Jordan

Hashemite Kingdom of JordanAl Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

constitutional monarchy

Jordan as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 128 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

Capital'Amman
Position31 00 N, 36 00 E
Area92,300 sq km
LocationMiddle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
2004

Every edition of Jordan

Populationas each edition published it
5.61 million July 2004 est. · 3.06m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.67% 2004 est. · 3.57% in 1993
Median ageyears
22.2 years 2004 est. · 21.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
78.06 years 2004 est. · 71.61 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.86 children per woman 2004 est. · 6.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
18.11 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 55 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$4,300 2003 est. · $1,100 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.1% 2003 est. · 3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, 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 formal peace treaty with Israel.

King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - 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 and government appointed in October 2004 declared their commitment to accelerated economic and political reforms and the new cabinet includes an unprecedented four women as ministers.

Geography

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

18 fields

Land useshare of 92,300 sq km

arable land 2.67%permanent crops 1.83%other 95.5% (2001)irrigated 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
92,300sq km
land: 91,971 sq kmwater: 329 sq kmslightly smaller than Indiana
Coastline
26km
territorial sea: 3 nm
Highest point
1,734m
Jabal Ramlowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
Land boundaries
1,635km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Location

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references

Middle East

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

Natural resources

phosphates, potash, shale oil

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

People

19 fields
Population
5,611,202
(July 2004 est.)growth rate: 2.67% (2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth
22.73Death
2.62Net migration
6.59

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)78.06
75.59 · 80.69Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)18.11
21.63 · 14.37
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)91.3%
95.9% · 86.3%Median age years (2004 est.)22.2
22.8 · 21.5
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Arab 98%Circassian 1%Armenian 1%

Religions(2001 est.)

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.)

Age structure

0-14 years:
35.2% (male 1,009,604; female 967,645)
15-64 years:
61.1% (male 1,829,984; female 1,598,141)
65 years and over:
3.7% (male 100,896; female 104,932) (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.96 male(s)/female
total population:
1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Jordanian(s)
adjective:
Jordanian

Languages

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

Government

Constitutional monarchy; King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October 2003)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

89.6%
independents and others 89.6%Islamic Action Front 10.4%House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)

House of Representatives, 110 seats, elected 17 June 2003one dot, one seat

independents and others 92Islamic Action Front 18

Percent of vote

independents and others 89.6%Islamic Action Front 10.4%

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

'Amman

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

8 January 1952

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to inherit the throne
head of government:
Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October 2003)
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

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 House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (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)

elections:
House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results:
  • House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%;
  • seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front 18;
  • note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF candidate

note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held;

political parties were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001 elections until 2003

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

  • Al-Ahed Party [Khaldoun al-NASSER, secretary general];
  • Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general];
  • Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Mahmood MA'AYTEH, secretary general];
  • Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general];
  • Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general];
  • Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general];
  • Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general];
  • Democratic Arab Islamic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR, president];
  • Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH, secretary general];
  • Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary] general;
  • Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA, secretary general];
  • Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general];
  • Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general];
  • Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general];
  • Muslim Centrist Party [NA leader];
  • National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general];
  • National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general];
  • (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary general];
  • Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman];
  • Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];
  • Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president];
  • Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
chancery:
3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 966-2664
FAX:
[1] (202) 966-3110

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires 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) 592-0101
FAX:
[962] (6) 592-4102

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 is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil.

46 fields
Real growth rate
3.1%
(2003 est.)industrial production growth: 3.5% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
16%official rate
actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 3.6%industry 29%services 67.4% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

21.5%
US
6.8%
17.6%
Iraq
6.5%
5.3%
Saudi Arabia
11.3%
China
7.9%
Germany
7.9%
6.5%
Switzerland
6.5%
India
Exports $2.908 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)Imports $4.946 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)(2003)

Budget

Revenues
$2.397 billionExpenditures
$3.587 billion (2003 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $582 million

Electricity

Electricity production
7.091 billion (2001)Electricity consumption
6.86 billion (2001)Electricity exports
2 million (2001)Electricity imports
267 million (2001)

Economy - overview

Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. 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. 'Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made substantial headway with privatization.

The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a free trade accord with the US (2000), and an association agreement with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map.

The US-led war in Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent on Iraq for discounted oil (worth $300-$600 million a year). Several Gulf nations have provided temporary aid to compensate for the loss of this oil; when this foreign aid expires, the Jordanian government has pledged to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales tax base.

Other ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit, broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures, and the encouragement of tourism.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $23.64 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.8% of GDP (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.3%
highest 10%:
29.8% (1997)

Labor force

1.36 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.)

Public debt

92.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, tourism

Oil - production

40 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

103,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves

445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production

290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

3.256 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance

$903 million (2003)

Exports

$2.908 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$4.946 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Debt - external

$7.683 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $553 million (2000 est.)

Currency

Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Exchange rates

Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002), 0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000), 0.709 (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
1,325,300
(2003)
Internet users
3,160
(2004)
Fixed lines
622,600
(2003) · country code .jo

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)

Television broadcast stations

20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Internet users

457,000 (2003)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 9 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT

cargo 2container 1roll on/roll off 5short-sea/passenger 1foreign-owned: Greece 6 · registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
72,438 to 3,047 m
6914 to 1,523 m
1under 914 m
1

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
2

Networkskm

Highways
7,245Railways
505
Highways: paved: 7,245 km · unpaved: 0 km (2000) · Railways: narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)

Railways

total:
505 km
narrow gauge:
505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)

Highways

total:
7,245 km
paved:
7,245 km
unpaved:
0 km (2000)

Pipelines

gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004)

Airports

17 (2003 est.)

Heliports

1 (2003 est.)

Military

7 fields

Military branches

  • Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or SOCOM);
  • note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations

Military manpower - military 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 (2004)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,636,537 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,153,385 (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

border dispute settled with Syria in 2004

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin):
1,740,170 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
IDPs:
800,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Jordan.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/jordan/2004.

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