Jordan is mainly desert composed of either basalt or Hammada; a striking ecologically-rich ecosystem that is unique to Jordan and Syria.
Furthermore, Jordan has some highly specialized habitats, the most noteworthy being the Dead Sea, in which surrounding communities are considered to be of global importance.
Despite its rich biodiversity elements, Jordan's nature is facing many threats as reflected by the national and global status of many species and their habitats.
Efforts are needed on the national level in order to help in reviving the populations of threatened species
Defined as an area where a community lives in which interactions take place amongst the organisms between the community as well as with its non-living physical environment.
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Biotic components: Plants, Animals, Fish and Parasites.
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Abiotic components: Water Resources, Soil and Climate.