Jordan
Hashemite Kingdom of JordanAl Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Jordan as the 2024 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 159 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq
20 fieldsLand useshare of 89,342 sq km
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
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)
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
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)
People and Society
37 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2024 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2015 est.)
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.
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.)
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
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 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
- total population:
- 1.1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
- male:
- 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 12.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
- women married by age 15:
- 1.5%
- women married by age 18:
- 9.7%
- men married by age 18:
- 0.1% (2018 est.)
Environment
14 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
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
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 92% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 25.87 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 25.11 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 6.04 megatons (2020 est.)
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.)
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)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 500 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
- industrial:
- 40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
- agricultural:
- 570 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy; King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prime Minister Jafar HASSAN (since 15 September 2024)
22 fieldsCountry 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
- etymology:
- named for the Jordan River, which makes up part of Jordan's northwest border
Capital
- name:
- Amman
- geographic coordinates:
- 31 57 N, 35 56 E
- time difference:
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- 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"
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
Legal system
mixed system developed from codes instituted by the Ottoman Empire (based on French law), British common law, and Islamic law
Constitution
- history:
- previous 1928 (preindependence); latest initially adopted 28 November 1947, revised and ratified 1 January 1952
- 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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Jafar HASSAN (since 15 September 2024)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister
- elections/appointments:
- prime minister appointed by the monarch
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 Majlis al-Nuwaab (138 seats; 97 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote; of these, 12 seats reserved for Christian, Circassian, and Chechen minorities, and 18 reserved for women; the remaining 41 members directly elected from a single national constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote; of these, 2 seats reserved for Christians and 1 each for members of the Chechen and Circassian minorities; party candidate lists must include at least 1 woman among the first 3 candidates and 1 among the next 3 candidates; all members serve 4-year terms)
- elections:
- Senate - last appointments on 27 Sep 2020 (next appointments by November 2024); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 10 September 2024 (next to be held in 2028)
- election results:
- Senate - composition - men 55, women 10, percent of women 15.4%;
- House of Representatives - percentage by party - NA;
- seats by party - Islamic Action Front 31, Mithaq 21, Irada 19, and Taqadum 8, other (includes seats reserved for women, minorities)
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
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
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Dina Khalil Tawfiq KAWAR (since 27 June 2016)
- chancery:
- 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 966-2664
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 966-3110
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; http://www.jordanembassyus.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Yael LEMPERT (since 3 September 2023)
- embassy:
- Abdoun, Al-Umawyeen St., Amman
- mailing address:
- 6050 Amman Place, Washington DC 20521-6050
- telephone:
- [962] (6) 590-6000
- FAX:
- [962] (6) 592-0163
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://jo.usembassy.gov/
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
National anthem
- name:
- "As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni" (Long Live the King of Jordan)
- lyrics/music:
- Abdul-Mone'm al-RIFAI'/Abdul-Qader al-TANEER
note: adopted 1946; the shortened version of the anthem is used most commonly, while the full version is reserved for special occasions
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed)
- 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)
Economy
31 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2021 est.)
Budget(2018 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
Credit ratings
- Fitch rating:
- BB- (2019)
- Moody's rating:
- B1 (2013)
Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2017)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture:
- 4.8% (2023 est.)
- industry:
- 24.1% (2023 est.)
- services:
- 60.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agricultural products
tomatoes, milk, chicken, potatoes, cucumbers/gherkins, olives, watermelons, peaches/nectarines, sheep milk, chilies/peppers (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizer, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing
Labor force
3.063 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
17.94% (2023 est.) · 18.2% (2022 est.) · 19.84% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 40.8% (2023 est.)
- male:
- 39.3% (2023 est.)
- female:
- 47.1% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line
15.7% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Average household expenditures
- on food:
- 26.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
- on alcohol and tobacco:
- 4.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Remittances
9.72% of GDP (2023 est.) · 10.1% of GDP (2022 est.) · 10.96% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues
17.51% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance
-$4.159 billion (2022 est.) · -$3.718 billion (2021 est.) · -$2.505 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$20.335 billion (2022 est.) · $13.87 billion (2021 est.) · $10.444 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
fertilizers, garments, phosphates, jewelry, phosphoric acid (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$29.955 billion (2022 est.) · $23.321 billion (2021 est.) · $18.424 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, gold, crude petroleum, jewelry (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$15.56 billion (31 December 2017 est.) · $15.543 billion (2016 est.) · $16.572 billion (2015 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
$16.293 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.71 (2023 est.) · 0.71 (2022 est.) · 0.71 (2021 est.) · 0.71 (2020 est.) · 0.71 (2019 est.)
Energy
8 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 6.805 million kW(2022 est.)
Coal
- consumption:
- 479,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
- exports:
- (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton
- imports:
- 297,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 20 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 97,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 1 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 187.262 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- consumption:
- 4.382 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- exports:
- 375.998 million cubic meters (2018 est.)
- imports:
- 4.255 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 6.031 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
21.261 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 1.124 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 13.256 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 6.881 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020–22 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- 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)
- domestic:
- fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscriptions at 65 per 100 persons (2021)
- 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)
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
Transportation
9 fieldsMerchant marine, 34 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2023)
Networkskm
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 4 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 54
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 3,383,805 (2018)
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 175.84 million (2018) mt-km
Ports
- total ports:
- 1 (2024)
- large:
- 0
- medium:
- 0
- small:
- 0
- very small:
- 1
- ports with oil terminals:
- 1
- key ports:
- Al Aqabah
Military and Security
7 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 1,000 people · (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 Navy
- Ministry of Interior:
- Public Security Directorate (includes national police, the Gendarmerie, and the Civil Defense Directorate) (2024)
note: the JAF 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 equipment inventories and acquisitions
the JAF inventory is comprised of a wide mix of imported equipment, much of it older or secondhand, from China, Europe, some Gulf States, Russia, and the US (2024)
Military service age and obligation
- 17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women);
- 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: women comprised about 3% of the military as of 2023
Military deployments
Jordan has about 200 police deployed to the MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2024)
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 and has a supporting role for internal security; the JAF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises, UN peacekeeping missions, and has taken part in regional military operations alongside international forces in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen
the JAF’s primary concerns include terrorist and criminal threats emanating from its borders with Syria and Iraq, as well as the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and conflicts in southern Lebanon/northern Israel and the Red Sea; 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; individuals and groups sympathetic to Palestinian causes have planned and conducted terrorist attacks in Jordan
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 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 (2024)
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) 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 the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsRefugees 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) (2022);
- 638,760 (Syria) (2024)
- stateless persons:
- 64 (2022)
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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Jordan.” The World Factbook 2024. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/jordan/2024.