Cisjordan

Cisjordan, from Latin cis meaning "this side," is a historical geographical term used to designate the portion of the Jordan River basin lying on the western side of the river. In the British Mandate era, the term was used to distinguish the territories west of the river from those east of it, which were collectively referred to as Transjordan.

Geographically, Cisjordan generally corresponds to present-day Israel and the Palestinian territories on the western side of the Jordan River, including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The exact boundaries of the designation could vary with administrative needs and over time.

Historically, the label served administrative and legal purposes under the Mandate, affecting governance, land tenure, and jurisdictional arrangements between the western and eastern territories. With the evolution of Middle East politics—that area east of the Jordan became the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan (later Jordan) and the western area evolved into the modern states of Israel and the Palestinian territories—the term fell out of formal use.

Today, Cisjordan is primarily encountered in historical, geographical, or scholarly discussions about the Mandate period and is not a current administrative designation.

See also Transjordan; British Mandate for Palestine; West Bank; Gaza Strip.