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. After a two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in the summer of 2003. The prime minister appointed in November 2005 stated the government would focus on political reforms, improving conditions for the poor, and fighting corruption.
Location
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates
31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references
Middle East
Area
total
92,300 sq km
land
91,971 sq km
water
329 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Indiana
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
Coastline
26 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Terrain
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Dead Sea -408 m
highest point
Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Natural resources
phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use
arable land
3.32%
permanent crops
1.18%
other
95.5% (2005)
Irrigated land
750 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues
limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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
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
Population
6,053,193 (July 2007 est.)
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.)
Median age
total
23.5 years
male
24.1 years
female
22.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
2.412% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
20.69 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
2.68 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
6.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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.)
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.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
78.55 years
male
76.04 years
female
81.22 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.55 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Jordanian(s)
adjective
Jordanian
Ethnic groups
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
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.)
Languages
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
89.9%
male
95.1%
female
84.7% (2003 est.)
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
Government type
constitutional monarchy
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
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
Independence
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
National holiday
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Constitution
1 January 1952; amended many times
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to inherit the throne
head of government
Prime Minister Marouf al-BAKHIT (since 24 November 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ziad FARIZ (since 24 November 2005)
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch
elections
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch
elections
Chamber of Deputies - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - independents and other 84.6%, IAF 15.4%; seats by party - independents and other 88, IAF 16; note - six women were appointed to fill the woman's quota seats, including one female member of the IAF
Judicial branch
Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
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]
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]
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
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
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, 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, and making substantial headway with privatization. In 2006, Jordan reduced its debt to GDP ratio significantly. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a free trade accord with the US (2001), and an association agreement with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most of its oil from Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan more dependent on oil from other Gulf nations, and has forced the Jordanian Government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the budget deficit, and attracting investment to promote job creation.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$30 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$12.52 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
6.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$5,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
3.6%
industry
30.5%
services
65.9% (2006 est.)
Labor force
1.512 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
5%
industry
12.5%
services
82.5% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
15.4% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
30% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.3%
highest 10%
29.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
36.4 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.3% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$4.88 billion
expenditures
$5.51 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.092 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt
72.2% of GDP (30 September 2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives; sheep, poultry, stone fruits, strawberries, dairy
US 25.3%, Iraq 17%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.8%, Syria 4.7% (2006)
Imports
$10.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods
Imports - partners
Saudi Arabia 22.9%, Germany 8.1%, China 7.9%, US 5.2% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$6.57 billion (October 2006)
Debt - external
$7.3 billion (31 September 2006)
Economic aid - recipient
ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)
Currency (code)
Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Currency code
JOD
Exchange rates
Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
628,200 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
3.013 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
service has improved recently with increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic
microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international
country code - 962; 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; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
Radio broadcast stations
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios
1.66 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions
500,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.jo
Internet hosts
3,441 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
5 (2000)
Internet users
629,500 (2005)
Airports
17 (2006)
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 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
2
under 914 m
2 (2006)
Heliports
1 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2006)
Railways
total
505 km
narrow gauge
505 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
7,500 km
paved
7,500 km (2004)
Merchant marine
total
25 ships (1000 GRT or over) 346,698 GRT/501,060 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 2, cargo 9, container 2, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned
11 (UAE 11)
registered in other countries
15 (Bahamas 2, Panama 13) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Al 'Aqabah
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)
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.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 17-49
1,348,076
females age 17-49
1,158,011 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
60,625
females age 17-49
58,218 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
8.6% (2006)
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
