1989 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1989 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
- tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation
- mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Coastline
- 10 km
- 26 km
Comparative area
- about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
- slightly smaller than Indiana
Contiguous zone
1 2 nm
Continental shelf
200 m
Disputes
differences with Israel over the location of the 1949 Armistice Line which separates the two countries
Environment
- some low-growing vegetation
- lack of natural water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Extended economic zone
200 nm
Land boundaries
- none
- 1,586 km total; Iraq 134 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 742 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Land use
- 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
- 4% arable land; 0.5% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 0.5% forest and woodland; 94% other; includes 0.5% irrigated
Natural resources
- guano (deposits worked until about 1890)
- phosphates, potash, shale oil
Note
strategic location 1,328 km westsouthwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands; Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; closed to the public; former nuclear weapons test site
Terrain
- mostly flat with a maximum elevation of 4 meters
- mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Territorial sea
- 1 2 nm
- 3 nm
Total area
- 2.8 km2; land area: 2.8 km2
- 91,880 km2; land area: 91,540 km2
Total area
2km North Htkina Island Johnston Island
People and Society
Birth rate
42 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)
Death rate
5 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
98% Arab, 1% Circassian, 1% Armenian
Infant mortality rate
55 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
572,000 (1988); 20% agriculture, 20% manufacturing and mining (1987 est.)
Language
Arabic (official); English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Life expectancy at birth
68 years male, 71 years female (1990)
Literacy
71% (est.)
Nationality
noun — Jordanian(s); adjective— Jordanian
Net migration rate
0 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)
Note
1.5-1.7 million Palestinians live on the East Bank (55-60% of the population), most are Jordanian citizens
Organized labor
about 10% of labor force
Population
- 1,203 (December 1989); all US government personnel and contractors
- 3,064,508 (July 1990), growth rate 3.6% (1990)
Religion
92% Sunni Muslim, 8% Christian
Total fertility rate
6.2 children born/ woman (1990)
Government
Diplomatic representation
none (territory of the US)
Flag
the flag of the US is used
Long-form name
- none (territory of the US)
- Hashemite Kingdom of
Type
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) and managed cooperatively by DNA and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Economy
Overview
Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Communications
Airports
1 with permanent-surface runway 2,743 m
Note
- US Coast Guard operates a LORAN transmitting station Defense Forces
- defense is the responsibility of the US Jordan (see separate West Bank entry) (AI Aqub.h ^ -— . Sec regional mip VI
- The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Reagan's 1 September 1982 peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. The Camp David Accords further specify that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined.
Ports
Johnston Island
Telecommunications
excellent system including 60-channel submarine cable, Autodin, SRT terminal, digital telephone switch. Military Affiliated Radio System (MARS station), and a (receive only) commercial satellite television system