nPostednon November 14, 2014
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Likenmany other nations in the world, the Arabic nation of Jordan stillnhas a king. His name is not,nhowever, King Hussein – it’s King Abdullah II. King Hussein was thenpresent king’s father, but he died in 1999.
Likenmany other nations in the world, the Arabic nation of Jordan stillnhas a king. His name is not,nhowever, King Hussein – it’s King Abdullah II. King Hussein was thenpresent king’s father, but he died in 1999.n
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Sonwhy is Jordan celebrating their king’s dad’s birthday today?
Sonwhy is Jordan celebrating their king’s dad’s birthday today?n
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nKingnHussein ruled during the Cold War and during a time of incrediblentension between Arab countries and Israel. Yet during that tensentime, Hussein put his efforts toward peace, education, empowermentnfor women and girls, and socioeconomic growth. Under Hussein’snleadership, Jordan was the second Arab country to recognize Israel,nand he was a part of peace efforts. Former Prime Minister of the U.K.nTony Blair said of Hussein, “Henwas an extraordinary and immensely charismatic persuader for peace.nAt the peace talks in America when he was extremely ill, he wasnthere, talking to both sides, urging them forward, telling themnnothing must stand in the way of peace.”nn
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nHussein’snfourth wife, Queen Noor, continues the work of improving the lives ofnJordanians, including improving education and conditions for womennand girls.
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nLearnnabout Jordan n
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nItnused to be the Emirate of Transjordan. Now it is the HashemitenKingdom of Jordan. It is one of the freest economies in its regionnand is classified as a country of “high human development.” Youncan probably tell: that’s a good thing! Of course, these praises fornJordan are partly through Hussein’s efforts on behalf of his country.
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nInalways love ancient things, and so it’s no surprise that one of mynfavorite things about Jordan is the archeological city of Petra,nwhich is carved into reddish rocks.
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nOnlynabout 2% of Jordan’s land can be farmed! That is because most of thencountry is desert. It does, however, border on the Dead Sea and thenGulf of Aqaba, at the northern tip of the Red Sea.
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| Gulf of Aqaba |
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nThenGulf of Aqaba is pretty normal sea + coast sort of stuff.
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But the Dead Sea is not really a sea at all, because it doesn’t connect directly to an ocean. Instead of being a sea, it is a large hypersaline lake. That means it’s really, really, really, really salty.
But the Dead Sea is not really a sea at all, because it doesn’t connect directly to an ocean. Instead of being a sea, it is a large hypersaline lake. That means it’s really, really, really, really salty.n
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And it’s really low – it’s the lowest part of Earth that is on land!
And it’s really low – it’s the lowest part of Earth that is on land!n
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nDidnyou know that it is really easy to float in super salty water?
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nDidnyou know that the Dead Sea is more than 8 times saltier than thenocean?
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| Lying among the salt formations… |
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nDidnyou know that almost no plants or animals can live in such saltynwater? Almost no microbes, even! (A few kinds of bacteria and fungindo live there – but compared to almost everywhere else on Earth,nthe Dead Sea is very, very dead!) n
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nThenDead Sea has salt formations in it, and it also spits upnpebbles and blocks of black asphalt! Weird, huh?
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| Asphalt |
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nAlso on this date:
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nnAuthor Astrid Lindgren’s birthday
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nLoosennUp, Lighten Up Day
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nArtistnClaude Monet’s birthday
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nAnniversarynof the launch of Nellie Bly’s journey around the world
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nAnniversarynof the invention of cellophane
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nNovembern holidays
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nNovembern birthdays
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- Historicaln anniversaries in November
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nDecembern holidays
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nDecembern birthdays
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- Historicaln anniversaries in December
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