2023 Edition

Background

Following 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. Britain demarcated a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in 1921 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 they were pushed out by IBN SAUD and Wahhabi tribes. The country gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country has had four kings. Jordan's long-time ruler, King HUSSEIN (r. 1953-99), successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and Palestinian militants, the latter of which led to a brief civil war in 1970 referred to as "Black September" and ended in King HUSSEIN's ouster of the militants from Jordan. Jordan's borders also 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 affairs at 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, ABDALLAH II, who remains the current king. In 2009, King 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, and a perennially weak economy.  

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 and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied 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

833 sq km (2020)

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

11.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.4% (2018 est.)

forest

1.1% (2018 est.)

other

87.5% (2018 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 kmnote - 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

31.42% (male 1,788,882/female 1,694,417)

15-64 years

64.53% (male 3,802,074/female 3,352,680)

65 years and over

4.05% (2023 est.) (male 218,218/female 230,445)

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

22.4 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

0.1% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

1.5%

women married by age 18

9.7%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.7% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

51.8% (2017/18)

Current health expenditure

7.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

55.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.8

potential support ratio

17.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

57.1

youth dependency ratio

51.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 97.9% of population

improved: total

total: 99.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.8% of population

Education expenditures

3.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

note

note: data represent population by self-identified nationality in national census

Gross reproduction rate

1.41 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

12.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

14.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 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

77.8 years

male

74.8 years

total population

76.3 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.4% (2021)

male

98.7%

total population

98.4%

Major urban areas - population

2.232 million AMMAN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

41 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

24.1 years

male

25.1 years

total

24.6 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.6 years (2017/18 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Jordanian

noun

Jordanian(s)

Net migration rate

-11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

35.5% (2016)

Physicians density

2.66 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

11,086,716 (2023 est.)

note

note: increased estimate reflects revised assumptions about the net migration rate due to the increased flow of Syrian refugees

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

Population growth rate

0.79% (2023 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: 97.8% of population

improved: total

total: 98.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2020)

male

10 years

total

11 years

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 (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

12.8% (2020 est.)

male

56.8% (2020 est.)

total

34.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.91 children born/woman (2023 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 main city "Rabbath Ammon"; "rabbath" designated "capital," so the name meant "The Capital of [the] Ammon[ites]"; over time, the "Rabbath" came to be dropped and the city became known simply as "Ammon" and then "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

amendments

constitutional amendments require at least a two-thirds majority vote of both the Senate and the House and ratification by the king; amended several times, last in 2022

history

previous 1928 (preindependence); 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

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 Yael LEMPERT (since 3 September 2023)

email address and website

Amman-ACS@state.govhttps://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.orghttp://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); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HUSSEIN (eldest son of the monarch, born 28 June 1994); the monarchy is hereditary

elections/appointments

prime minister appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Bisher AL-KHASAWNEH (since 7 October 2020)

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

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 (national committees), 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 codes instituted by the Ottoman Empire (based on French law), British common law, and Islamic law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of:Senate or the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (65 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms)Chamber of Deputies or House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (130 seats; 115 members directly elected in 23 multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote and 15 seats for women; 12 of the 115 seats reserved for Christian, Chechen, and Circassian candidates; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

2020:Senate - composition men 58, women 7, percent of women 10.8%2020:Chamber of Deputies; note - tribal, centrist, and pro-government candidates dominated the  election; the Islamic Action Front, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, garnered only 10 seats, down from 15 in the previous election; women, who are guaranteed 15 seats by Jordan’s legislative quota system, won 16 seats, down from 20 seats won in the previous election; composition - men 114, women 16, percent of women 12.3%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 11.8%  

elections

Senate - last appointments on 27 Sep 2020 (next to be held in 2024)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 10 November 2020 (next anticipated in November 2024)

note

note: in 2022, a new electoral law - effective for the anticipated 2024 election - will increase the total number of Chamber of Deputies' seats to 138 from 130; 97 members to be directly elected from multi-seat geographic districts by open list proportional representation vote, with over 7 percent of total votes needed to gain a seat, and 41 members to be directly elected from a single national district by closed party-list proportional representation vote, with over a 2.5 percent of total votes needed to gain a seat

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

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

note

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

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)

total World Heritage Sites

6 (5 cultural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

National symbol(s)

eagle; national colors: black, white, green, red

Political parties and leaders

political reforms enacted in 2020 require all existing parties to re-register by May 2023, which will result in changes to the number of registered parties and the number of seats held by those parties for the anticipated 2024 election

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

tomatoes, poultry, olives, milk, potatoes, cucumbers, vegetables, watermelons, green chillies/peppers, peaches/nectarines

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

29.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$13.489 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$10.813 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB- (2019)

Moody's rating

B1 (2013)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$773.366 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$2.506 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$4.03 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$29.916 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$32.088 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

low growth, upper middle-income Middle Eastern economy; high debt and unemployment, especially for youth and women; key US foreign assistance recipient; natural resource-poor and import-reliant

Exchange rates

Currency

Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

0.71 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

0.71 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

0.71 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.71 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.71 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$16.17 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$10.444 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$13.864 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

fertilizers, clothing and apparel, calcium phosphates, phosphoric acid, packaged medicines (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 26%, India 13%, Saudi Arabia 11%, Iraq 5%, China 4% (2021)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

34.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption

19.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

80.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-58% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.7% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

4.5% (2017 est.)

industry

28.8% (2017 est.)

services

66.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$44.568 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2010

33.7 (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28.7% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

3.4%

Imports

Imports 2019

$21.964 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$18.424 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$23.392 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, gold, crude petroleum, clothing and apparel, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines (2021)

Imports - partners

China 17%, Saudi Arabia 14%, United Arab Emirates 11%, United States 5%, Turkey 3% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

3.02% (2021 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) 2019

0.76% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.33% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.35% (2021 est.)

Labor force

2.865 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

15.7% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

note: data cover central government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Public debt 2017

75.38% of GDP (2017 est.)

Public debt 2019

78.48% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

75.14% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$102.185 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$100.581 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$102.822 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

1.93% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-1.57% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

2.23% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$9,600 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$9,200 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$9,200 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$15.54 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$15.56 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.81% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30%

Unemployment rate 2019

16.81% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

19.03% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

19.25% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

53.8%

male

37.4%

total

40.5% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

381,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

7.303 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

15.786 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

23.47 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

219,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

219,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

17.366 billion kWh (2019 est.)

exports

98 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

239 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.644 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

2.249 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

98.8% (2021)

electrification - total population

99.9% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2021)

population without electricity

(2020) less than 1 million

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

83.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

11.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

4.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

39.331 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

4.651 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

375.849 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

4.911 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

115.872 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

6.031 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

47,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

1 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

114,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

68,460 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

67,240 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2020 est.)

total

630,545 (2020 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 with JRTV operating the main government-owned station; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are available

Internet country code

.jo

Internet users

percent of population

83% (2021 est.)

total

9.13 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscriptions at 65 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Jordan’s government has focused on the use of ICT in a range of sectors, aimed at transforming the relatively small economy through the use of digital services; this policy has helped the country rise in the league tables for digital connectivity and internet readiness, and it has also attracted investment from foreign companies; during the ongoing global pandemic, the start-up sector has been further encouraged to develop solutions to combat the crisis, while other efforts have facilitated e-government services and encouraged businesses to adapt to new methods of working through their own digital transformation; these developments have been supported by the highly developed mobile sector, led by three major regional players which have near-comprehensive LTE network coverage (2022)

international

country code - 962; landing point for the FEA and Taba-Aqaba submarine cable networks providing connectivity to Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Asia; satellite earth stations - 33 (3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

427,517 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

65 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

7,275,563 (2021 est.)

Airports

18 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

16

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

2

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

JY

Heliports

1 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 6, other 29

total

35 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

175.84 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

3,383,805 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

54

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Pipelines

473 km gas, 49 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Al 'Aqabah

Railways

narrow gauge

509 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

total

509 km (2020)

Roadways

paved

7,203 km (2011)

total

7,203 km (2011)

Military - note

the JAF traces its origins back to the Arab Legion, which was formed under the British protectorate of Transjordan in the 1920s; it is responsible for territorial defense and border security, but also has a supporting role for internal security; the JAF’s primary concerns are terrorist and criminal threats emanating from its 230-mile border with Syria and 112-mile border with Iraq, as well as the potential impact of Israeli-Palestinian tensions; the terrorist group Hizballah and Iranian-backed militia forces operate in southwestern Syria near Jordan’s border while fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group continue to operate in both Iraq and Syria; ISIS fighters have included Jordanian nationals, some of whom have returned to Jordan; meanwhile, individuals and groups sympathetic to Palestine have planned and conducted terrorist attacks in Jordanthe JAF is a professional military that trains regularly and participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises; in recent years, it has taken part in regional military operations alongside allied forces in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen; it also participates in UN peacekeeping missions; the Army is organized and equipped for a mobile territorial defense against conventional threats and rapid responses to unconventional threats such as terrorism; border security forces are backed up by approximately 10 mechanized or armored brigades, plus a rapid reaction/high readiness airborne/ranger brigade; the Army also has a well-regarded special operations/counterterrorism group, and Jordan hosts an international special operations training center; the Air Force maintains about 50 US-made multirole fighter aircraft and approximately 50 attack helicopters; the Coast Guard has a small force of fast, gun- or missile-armed patrol craft for monitoring Jordan’s coastline on the Gulf of Aqabathe 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 and maritime 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 (2023)

Military and security forces

Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Army (includes Special Operations Forces, Border Guards, Royal Guard), Royal Jordanian Air Force, Royal Jordanian Coast GuardMinistry of Interior: Public Security Directorate (includes national police, the Gendarmerie, and the Civil Defense Directorate) (2023)

note

note: the armed forces report administratively to the minister of defense and have a support role for internal security; the prime minister serves as defense minister, but there is no separate ministry of defense

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 100,000 active-duty armed forces personnel (85,000 Army; 14,000 Air Force; 500-1,000 Coast Guard); approximately 15,000 Gendarmerie Forces (2023)

Military deployments

330 Mali (MINUSMA) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the JAF inventory is comprised of a wide mix of imported equipment from Europe, some Gulf States, Russia, and the US; in recent years, the Netherlands and the US have been the leading suppliers (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

5.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

5.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service for men (women can volunteer to serve in noncombat military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps and RJAF); initial service term is 24 months, with option to reenlist for up to 18 years; conscription was abolished in 1991, but in 2020 Jordan announced the reinstatement of compulsory military service for jobless men aged between 25 and 29 with 12 months of service, made up of 3 months of military training and 9 months of professional and technical training; in 2019, Jordan announced a voluntary 4-month National Military Service program for men and women aged between 18-25 years who have been unemployed for at least 6 months; service would include 1 month for military training with the remaining 3 months dedicated to vocational training in the sectors of construction and tourism (2023)

note

note: women comprised about 1.5% of the military as of 2019

Disputes - international

Jordan-Iraq: the two countries signed a border agreement in 1984; Jordan has ratified the treaty, but it has not been confirmed that Iraq has ratified it; as of 2010, the agreement had not been registered with the UN Jordan-Israel: none identified Jordan-Saudi Arabia: Jordan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to demarcate their maritime borders in 2007 Jordan-Syria: the two countries signed an agreement in 2005 to settle the border dispute based on a 1931 demarcation accord; the two countries began demarcation in 2006 Jordan-West Bank: none identified

Illicit drugs

primarily a transshipment country for amphetamine tablets originating in Lebanon and Syria and destined for Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Gulf countries; the government is increasingly concerned about domestic consumption of illicit drugs

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

2.4 million (Palestinian refugees) (2020); 12,866 (Yemen), 6,013 Sudan (2021); 33,951 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 651,329 (Syria) (2023)

stateless persons

64 (2022)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

25.11 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.04 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

25.87 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

11.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.4% (2018 est.)

forest

1.1% (2018 est.)

other

87.5% (2018 est.)

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 kmnote - 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)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

940 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

570 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

500 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

92% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,529,997 tons (2013 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

177,100 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

7% (2014 est.)