Jordan Population: 6,482,081
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| Background | |
| Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it adopted the name of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population. Jordan lost the West Bank to Israel in the 1967 war and defeated Palestinian rebels who attempted to overthrow the monarchy in 1970. King HUSSEIN in 1988 permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank - called "The 1988 Disengagement Decision." In 1989, he reinstituted parliamentary elections and initiated a gradual political liberalization and legalized political parties in 1992. In 1994, he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, King HUSSEIN's eldest son, assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and implemented some economic and political reforms. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. In 2003, Jordan staunchly supported the Coalition ouster of SADDAM Husayn in Iraq and, following the outbreak of insurgent violence in Iraq, absorbed thousands of displaced Iraqis. Municipal elections were held in July 2007 under a system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils were reserved by quota for women. Beginning in January 2011 in the wake of unrest in Tunisia and Egypt, as many as several thousand Jordanians staged weekly demonstrations and marches in Amman and other cities throughout Jordan to push for political reforms and to protest against government corruption, rising prices, rampant poverty, and high unemployment. In response, King ABDALLAH replaced his prime minister four times and formed two commissions - one to propose specific reforms to Jordan's electoral and political party laws and the other to consider limited constitutional amendments. In a televised speech in June 2011, King ABDULLAH announced plans to work toward transferring authority for appointing future prime ministers and cabinet ministers to parliament; in a subsequent announcement, he outlined a revised political parties law intended to encourage greater political participation. Protesters and opposition elements generally acknowledged those measures as steps in the right direction, but many continue to push for greater limits on the king's authority and to fight against government corruption. A royal decree issued in September 2011 approved constitutional amendments passed by the parliament aimed at strengthening a more independent judiciary and established a constitutional court and independent election commission to oversee municipal and parliamentary elections. In October 2011, King ABDALLAH dismissed the Jordanian cabinet and replaced the prime minister in response to widespread public dissatisfaction with government performance and escalating criticism of the premier because of public concerns over his reported involvement in corruption. Parliamentary elections held in January 2013 were overseen by the newly established Independent Electoral Commission and resulted in the election of 150 members to the Lower House of Parliament. |
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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| Location: | Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq |
| Geographic coordinates: | 31 00 N, 36 00 E |
| Area: | total: 89,342 sq km land: 88,802 sq km water: 540 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than Indiana |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 1,635 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km |
| Coastline: | 26 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 3 nm |
| 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 |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 m |
| Natural resources: | phosphates, potash, shale oil |
| Land use: | arable land: 3.32% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 95.5% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 820 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | droughts; periodic earthquakes |
| Current Environment Issues: | limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 6,482,081 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 34.6% (male 1,154,791/female 1,089,901) 15-24 years: 19.9% (male 661,516/female 625,311) 25-54 years: 36.2% (male 1,181,882/female 1,164,957) 55-64 years: 4.3% (male 133,371/female 142,636) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 158,514/female 169,202) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 22.4 years male: 22 years female: 22.7 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.965% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 26.52 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 2.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -33.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.18 years male: 78.82 years female: 81.61 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.32 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 600 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 500 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian |
| Ethnic groups: | Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% |
| Religions: | Sunni Muslim 92% (official), Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.) |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 95.8% female: 89.2% (2010 est.) |
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| Government | |
| 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: | name: Amman geographic coordinates: 31 57 N, 35 56 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Friday in April; ends last Friday in October note: Jordan remains on DST following a decision by the government to cancel a change back to Standard Time in October 2012 |
| 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: | 1 January 1952; amended many times |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic religious law; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HUSSEIN (born 28 June 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II head of government: Prime Minister Abdullah NSOUR (since 11 October 2012) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch; note - following the legislative election held on 23 January 2013, the members of the Cabinet are serving in an acting capacity until a new government is formed (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy 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 or Majlis al-Ayan (60 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (150 seats; 123 members elected using the single, non-transferable vote system in multi-member districts, and 27 seats elected using a closed national list system based on proportional representation; all legislators serve four-year terms); note - the new electoral law enacted in July 2012 allocated an additional 10 seats (6 seats added to the number reserved for women, bringing the total to 15; 2 additional seats for Amman; and 1 seat each for the cities of Zarqa and Irbid; unchanged are 9 seats reserved for Christian candidates, 9 for Bedouin candidates, and 3 for Jordanians of Chechen or Circassian descent elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 23 January 2013 (next election NA); note - the King dissolved the previous Chamber of Deputies in November 2012, midway through the parliamentary term election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 27 elected on closed national list to include: Islamic Centrist Party 3, Nation 2, National Union 2, Stronger Jordan 2, Ahl al-Himma 1, Al-Bayyan 1, Citizenship 1, Construction 1, Cooperation 1, Dawn 1, Dignity 1, Free Voice 1, Labor and Trade 1, National Accord Youth Block 1, National Action 1, National Current 1 (member resigned in February 2013), National Unity 1, Nobel Jerusalem 1, Salvation 1, The People 1, Unified Front 1, Voice of Nation 1; other 123; note - the IAF boycotted the election |
| Judicial branch: | Court of Cassation (Supreme Court); Constitutional Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | 23 licensed political parties including Al-Hayah Jordanian Pary [Zahier AMR]; Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party [Akram al-HIMSI]; Ba'ath Arab Progressive Party [Fuad DABBOUR]; Democratic People's Party [Ablah ABU ULBAH]; Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DIAB]; Du'a Party [Muhammed ABU BAKR]; Islamic Action Front or IAF [Hamzah MANSOUR]; Islamic Centrist Party [Muhammad al-HAJ]; Jordanian Communist Party [Munir HAMARNAH]; Jordanian National Party [Muna ABU BAKR]; Jordanian United Front [Amjad al-MAJALI]; National Constitution Party [Ahmad al-SHUNAQ]; National Current Party [Abd al-Hadi al-MAJALI]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Muhammad al-QAQ]; Risalah Party [Hazem QASHOU]; The Direct Democratic Nationalists Movement Party [Nash'at KHALIFAH] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | 15 April Movement [Mohammad SUNEID, chairman]; 24 March Movement [Mu'az al-KHAWALIDAH, Abdel Rahman HASANEIN, spokespersons]; 1952 Constitution Movement; Anti-Normalization Committee [Hamzah MANSOUR, chairman]; Economic and Social Association of Retired Servicemen and Veterans or ESARSV [Abdulsalam al-HASSANAT, chairman]; Group of 36; Higher Coordination Committee of Opposition Parties [Said DIAB]; Higher National Committee for Military Retirees or HNCMR [Ali al-HABASHNEH, chairman]; Hirak; Jordan Bar Association [Saleh al-ARMUTI, chairman]; Jordanian Campaign for Change or Jayin; Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood [Dr. Hamam SAID, controller general]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; National Front for Reform or NFR [Ahmad OBEIDAT, chairman]; Popular Gathering for Reform; Professional Associations Council [Abd al-Hadi al-FALAHAT, chairman]; Sons of Jordan |
| International organization participation: | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Alia Hatough-BOURAN 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 Stuart E. JONES embassy: Abdoun, Al-Umawyeen St., Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, DPO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000 FAX: [962] (6) 592-0163 |
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| Economy | |
| Jordan's economy is among the smallest in the Middle East, with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources, underlying the government's heavy reliance on foreign assistance. Other economic challenges for the government include chronic high rates of poverty, unemployment, inflation, and a large budget deficit. Since assuming the throne in 1999, King ABDALLAH has implemented significant economic reforms, such as opening the trade regime, privatizing state-owned companies, and eliminating some fuel subsidies, which in the last decade spurred economic growth by attracting foreign investment and creating some jobs. The global economic slowdown and regional turmoil, however, have depressed Jordan's GDP growth, impacting export-oriented sectors, construction, and tourism. In 2011 and 2012, the government approved two economic relief packages and a budgetary supplement, meant to improve the living conditions for the middle and poor classes. Jordan's finances have also been strained by a series of natural gas pipeline attacks in Egypt, causing Jordan to substitute more expensive diesel imports, primarily from Saudi Arabia, to generate electricity. Jordan is currently exploring nuclear power generation in addition to the exploitation of abundant oil shale reserves and renewable technologies to forestall energy shortfalls. In 2012, to correct budgetary and balance of payments imbalances, Jordan entered into a $2.1 billion, multiple year International Monetary Fund Stand-By Arrangement. Jordan's financial sector has been relatively isolated from the international financial crisis because of its limited exposure to overseas capital markets. Jordan will continue to depend heavily on foreign assistance to finance the deficit in 2013. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $38.67 billion (2012 est.) $37.54 billion (2011 est.) $36.59 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $31.35 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2012 est.) 2.6% (2011 est.) 2.3% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $6,000 (2012 est.) $6,000 (2011 est.) $6,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4.5% industry: 30.9% services: 64.6% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 1.824 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 2.7% industry: 20% services: 77.4% (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 12.3% (2012 est.) 12.3% (2011 est.) note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% |
| Population below poverty line: | 14.2% (2002) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 28.7% (2010 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 39.7 (2007) 36.4 (1997) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (2012 est.) 4.4% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 28.9% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $6.378 billion expenditures: $8.39 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 75% of GDP (2012 est.) 70.7% of GDP (2011 est.) 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 intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental 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 |
| Agriculture - products: | citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, strawberries, stone fruits; sheep, poultry, dairy |
| Industries: | clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 0.2% (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 14.64 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 13.54 billion kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 86 million kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 1.738 billion kWh (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 226.5 million cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 1.4 billion cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 793 million cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$3.359 billion (2012 est.) -$2.871 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $7.836 billion (2012 est.) $7.974 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables, pharmaceuticals |
| Exports - partners: | US 15.4%, Iraq 15%, India 12.9%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, Lebanon 4.4% (2011) |
| Imports: | $20.83 billion (2012 est.) $18.76 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, iron, cereals |
| Imports - partners: | Saudi Arabia 22.1%, China 9.8%, US 6.4%, Italy 5.1%, Germany 4.5% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $10.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $12.11 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $6.065 billion (30 November 2012 est.) $5.61 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $24.63 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $22.91 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $27 billion (31 December 2012) $27.18 billion (31 December 2011) $30.86 billion (31 December 2010) |
| Exchange rates: | Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2012 est.) 0.709 (2011 est.) 0.71 (2010 est.) 0.709 (2009) 0.709 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 465,400 (2011) country comparison to the world: 102 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 7.483 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: service has improved recently with increased use of digital switching equipment; microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; growing mobile-cellular usage in both urban and rural areas is reducing use of fixed-line services domestic: 1995 telecommunications law opened all non-fixed-line services to private competition; in 2005, monopoly over fixed-line services terminated and the entire telecommunications sector was opened to competition; currently multiple mobile-cellular providers with subscribership reaching 115 per 100 persons in 2011 international: country code - 962; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) FEA and FLAG Falcon submarine cable networks; satellite earth stations - 33 (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; participant in Medarabtel (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .jo |
| Internet hosts: | 69,473 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 1.642 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 18 (2012) country comparison to the world: 139 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 16 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 507 km narrow gauge: 507 km 1.050-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 7,891 km paved: 7,891 km (2009) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 12 by type: cargo 4, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 2 (UAE 2) registered in other countries: 16 (Bahamas 2, Egypt 2, Indonesia 1, Panama 11) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Al 'Aqabah |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force (RJLF), Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya, RJAF), Special Operations Command (Socom); Public Security Directorate (normally falls under Ministry of Interior, but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis) (2013) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 17 years of age for voluntary male military service; initial service term 2 years, with option to reenlist for 18 years; conscription at age 18 suspended in 1999; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in noncombat military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps and RJAF (2013) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,674,260 females age 16-49: 1,611,315 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,439,192 females age 16-49: 1,384,500 (2010 est.) |
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