2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,018,070/female 976,442) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 1,966,794/female 1,716,255) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 111,636/female 117,563) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry

Airports

17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1

total

15

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2

under 914 m

2 (2006)

Area

land

91,971 sq km

total

92,300 sq km

water

329 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Indiana

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. 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. Geography Jordan

Birth rate

21.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$5.305 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.092 billion (2006 est.)

revenues

$4.191 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Thursday in March; ends last Friday in September

geographic coordinates

31 57 N, 35 56 E

name

Amman

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Coastline

26 km

Constitution

1 January 1952; amended 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1984

Country name

conventional long form

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form

Jordan

former

Transjordan

local long form

Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form

Al Urdun

Currency (code)

Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code

JOD

Current account balance

$-2.834 billion (2006 est.)

Death rate

2.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$9.071 billion (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador David M. HALE

embassy

Abdoun, Amman

mailing address

P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200

telephone

[962] (6) 590-6000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, Prince

telephone

[1] (202) 966-2664

Disputes - international

2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.4 (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)

Economy - overview

Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources. Debt, poverty, and unemployment 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. 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 creating investment incentives to promote job creation.

Electricity - consumption

8.387 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

4 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

550 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

8.431 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

99.4%

hydro

0.6%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Jabal Ram 1,734 m

lowest point

Dead Sea -408 m

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

Ethnic groups

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Exchange rates

Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch

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

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Marouf al-BAKHIT (since 24 November 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ziad FARIZ (since 24 November 2005)

Exports

$4.798 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothing, pharmaceuticals, potash, phosphates, fertilizers, vegetables, manufactures

Exports - partners

US 26.2%, Iraq 17.1%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, Syria 4.7% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 966-3110

[962] (6) 592-0121

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Jordan

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 Jordan

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.6%

industry

30.5%

services

65.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,900 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.6% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.32 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$28.89 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

31 00 N, 36 00 E

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 People Jordan

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Heliports

1 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

600 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.8% (1997)

lowest 10%

3.3%

IDPs

160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2006) This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$10.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods

Imports - partners

Saudi Arabia 23.6%, China 9.2%, Germany 8%, US 5.6% (2005)

Independence

25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2006 est.)

Industries

textiles, phosphate mining, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism

Infant mortality rate

female

13.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

20.04 deaths/1,000 live births

total

16.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.6% (2006 est.)

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, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.jo

Internet hosts

3,441 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

5 (2000)

Internet users

629,500 (2005) Transportation Jordan

Investment (gross fixed)

24.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

750 sq km (2003)

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)

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Labor force

1.512 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

5%

industry

12.5%

services

82.5% (2001 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

total

1,635 km

Land use

arable land

3.32%

other

95.5% (2005)

permanent crops

1.18%

Languages

Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

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

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives (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

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; two IAF members were expelled from the Chamber of Deputies in 2006

elections

Chamber of Deputies - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be held in 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.05 years (2006 est.)

male

75.9 years

total population

78.4 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

86.3% (2003 est.) Government Jordan

male

95.9%

total population

91.3%

Location

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Manpower available for military service

females age 17-49

1,346,642 (2005 est.)

males age 17-49

1,573,995

Manpower fit for military service

females age 17-49

1,158,011 (2005 est.)

males age 17-49

1,348,076

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 17-49

58,218 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

60,625

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea

3 nm

Median age

female

22.4 years (2006 est.)

male

23.7 years

total

23 years

Merchant marine

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)

total

25 ships (1000 GRT or over) 346,698 GRT/501,060 DWT

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.4 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

11.4% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Jordan

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Nationality

adjective

Jordanian

noun

Jordanian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

1.41 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

310 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

6.23 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Natural hazards

droughts; periodic earthquakes

Natural resources

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Net migration rate

6.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

107,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports

100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Pipelines

gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

al-Ahd Party; Arab Islamic Democratic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR, president]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary general]; Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary general]; Freedom Party; Future Party; Islamic Action Front or IAF [Zaki Sa'ed BANI IRSHEID, secretary general]; Islamic Center Party [Marwan al-FAURI, secretary general]; Jordanian Arab Ansar Party; Jordanian Arab New Dawn Party; Jordanian Arab Party; Jordanian Citizens' Rights Movement; Jordanian Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Jordanian Communist Workers Party; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian Generations Party [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman Jiryis HANNA, secretary general]; Jordanian Peace Party; Jordanian People's Committees Movement; Jordanian People's Democratic Party (Hashd) [Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian Rafah Party; Jordanian Renaissance Party; Mission Party; Nation Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; National Action Party (Haqq) [Tariq al-KAYYALI, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; National Popular Democratic Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]

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]

Population

5,906,760 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

30% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.49% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Al 'Aqabah Military Jordan

Public debt

79.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios

1.66 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

505 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)

total

505 km

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)), 700,000 (Iraq)

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.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$5.55 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

7,500 km (2004)

total

7,500 km

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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

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

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

Telephones - main lines in use

628,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3,012,800 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

500,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Total fertility rate

2.63 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2006 est.)