Jordan National Day

Jordan National Day

BOOK HOTELS & FLIGHTS

Book stays for Jordan National Day

AREA

Check hotel prices

OneSliders may earn a commission if you book through Booking.com.

  1. 1921Emirate of Transjordan established under Abdullah I
  2. 1946Jordan becomes independent from Britain
  3. 1999King Abdullah II succeeds King Hussein

The story behind the day

25 May marks the day in 1946 when Transjordan became independent from Britain and was recognised as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The date places monarchy, statehood and Arab political history at the centre of Jordan's national story.

The day became Jordan's main national celebration because it marks the transition from British mandate to sovereign kingdom under Abdullah I. Later wars, refugee waves and regional diplomacy made stability and monarchy recurring themes in how the state presents itself.

Today Independence Day is marked with royal ceremonies, fireworks, concerts, flags and official events in Amman and across governorates. Visitors see red-white-black-green colours, portraits of the king, military ceremony and family gatherings.

Across Jordan, the day feels hospitable and social. Mansaf, coffee, sweets, dabke, desert imagery and city lights connect the formal royal anniversary to everyday Jordanian warmth.

  1. 202625 May 2026 · Monday
  2. 202725 May 2027 · Tuesday
  3. 202825 May 2028 · Thursday
The Jordanian flag
Jordan flag

The Jordanian flag has black, white and green horizontal bands with a red triangle and white seven-pointed star. The colours are Pan-Arab, recalling Abbasid, Umayyad and Fatimid dynasties, while the red triangle represents the Hashemite dynasty and the star is linked to unity and Islamic meaning.

Jordanian celebration food is generous and communal, with lamb, rice, yoghurt, bread, coffee and sweets expressing hospitality at the centre of the meal.

What to eat

MansafJordan's national dish — whole lamb slow-cooked on mountains of saffron rice with almonds, pine nuts and fried onion, served on a large communal tray.
MaqlubaGround lamb meatballs in a warm yoghurt sauce with rice — a Levantine classic that is a staple of Jordanian celebration cooking.
MusakhanPalestinian slow-cooked chicken and caramelised onion with sumac and flatbread — deeply embedded in Jordanian-Palestinian cooking.
FalafelMinced lamb mixed with bulgur wheat and spices, shaped by hand — eaten raw like kibbeh nayyeh or fried as balls.
KnafehFalafel, hummus and mezze laid on Jordanian bread — the everyday breakfast of Amman, eaten communally at street stalls.
Warak enabSlow-cooked lamb shanks in a rich stew with almonds and cinnamon — a Jordanian party dish from the Levant tradition.

What to drink

Arabic coffeeStrong Arabic coffee with cardamom — served hot in small cups without handles, the Jordanian welcome drink at every home and café.
Mint teaFresh-squeezed pomegranate juice — Jordan's most distinctive fresh juice, pressed from Karak and Aqaba pomegranates at street stands.
LimonanaThin yoghurt drink with dried mint and salt — a cooling Levantine refreshment popular across Jordan in summer.
Explore food & drink events ->

Jordan culture

Jordan is home to Petra, the rose-red Nabataean city — one of the world's most spectacular archaeological sites — and a country of extraordinary historical depth at the crossroads of civilisations.

Royal ceremoniesPetra — the Nabataean rose-red city carved from sandstone cliffs, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Dabke danceWadi Rum desert — the vast red sandstone and granite landscape used as Mars in countless films; Lawrence of Arabia country.
PetraThe Dead Sea — the lowest point on earth at 430 metres below sea level, where visitors float without swimming in hypersaline waters.
Wadi RumJerash Roman ruins — the best-preserved Roman provincial city outside Italy, still hosting festivals in its intact oval plaza.