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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.jo

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

3,160 (2004)

Internet users [time series]

457,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

622,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1,325,300 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $3.483 billion expenditures: $3.616 billion, including capital expenditures of $782 million (2004 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Current account balance [time series]

$203.2 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$7.32 billion (2004 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

36.4 (1997)

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

ODA, $500 million (2004 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. 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 WTO (2000), a free trade accord with the US (2001), and an association agreement with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most of its oil from Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan more dependent on oil from other Gulf nations forcing the Jordanian government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promote job creation.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

7.094 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports [time series]

2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports [time series]

300 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production [time series]

7.307 billion kWh (2002)

Exchange rates [time series]

Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002), 0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000)

Exports [time series]

$3.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

US 28.9%, Iraq 17.6%, India 7.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.6% (2004)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

$25.5 billion (2004 est.)

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

agriculture: 2.4% industry: 26% services: 71.5% (2004 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2004 est.)

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

5.1% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$7.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

Saudi Arabia 19.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 6.8%, US 6.8% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5% (2004 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

11.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.41 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

3.256 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

103,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports [time series]

100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - production [time series]

40 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

30% (2001 est.)

Public debt [time series]

85.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$5.457 billion (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2004 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 92,300 sq km land: 91,971 sq km water: 329 sq km

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 1,734 m

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, 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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

750 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,635 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 1.83% other: 95.5% (2001)

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]

droughts; periodic earthquakes

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]

1 January 1952; amended 1974, 1976, 1984

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

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 Adnan BADRAN (since 7 April 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Marwan al-MUASHER and Hisham al-TEL (since 3 July 2005) 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), 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

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, 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

Judicial branch [time series]

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

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, 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 (IAF) 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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

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

Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional National Party [Ahmad al-SHUNNAQ, secretary general; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; Islamic al-Walsat Party [Marwan al-FAURI], secretary general; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman Jiryis HANNA, secretary general]; Muslim Centrist Party [leader NA]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Tariq al-KAYYALI, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary general]

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

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]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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 April 2005 declared they would build upon the previous government's achievements to respect political and human rights and improve living standards.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 17-49: 1,573,995 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 17-49: 1,348,076 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males: 60,625 (2005 est.)

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

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$1.46 billion (2004)

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

14.6% (2004)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 34.5% (male 1,015,084/female 973,220) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,897,643/female 1,656,570) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 106,168/female 111,047) (2005 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

21.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate [time series]

2.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

600 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 17.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 78.24 years male: 75.75 years female: 80.88 years (2005 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 95.9% female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 22.62 years male: 23.25 years female: 21.94 years (2005 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

Net migration rate [time series]

6.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population [time series]

5,759,732 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.56% (2005 est.)

Religions [time series]

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.)

Sex ratio [time series]

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 (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

17 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 7,301 km paved: 7,301 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 7, container 2, passenger/cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 12 (Greece 3, UAE 9) registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Al 'Aqabah

Railways [time series]

total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)