IntroductionJordan is an Arab country, located in the Middle East, bordered by Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Israel. Located at the crossroads of a number of major highways connecting the Middle East, the country is strategically important, but also a destination for successive waves of immigrants. Jordan's large immigrant population has had a significant and lasting impact on the nature of the country's healthcare system. History of Healthcare in JordanThe Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy that gained independence from Great Britain on May 25, 1946. With one in a population of just over 6 million, 82.6% of Jordanians live in urban areas and 17.4% in rural areas. The political system is described by Johnson and Stoskopf (2010) as “parliamentary with a hereditary monarchy” (p. 262), with the Jordanian king acting as head of state, chief executive, and head of the armed forces. In the 1950s the country developed a new modern constitution, still in force today, which guarantees the rights of all citizens. The Jordanian healthcare system was formed in two distinct phases. During the period 1921-1946, the country experienced the introduction of its first public hospital, health legislation and national health department. The second phase began in the late 1940s, when the first ministry of health was established, followed by a doctors' union, a central medical testing laboratory, the country's first nursing school, and the introduction of other programs health-related education. In 1963, the first health insurance program for members of the armed forces was started, followed in 1965 by the first public health insurance program for civilians. The current Jordan health care system is with...... middle of paper ..... .enormous pressure on its viability. Over the past three decades the system has undergone major reforms as the country has sought to improve coverage, reduce non-communicable diseases, and generally maintain and improve quality healthcare for its citizens. But, if it is achieved, the system will require a major commitment from the government. these objectives. Works Cited Hasna, F., Hundt, G.L., Al-Smairan, M. & Alzaroo, S. (2010). Quality of primary nursing care for Bedouins in Jordan. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 16(6), 564-572. doi:10.1111/j.1440-172X.2010.01882.xJohnson, J. & Stoskopf, C. (2010). Comparative health systems: Global perspectives for the 21st century. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. The people of Jordan. (n.d.) retrieved from http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/people1.htmlZahran, M. (2012). Jordan is Palestinian. Middle East Quarterly, 19(1), 3-12.