Dana

Dana

Overlooking Wadi Araba, Dana is located on the edge of Wadi Dana, a large natural canyon. The village of Dana has been inhabited for approximately 500 years. It is said to have been founded by Bedouins from Hebron, Palestine, who settled in the area during the Ottoman era. Taking advantage of its easily defended topographical position, fertile soil and water, the site's perhaps 6,000-year history of human settlement includes Paleolithic, Edomite, Assyrian, Egyptian, Nabataean and Roman civilizations. A project to protect the nature surrounding the village and to promote sustainable development and tourism was initiated by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. The area is home to the Dana Biosphere Reserve, one of the most important nature reserves in Jordan with facilities for eco-tourism. The reserve has astounding beauty, history and biodiversity. As the only reserve in Jordan that embraces the country's four different biogeographical zones, including the Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, Saharan-Arabian and Sudanian, it is a melting pot of species from Europe, Africa and Asia. This combination of natural communities in one area is exceptional in Jordan, and many of the animals and plants of the Dana Biosphere Reserve are quite rare. To date, a total of 800 plant species and 449 animal species have been recorded in the reserve. 25 of these are known to be endangered, among them the Sand Cat, the Syrian Wolf, the Lesser Kestrel and the Spiny Tailed Lizard. The Dana Biosphere Reserve descends from an altitude of 1,500 meters on the plateau of Qadisiyah to the low-lying desert area of Wadi Araba. Limestone, sandstone and granite make up the varied geology of the area.