Background:

The major natural hazards affecting the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan are earthquakes, floods, drought and desertification. In general, the capacity to deal with natural hazard risk in Jordan is still predominantly at the response focus stage and in need of strengthening in several areas to bring it more in line with contemporary risk reduction practices. In the absence of a disaster risk reduction policy, the inclusion of risk information into the development planning process is not happening on a consistent level. The inevitability of earthquakes in this region coupled with rapid urban growth makes the implementation of a comprehensive and holistic urban risk reduction program for Jordan a definite imperative.