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Background: |
Following World War I and the
dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern
much of the Middle East. Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of
Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its
independence in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's
long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he
successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US,
USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal
Palestinian population, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he
reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political liberalization;
in 1994 he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the son of
King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne following his father's death in February
1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and undertaken an
aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade
Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade
Association in 2001. Municipal elections were held in July 2007 under a
system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils were reserved by
quota for women. Parliamentary elections were held in November 2007 and
saw independent pro-government candidates win the vast majority of seats.
In November 2007, King Abdallah instructed his new prime minister to focus
on socioeconomic reform, developing a healthcare and housing network for
civilians and military personnel, and improving the educational system.
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Location: |
Middle East, northwest of Saudi
Arabia |
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Geographic coordinates: |
31 00 N, 36 00 E |
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Map references: |
Middle East |
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Area: |
total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km
water: 329 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than Indiana
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Land boundaries: |
total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744
km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km |
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Coastline: |
26 km |
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 3 nm
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Climate: |
mostly arid desert; rainy
season in west (November to April) |
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Terrain: |
mostly desert plateau in east,
highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of
the Jordan River |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Dead Sea
-408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m |
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Natural resources: |
phosphates, potash, shale oil
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Land use: |
arable land: 3.32%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 95.5% (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
750 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources: |
0.9 cu km (1997) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
Total: 1.01 cu km/yr
(21%/4%/75%)
Per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards: |
droughts; periodic earthquakes
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Environment - current issues: |
limited natural fresh water
resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the
selected agreements |
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Geography - note: |
strategic location at the head
of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest
border with Israel and the occupied West Bank |
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Population: |
6,053,193 (July 2007 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 33% (male
1,018,934/female 977,645)
15-64 years: 63% (male
2,037,550/female 1,777,361)
65 years and over: 4% (male
117,279/female 124,424) (2007 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 23.5 years
male: 24.1 years
female: 22.8 years (2007 est.)
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Population growth rate: |
2.412% (2007 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
20.69 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Death rate: |
2.68 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
6.11 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.06
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.042 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.146 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.943 male(s)/female
total population: 1.102 male(s)/female
(2007 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 16.16
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 78.55
years
male: 76.04 years
female: 81.22 years (2007
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
2.55 children born/woman (2007
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
600 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 500 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian |
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Ethnic groups: |
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%,
Armenian 1% |
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Religions: |
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6%
(majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian
Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant
denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze
populations) (2001 est.) |
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Languages: |
Arabic (official), English
widely understood among upper and middle classes |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 89.9%
male: 95.1%
female: 84.7% (2003 est.)
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan
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Government type: |
constitutional monarchy |
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Capital: |
name: Amman
geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E
time
difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Thursday in
March; ends last Friday in September |
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Administrative divisions: |
12 governorates (muhafazat,
singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq,
'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba |
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Independence: |
25 May 1946 (from League of
Nations mandate under British administration) |
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
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Constitution: |
1 January 1952; amended many
times |
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Legal system: |
based on Islamic law and French
codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High
Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: King
ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), eldest
son of King ABDALLAH II, is considered to be first in line to inherit the
throne
head of government: Prime Minister Nader al-DAHABI
(since 25 November 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
prime minister in consultation with the monarch
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral National Assembly or
Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables
or Majlis al-Ayan (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch from
designated categories of public figures to serve four-year terms) and the
Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis
al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six seats are
reserved for women and are allocated by a special electoral panel if no
women are elected)
elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held
20 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
election results:
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - IAF 5.5 %, independents
and other 94.5%; seats by party - IAF 6, independents and other 104; note
- seven women will serve in the next Assembly - six of whom filled women's
quota seats and one was directly elected |
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Judicial branch: |
Court of Cassation; Supreme
Court (court of final appeal) |
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Political parties and leaders: |
al-Ahd Party; Arab Islamic
Democratic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih
HIJAZAYN]; Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI]; Ba'th Arab
Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR]; Freedom Party; Future Party; Islamic
Action Front or IAF [Zaki Sa'ed BANI IRSHEID]; Islamic Center Party
[Marwan al-FAURI]; Jordanian Arab Ansar Party; Jordanian Arab New Dawn
Party; Jordanian Arab Party; Jordanian Citizens' Rights Movement;
Jordanian Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH]; Jordanian Communist Workers
Party; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH]; Jordanian
Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA]; Jordanian
Generations Party [Muhammad KHALAYLEH]; Jordanian Green Party [Muhammad
BATAYNEH]; Jordanian Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman Jiryis HANNA];
Jordanian Peace Party; Jordanian People's Committees Movement; Jordanian
People's Democratic Party (Hashd) [Ahmad YUSUF]; Jordanian Rafah Party;
Jordanian Renaissance Party; Mission Party; Nation Party [Ahmad
al-HANANDEH]; National Action Party (Haqq) [Tariq al-KAYYALI]; National
Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI]; National Popular Democratic
Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI]; Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Anti-Normalization Committee
[Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Hussein
Mujalli, chairman]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF,
president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Salem AL-FALAHAT, controller general]
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International organization participation: |
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, Prince
chancery: 3504
International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1]
(202) 966-2664
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alan MISENHEIMER
embassy: Abdun, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box
354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200
telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000
FAX: [962] (6)
592-0121 |
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Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of
black (top), representing the Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the
Ummayyad Caliphate, and green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red
isosceles triangle on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt
of 1916, and bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the
seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit,
humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is based on the
Arab Revolt flag of World War I |
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Economy - overview: |
Jordan is a small Arab country
with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources.
Poverty, unemployment, and inflation are fundamental problems, but King
ABDALLAH II, since assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad
economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Since
Jordan's graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman has
continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary policy,
making substantial headway with privatization, and opening the trade
regime. Jordan's exports have significantly increased under the free trade
accord with the US and Jordanian Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), which
allow Jordan to export goods duty free to the US. In 2006, Jordan reduced
its debt-to-GDP ratio significantly. These measures have helped improve
productivity and have made Jordan more attractive for foreign investment.
Before the US-led war in Iraq, Jordan imported most of its oil from Iraq.
Since 2003, however, Jordan has been more dependent on oil from other Gulf
nations. The government ended subsidies for petroleum and other consumer
goods in 2008 in an effort to control the budget. The main challenges
facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the
budget deficit, attracting investments, and creating jobs. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$28.18 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$13.55 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate: |
5.7% (2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$4,700 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 10.5%
services: 85.8% (2007 est.) |
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Labor force: |
1.563 million (2007 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 5%
industry: 12.5%
services: 82.5% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
13.5% official rate; unofficial
rate is approximately 30% (2007 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
14.2% (2002) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 30.6% (2003) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
38.8 (2003) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
5.4% (2007 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
27.8% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $4.999 billion
expenditures: $6.449 billion (2007 est.) |
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Public debt: |
67.2% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers,
olives; sheep, poultry, stone fruits, strawberries, dairy |
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Industries: |
clothing, phosphate mining,
fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash,
inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
7.7% (2007 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
9.074 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 99.4%
hydro: 0.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption: |
8.49 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports: |
4 million kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - imports: |
741 million kWh (2005) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
109,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
0 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - imports: |
106,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves: |
1 million bbl (1 January 2006
est.) |
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Natural gas - production: |
268.5 million cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption: |
1.496 billion cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
1.228 billion cu m (2005)
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
5.975 billion cu m (1 January
2006 est.) |
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Current account balance: |
-$1.69 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports: |
$6.037 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
clothing, pharmaceuticals,
potash, phosphates, fertilizers, vegetables, manufactures |
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Exports - partners: |
US 25.2%, Iraq 16.9%, India 8%,
Saudi Arabia 5.8%, Syria 4.7% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$11.08 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
crude oil, textile fabrics,
machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods |
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Imports - partners: |
Saudi Arabia 23.2%, Germany
8.2%, China 8%, US 5.3% (2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$8.595 billion (31 December
2007 est.) |
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Debt - external: |
$7.483 billion (31 December
2007 est.) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$8.154 billion (2006 est.)
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Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$29.73 billion (2006) |
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Currency (code): |
Jordanian dinar (JOD) |
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Currency code: |
JOD |
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Exchange rates: |
Jordanian dinars per US dollar
- 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003)
|
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
614,000 (2006) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
4.343 million (2006) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
service has improved recently with increased use of digital switching
equipment; microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic
cable are employed on trunk lines; better access to the fixed-line
telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay
telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: 1995
telecommunications law opened all non-fixed-line services to private
competition; in 2005, monopoly over fixed-line services terminated and the
entire telecommunications sector was opened to competition;
mobile-cellular usage is increasing rapidly and teledensity is approaching
75 per 100 persons
international: country code - 962; landing
point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable
network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat
terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay
link with Egypt and Syria; participant in Medarabtel |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
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Radios: |
1.66 million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
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Televisions: |
500,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.jo |
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Internet hosts: |
2,500 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
5 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
796,900 (2006) |
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Airports: |
17 (2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 15
over
3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 2
under
914 m: 2 (2007) |
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Heliports: |
1 (2007) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2007)
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Railways: |
total: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2006) |
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Roadways: |
total: 7,500 km
paved: 7,500 km (2004) |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 30 ships (1000
GRT or over) 410,472 GRT/564,643 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2,
cargo 11, container 3, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll
off 4
foreign-owned: 15 (UAE 15)
registered in other
countries: 15 (Bahamas 2, Panama 11, Syria 2) (2007) |
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Ports and terminals: |
Al 'Aqabah |
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Military branches: |
Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF):
Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air
Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya), Special Operations
Command (Socom); Public Security Directorate (normally falls under
Ministry of Interior, but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations)
(2006) |
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Military service age and obligation: |
17 years of age for voluntary
military service; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although
all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to
conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions
(2004) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 17-49:
1,573,995
females age 17-49: 1,346,642 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 17-49:
1,348,076
females age 17-49: 1,158,011 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 60,625
females age 17-49: 58,218 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
8.6% (2006) |
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Disputes - international: |
approximately two million
Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in
Syria and Jordan; 2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending
demarcation |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons: |
refugees (country of
origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)), 700,000 - 1,000,000
(Iraq)
IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2006)
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This page was last updated on 12 February, 2008
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