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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.7 billion expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $630 million (1997 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$7.3 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $424 million (1996)

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil and coal. Jordan benefited from increased Arab aid during the oil boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when its annual real GNP growth averaged more than 10%. In the remainder of the 1980s, however, reductions in both Arab aid and worker remittances slowed real economic growth to an average of roughly 2% per year. Imports-mainly oil, capital goods, consumer durables, and food-outstripped exports, with the difference covered by aid, remittances, and borrowing. In mid-1989, the Jordanian Government began debt-rescheduling negotiations and agreed to implement an IMF-supported program designed to gradually reduce the budget deficit and implement badly needed structural reforms. The Persian Gulf crisis that began in August 1990, however, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth, and straining government resources. The economy rebounded in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning from the Gulf, but recovery was uneven in 1994-97. The government is implementing the reform program adopted in 1992 and continues to secure rescheduling and write-offs of its heavy foreign debt. Debt, poverty, and unemployment remain Jordan's biggest on-going problems.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

1.066 million kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

1,259 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

5.02 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1-0.7090 (January 1998-1996), 0.7005 (1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993) note: since May 1989, the dinar has been pegged to a basket of currencies

Exports [time series]

total value: $1.53 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures partners: Iraq, India, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year Communications

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$20.7 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 6% industry: 30% services: 64% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$4,800 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

5.3% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods partners: EU, Iraq, US, Japan, Turkey

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-3.4% (1996)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

3% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 1.15 million plus 300,000 foreign workers (1997 est.) by occupation: industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 10.5%, construction 10.0%, transport and communications 8.7%, agriculture 7.4%, other services 52.0% (1992)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

1.1 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

adequate telephone system domestic: microwave radio relay, cable, and radiotelephone links international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria; microwave radio relay to Lebanon is inactive; participant in Medarabtel

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

81,500 (1987 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

8 and 1 TV receive-only satellite link

Televisions [time series]

350,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% official rate; note-actual rate is 20%-25% (1997 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 89,213 sq km land: 88,884 sq km water: 329 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

26 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Ram 1,754 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Irrigated land [time series]

630 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,619 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 1% other: 85% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Terrain [time series]

mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

8 January 1952

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Wesley W. EGAN, Jr. embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 820101

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Marwan Jamil MUASHIR chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King HUSSEIN bin Talal Al-Hashimi (since 2 May 1953) head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Salam al-MAJALI (since 19 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the king elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister appointed by the king

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 966-3110

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[962] (6) 820159

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white, and green with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star; the seven points on the star represent the seven fundamental laws of the Koran

Government type [time series]

constitutional monarchy

Independence [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Cassation

Legal system [time series]

based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate (a 40-member body appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (80 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives-last held 4 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2 note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the king several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Amman

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Al-Ahrar (Freedom) Party, Dr. Ahmad ZO'BI, secretary general; Arab Ba'th Progressive Party, Mahmoud al-MA'AYTAH, secretary general; Arab Islamic Democratic Party (Doa'a), Yousif ABU BAKR, secretary general; Arab Jordanian Ansar Party, Muhammad MAJALI, secretary general; Arab Land Party, Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general; Islamic Action Front, Dr. Ishaq al-FARHAN, secretary general; Jordanian Arab Constitutional Front Party, Milhem TELL, secretary general; Jordanian Ba'th Arab Socialist Party, Tayseer al-HOMSI, secretary general; Jordanian Communist Party, Ya'acoub ZAYADIN, secretary general; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party, Sa'eed MUSTAPHA, secretary general; Jordanian Labor Party, Muhammad KHATAYIBAH, secretary general; Jordanian Peace Party, Dr. Shaher KHREIS, secretary general; Jordanian People's Democratic Party (HASHD), Salem NAHHAS, secretary general; Jordanian Unitary Democratic Party, Mousa al-MA'AYTAH, secretary general; Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party, Suleiman 'ARAR, secretary general; National Action Party (Haqq), Muhammad ZO'BI, secretary general; National Constitutional Party, Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general; National Democratic Public Movement Party, Muhammad al-'AMER, secretary general; Progressive Party, Na'el BARAKAT, secretary general; Al-Umma (Nation) Party, Ahmad HNEIDI, secretary general

Suffrage [time series]

20 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force); Badiya (irregular) Border Guards; Ministry of the Interior's Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime or crisis situations)

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$627 million (1997 est.)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

7.8% (1997)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,076,618 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 766,973 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower-military age) [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower-reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 48,706 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (male 985,211; female 935,982) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,224,595; female 1,160,915) 65 years and over: 3% (male 64,406; female 63,869) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

35.18 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.91 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

33.29 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.84 years male: 70.96 years female: 74.84 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.6% male: 93.4% female: 79.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

Net migration rate [time series]

-5.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

4,434,978 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.54% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim 96%, Christian 4% (1997 est.)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.79 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

none JUAN DE NOVA ISLAND (possession of France)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

17 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 14 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 6,640 km paved: 6,640 km unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 43,759 GRT/69,795 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 209 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Al 'Aqabah

Railways [time series]

total: 676 km narrow gauge: 676 km 1.050-m gauge; note-an additional 110 km stretch of the old Hejaz railroad is out of use