2020 Edition

Background

After World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations awarded Britain the mandate to govern much of the Middle East. In 1921, Britain demarcated from Palestine a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan and recognized ABDALLAH I from the Hashemite family as the country's first leader. The Hashemites also controlled the Hijaz, or the western coastal area of modern-day Saudi Arabia, until 1925, when IBN SAUD and Wahhabi tribes pushed them out. The country gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country has had four kings. Long-time ruler King HUSSEIN (r. 1953-99) successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, UK, and Soviet Union), various Arab states, Israel, and Palestinian militants, the latter of which led to a brief civil war in 1970 that is known as "Black September" and ended in King HUSSEIN ousting the militants. Jordan's borders have changed since it gained independence. In 1948, Jordan took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the first Arab-Israeli War, eventually annexing those territories in 1950 and granting its new Palestinian residents Jordanian citizenship. In 1967, Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the Six-Day War but retained administrative claims to the West Bank until 1988, when King HUSSEIN permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank in favor of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). King HUSSEIN signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, after Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Accords in 1993. Jordanian kings continue to claim custodianship of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem by virtue of their Hashemite heritage as descendants of the Prophet Mohammad and agreements with Israel and Jerusalem-based religious and Palestinian leaders. After Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 War, it authorized the Jordanian-controlled Islamic Trust, or Waqf, to continue administering the Al Haram ash Sharif/Temple Mount holy compound, and the Jordan-Israel peace treaty reaffirmed Jordan's "special role" in administering the Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem. Jordanian kings claim custodianship of the Christian sites in Jerusalem on the basis of the 7th-century Pact of Omar, when the Muslim leader, after conquering Jerusalem, agreed to permit Christian worship. King HUSSEIN died in 1999 and was succeeded by his eldest son and current King ABDALLAH II. In 2009, ABDALLAH II designated his son HUSSEIN as the Crown Prince. During his reign, ABDALLAH II has contended with a series of challenges, including the Arab Spring influx of refugees from neighboring states, the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of the war in Ukraine, a perennially weak economy, and the Israel-HAMAS conflict that began in October 2023.

Area

land

88,802 sq km

total

89,342 sq km

water

540 sq km

Area - comparative

about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate

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

Coastline

26 km

Elevation

highest point

Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 m

lowest point

Dead Sea -431 m

mean elevation

812 m

Geographic coordinates

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba; the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the West Bank; the Dead Sea, the lowest point in Asia and the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lac Assal in Djibouti), lies on Jordan's western border with Israel and the West Bank; Jordan is almost landlocked but does have a 26 km southwestern coastline with a single port, Al 'Aqabah (Aqaba)

Irrigated land

875 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iraq 179 km; Israel 307 km; Saudi Arabia 731 km; Syria 379 km; West Bank 148 km

total

1,744 km

Land use

agricultural land

11.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.4% (2023 est.)

forest

0.8% (2023 est.)

other

87.7% (2023 est.)

Location

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Dead Sea (shared with Israel and West Bank) - 1,020 sq km note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage

(Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea

3 nm

Natural hazards

droughts; periodic earthquakes; flash floods

Natural resources

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Population distribution

population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

Terrain

mostly arid desert plateau; a great north-south geological rift along the west of the country is the dominant topographical feature and includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Jordanian Highlands

Age structure

0-14 years

30.9% (male 1,771,840/female 1,678,178)

15-64 years

64.9% (male 3,844,575/female 3,409,164)

65 years and over

4.2% (2024 est.) (male 228,564/female 241,703)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

21.9 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

0.1% (2018)

women married by age 15

1.5% (2018)

women married by age 18

9.7% (2018)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.5% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

56% (2018 est.)

Death rate

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.7 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

14.9 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.3 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

46.6 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 97% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.7% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Jordanian 69.3%, Syrian 13.3%, Palestinian 6.7%, Egyptian 6.7%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 2.6% (2015 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.37 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

7.3% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

7.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

12.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

14.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.1 years

male

75 years

total population

76.5 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

92.3% (2023 est.)

male

97.5% (2023 est.)

total population

94.8% (2023 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2.232 million AMMAN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

31 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

24.4 years

male

25.5 years

total

25.4 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.6 years (2017/18 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Jordanian

noun

Jordanian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

35.5% (2016)

Physician density

2.85 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

5,403,654

male

5,908,853

total

11,312,507 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.68% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 97.1% (official; predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.1% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), Buddhist 0.4%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, folk <0.1%, other <0.1%, unaffiliated <0.1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 97.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2023 est.)

male

13 years (2023 est.)

total

13 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.13 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.95 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

13.9% (2025 est.)

male

58.6% (2025 est.)

total

37.1% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.83 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

92% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); 'Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Al ‘Asimah (Amman), At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Capital

etymology

in the 13th century B.C., the Ammonites named their primary city Rabbath Ammon; rabbath meant "capital," so the name translated as "The Capital of [the] Ammon[ites];" over time, the name was shortened to Ammon, and then to Amman

geographic coordinates

31 57 N, 35 56 E

name

Amman

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Jordan

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

15 years

Constitution

amendment process

constitutional amendments require at least a two-thirds majority vote of both the Senate and the House and ratification by the king

history

previous 1928 (pre-independence); latest initially adopted 28 November 1947, revised and ratified 1 January 1952

Country name

conventional long form

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form

Jordan

etymology

named for the Jordan River, which makes up part of Jordan's northwest border; the origin of the river's name is unclear, but it may come from a local word meaning "river"

former

Transjordan

local long form

Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form

Al Urdun

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador James HOLTSNIDER (since 7 December 2025)

email address and website

Amman-ACS@state.gov https://jo.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Abdoun, Al-Umawyeen St., Amman

FAX

[962] (6) 592-0163

mailing address

6050 Amman Place, Washington DC 20521-6050

telephone

[962] (6) 590-6000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Dina Khalil Tawfiq KAWAR (since 27 June 2016)

email address and website

hkjconsular@jordanembassyus.org http://www.jordanembassyus.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 966-3110

telephone

[1] (202) 966-2664

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister

chief of state

King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999)

election/appointment process

prime minister appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Jafar HASSAN (since 15 September 2024)

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green; a red isosceles triangle is on the left side, with a small white seven-pointed star in the center meaning: black stands for the Abbassid Caliphate, white for the Ummayyad Caliphate, and green for the Fatimid Caliphate; the triangle stands for the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and the star's points for the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Quran, as well as faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations history: the design is based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, NATO (partner), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (consists of 15 members, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the king; other judges nominated by the Judicial Council, an 11-member judicial policymaking body consisting of high-level judicial officials and judges, and approved by the king; judge tenure not limited; Constitutional Court members appointed by the king for 6-year non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 2 years

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Great Felonies Court; religious courts; military courts; juvenile courts; Land Settlement Courts; Income Tax Court; Higher Administrative Court; Customs Court; special courts including the State Security Court

Legal system

mixed system developed from Ottoman Empire codes (based on French law), British common law, and Islamic law

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

National Assembly (Majlis Al-Umma)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwaab)

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

September 2028

most recent election date

9/10/2024

number of seats

138 (all directly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

19.6%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Majlis Al-Aayan)

expected date of next election

October 2028

most recent election date

10/24/2024

number of seats

69 (all appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

14.5%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1946; the shortened version of the anthem is most commonly used; the full version is reserved for special occasions

lyrics/music

Abdul-Mone'm al-RIFAI'/Abdul-Qader al-TANEER

title

"As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni" (Long Live the King of Jordan)

National color(s)

black, white, green, red

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Petra (c); Quseir Amra (c); Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a) (c); Wadi Rum Protected Area (m); Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (c); As-Salt - The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality (c); Umm Al-Jimāl (c)

total World Heritage Sites

7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

National symbol(s)

eagle

Political parties

'Azem Blessed Land Party Building and Labor Coalition Eradah Party Growth Party Islamic Action Front or IAF Jordanian al-Ansar Party Jordanian al-Ghad Party Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party or JASBP Jordanian Civil Democratic Party Jordanian Communist Party or JCP Jordanian Equality Party Jordanian Democratic People's Party or HASD Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party or JDPUP/Wihda Jordanian Democratic Unionist Party Jordanian Flame Party Jordanian Future and Life Party Jordanian Model Party Jordanian National Integration Party Jordanian National Loyalty Party Jordanian Reform and Renewal Party or Hassad Jordanian Shura Party  Jordanian Social Democratic Party or JSDP Justice and Reform Party or JRP  Labor Party National Charter Party National Coalition Party National Constitutional Party National Current Party or NCP National Islamic Party National Union Nationalist Movement Party or Hsq New Path Party Progress Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

tomatoes, milk, chicken, potatoes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions, chillies/peppers, peaches/nectarines, sheep milk (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

25% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$17.159 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$13.779 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$3.718 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$3.815 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.91 billion (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$21.058 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

upper-middle-income Middle Eastern economy; high debt and unemployment, especially for youth and women; global events triggering trade slump and decreased revenue from tourism; growing manufacturing and agricultural sectors; key US foreign assistance recipient; natural-resource-poor and import-reliant 

Exchange rates

Currency

Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.71 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.71 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.71 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.71 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.71 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$13.87 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$20.743 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$22.186 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

fertilizers, garments, phosphates, jewelry, phosphoric acid (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 21%, India 13%, Saudi Arabia 11%, China 7%, Iraq 6% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

30% (2021 est.)

government consumption

15.8% (2021 est.)

household consumption

78.9% (2021 est.)

imports of goods and services

-50.4% (2021 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.2% (2021 est.)

investment in inventories

3% (2021 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

5.1% (2024 est.)

industry

25.1% (2024 est.)

services

60.4% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$53.352 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$23.321 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$30.019 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$28.922 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, gold, crude petroleum, jewelry (2023)

Imports - partners

China 17%, Saudi Arabia 14%, UAE 8%, India 6%, USA 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

3.7% (2024 est.)

Industries

tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizer, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

4.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.1% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1.6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

3.08 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

15.7% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

102.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$104.307 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$107.315 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$109.986 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.9% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$9,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$9,400 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$9,500 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

11% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

10.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

8.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$18.198 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$19.069 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$21.939 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

18.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

18% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

18% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

49.2% (2024 est.)

male

39.8% (2024 est.)

total

41.7% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

269,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

110,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

20.31 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

162.93 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

383.073 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

6.891 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

2.472 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

98.9%

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

76.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

15.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

7.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

32.909 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

5.441 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

375.998 million cubic meters (2018 est.)

imports

4.865 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

200.004 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

6.031 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

1 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

97,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

20 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

7 (2023 est.)

total

805,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

radio and TV dominated by the government-owned Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) that operates a main network, a sports network, a film network, and a satellite channel; first independent TV broadcaster aired in 2007; international satellite TV and Israeli and Syrian TV broadcasts are available; roughly 30 radio stations; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are available

Internet country code

.jo

Internet users

percent of population

93% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

451,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

70 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

8.05 million (2024 est.)

Airports

18 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

JY

Heliports

6 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, other 29

total

34 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Al Aqabah

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

small

0

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

1

Railways

narrow gauge

509 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

total

509 km (2020)

Military - note

the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) are responsible for territorial defense and border security and have a supporting role for internal security; key areas of concern include regional conflict and instability and unconventional threats, such as terrorism and weapons smuggling; the JAF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises, UN peacekeeping missions, and have taken part in regional military operations alongside international forces in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen the US is a key security partner, and Jordan is one of the largest recipients of US military aid in the region; it cooperates with the US on a number of issues, including border security, arms transfers, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism; Jordan has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)

Military and security forces

Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; aka Arab Army): Jordanian Army (Jordanian Ground Forces; includes Special Operations Forces, Border Guards, Royal Guard), Jordanian Air Force, Jordanian Navy)   Ministry of Interior: Public Security Directorate (includes national police, the Gendarmerie, and the Civil Defense Directorate) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 100,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025)

Military deployments

140 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the JAF inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment provided by China, some European countries, select Gulf States, Russia, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

4.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

4.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

4.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; initial service term is 24 months; selective compulsory military service (3 months) for men turning 18 will be reinstated in 2026; compulsory military service for jobless men aged 25-29 was reinstated in 2020 (12 months; 3 months of military training and 9 months of professional and technical training) (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

675,388 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

17 (2024 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

627,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

8.544 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

13.264 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

22.434 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

limited natural freshwater resources; declining water table; salination; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; biodiversity and ecosystem damage/loss

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

25.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

12.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

0.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

188.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

26.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

937 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

570.61 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

36.88 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

497.37 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2.53 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

14.6% (2022 est.)