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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 1 (1998 est.)

Radios [time series]

1.1 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial and fiber-optic cable, and cellular; Jordan has two cellular telephone providers (with approximately 50,000 subscribers in 1998), ten data service providers, and four Internet service providers (with approximately 8,000 subscribers in 1998) international: satellite earth stations--3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals (1996); coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Israel; building a Red Sea Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) fiber-optic submarine cable link and planning to update links with Saudi Arabia and Israel to fiber-optic cable; 4,000 international circuits (1998 est.); participant in Medarabtel

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

425,000 (1998)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

8 (in addition, there are approximately 42 repeaters and 1 TV receive-only satellite link) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

350,000 (1992 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.8 billion expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $672 million (1999 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

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

$7.5 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$1.097 billion (1995); note?received $320 million from ODA in 1998 (est.)

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. A preliminary agreement with the IMF in early 1999 will provide new loans over the next three years. Sluggish growth, along with debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental ongoing economic problems.

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

5.52 billion kWh (1996)

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

0 kWh (1996)

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

0 kWh (1996)

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

5.52 billion kWh (1996)

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

fossil fuel: 99.64% hydro: 0.36% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1--0.7090 (January 1999-1996), 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]

$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

Iraq, India, Saudi Arabia, EU, Indonesia, UAE, Syria, Ethiopia

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity--$15.5 billion (1998 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?$3,500 (1998 est.)

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

2.2% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 34.7% (1991)

Imports [time series]

$3.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

EU, Iraq, US, Japan, Turkey, Malaysia, Syria, China

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-3.4% (1996)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.15 million note: in addition, there are 300,000 foreign workers (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

industry 11.4%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 10.5%, construction 10%, transport and communications 8.7%, agriculture 7.4%, other services 52% (1992)

Population below poverty line [time series]

30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% official rate; note--actual rate is 25%-30% (1998 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

Capital [time series]

Amman

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 William BURNS embassy: Jabel Amman, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Marwan Jamil MUASHIR chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King ABDULLAH II (since 7 February 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Fayez TARAWNEH (since 20 August 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, 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 monarch 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 monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held

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 Ishaq al-FARHAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Arab Constitutional MAJALI, secretary general]; National Democratic Public Movement 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]

$608.9 million (FY 98)

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

7.8% (1997)

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

males age 15-49: 1,113,998 (1999 est.)

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

males age 15-49: 793,002 (1999 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: 49,954 (1999 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (male 1,005,211; female 954,968) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,265,116; female 1,200,372) 65 years and over: 3% (male 67,852; female 67,628) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

34.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.85 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

32.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.06 years male: 71.15 years female: 75.08 years (1999 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]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

4,561,147 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.05% (1999 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 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.64 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

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

none

Transportation

Airports [time series]

17 (1998 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 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

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

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 8,000 km paved: 8,000 km unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 42,746 GRT/59,100 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 2, container 1, livestock carrier 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 209 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Al 'Aqabah

Railways [time series]

total: 677 km narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge; note--an additional 110 km stretch of the old Hejaz railroad is out of use (1998 est.)