ARCHIVE // JO // 2016

Jordan

2016 Edition — sovereign

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2016 CSV Excel Print All Years
Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
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 (2007)
Internet country code [time series]
.jo
Internet users [time series]
total: 4.335 million | percent of population: 53.4% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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 up to 170 per 100 persons | 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 (2015)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 368,938 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 13.798 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 170 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, strawberries, stone fruits; sheep, poultry, dairy
Budget [time series]
revenues: $8.324 billion | expenditures: $10.88 billion (2015 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-6.8% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189
Central bank discount rate [time series]
0.3% (31 December 2010) | 4.75% (31 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 131
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
8.24% (31 December 2015 est.) | 8.84% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102
Current account balance [time series]
-$3.299 billion (2015 est.) | -$2.362 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 162
Debt - external [time series]
$25.16 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $24.26 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
39.7 (2007) | 36.4 (1997) | country comparison to the world: 64
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 and underemployment, budget and current account deficits, and government debt. | King ABDALLAH, during the first decade of the 2000s, implemented significant economic reforms, such as expanding foreign trade and privatizing state-owned companies that attracted foreign investment and contributed to average annual economic growth of 8% for 2004 through 2008. The global economic slowdown and regional turmoil contributed to slower growth from 2010 to 2014 - with growth averaging 2.8% per year - and hurt export-oriented sectors, construction, and tourism. Through 2014, Jordan's finances were strained by a series of natural gas pipeline attacks in Egypt, disrupting natural gas exports to Jordan, and led Jordan to rely on more expensive diesel imports, primarily from Saudi Arabia, to generate electricity. | To diversify its energy mix, Jordan has secured several contracts for liquefied natural gas and is currently exploring nuclear power generation, exploitation of abundant oil shale reserves and renewable technologies, as well as the import of Israeli offshore gas. In August 2015, Jordan completed a $2.1 billion, three-year IMF Stand-By Arrangement, which the government had entered to help correct budgetary and balance of payments imbalances. Jordan plans to expand on its fiscal reform measures enacted over the previous few years with a follow-on IMF agreement in 2016 to boost government revenues, reduce the budget deficit, and manage its burgeoning debt, brought on in part by an influx of over 650,000 Syrian refugees since 2011, which put additional pressure on expenditures.
Exchange rates [time series]
Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - | 0.71 (2015 est.) | 0.71 (2014 est.) | 0.71 (2013 est.) | 0.709 (2012 est.) | 0.709 (2011 est.)
Exports [time series]
$7.829 billion (2015 est.) | $8.385 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99
Exports - commodities [time series]
textiles, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables, pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners [time series]
US 21%, Saudi Arabia 16.5%, Iraq 10.3%, India 8.7%, UAE 4.8%, Kuwait 4.4% (2015)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$37.62 billion (2015 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$82.73 billion (2015 est.) | $80.71 billion (2014 est.) | $78.28 billion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 89
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 82% | government consumption: 19.8% | investment in fixed capital: 22.5% | investment in inventories: 2.3% | exports of goods and services: 35.6% | imports of goods and services: -62.2% (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 4.2% | industry: 29.6% | services: 66.2% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$12,100 (2015 est.) | $12,100 (2014 est.) | $12,000 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 134
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
2.5% (2015 est.) | 3.1% (2014 est.) | 2.8% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125
Gross national saving [time series]
15.8% of GDP (2015 est.) | 18.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | 16.8% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 3.4% | highest 10%: 28.7% (2010 est.)
Imports [time series]
$18.04 billion (2015 est.) | $20.35 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77
Imports - commodities [time series]
crude oil, refined petroleum products, machinery, transport equipment, iron, cereals
Imports - partners [time series]
Saudi Arabia 15.4%, China 12.8%, US 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, UAE 4.2% (2015)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
2.2% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94
Industries [time series]
tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
-0.9% (2015 est.) | 2.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22
Labor force [time series]
2.055 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 2% | industry: 20% | services: 78% (2013 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$27 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $27.18 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $30.86 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63
Population below poverty line [time series]
14.2% (2002 est.)
Public debt [time series]
85.5% of GDP (2015 est.) | 80.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | note: data cover central government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury, and 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 | country comparison to the world: 26
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$16.57 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $16.04 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62
Stock of broad money [time series]
$43.64 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $41.18 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$609.3 million (31 December 2015 est.) | $608.3 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$29.96 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $28.71 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$39.57 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $38.04 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$13.92 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $13 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
22.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143
Unemployment rate [time series]
13.1% (2015 est.) | 11.9% (2014 est.) | note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% | country comparison to the world: 144
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
19 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86
Crude oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143
Crude oil - imports [time series]
62,220 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53
Crude oil - production [time series]
22 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
1 million bbl (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 98
Electricity - consumption [time series]
16 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79
Electricity - exports [time series]
64 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
99.6% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 44
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
0.3% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
0.1% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123
Electricity - imports [time series]
400 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
4.2 million kW (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92
Electricity - production [time series]
17 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83
Electricity access [time series]
population without electricity: 40,926 | electrification - total population: 99.5% | electrification - urban areas: 99% | electrification - rural areas: 99.4% (2012)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
499 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124
Natural gas - imports [time series]
300 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - production [time series]
199 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 88
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
146,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
70,890 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
67,760 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 89,342 sq km | land: 88,802 sq km | water: 540 sq km | country comparison to the world: 112
Area - comparative [time series]
about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Indiana
Climate [time series]
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Coastline [time series]
26 km
Elevation [time series]
mean elevation: 812 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m | highest point: Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
limited natural freshwater 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]
964 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 1,744 km | border countries (5): Iraq 179 km, Israel 307 km, Saudi Arabia 731 km, Syria 379 km, West Bank 148 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 11.4% | arable land 2%; permanent crops 1%; permanent pasture 8.4% | forest: 1.1% | other: 87.5% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq
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
Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]
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
Terrain [time series]
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates eastern and western banks of the Jordan River
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); 'Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Al'Asimah, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Ma'daba
Capital [time series]
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 last Friday in March; ends last Friday in October
Citizenship [time series]
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 | Citizenship
Constitution [time series]
previous 1928 (preindependence); latest initially adopted 28 November 1947, revised and ratified 1 January 1952; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)
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 | etymology: named for the Jordan River, which makes up part of Jordan's northwest border
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Alice G. WELLS (since 31 August 2014) | 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
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Dina Khalil Tawiq KAWAR (since 27 June 2016) | 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); Crown Prince HUSSEIN (born 28 June 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II | head of government: Prime Minister Hani MULKI (since 1 June 2016) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch | elections/appointments: the monarchy 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]
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independence [time series]
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (consists of 15 judges including the chief justice; 7-judge panels for important cases and 5 judge panels for most appeals cases); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members including the court chairman) | 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 policy-making body consisting of high-level judicial officials and judges, and approved by the king; judge tenure NA; 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; Major Felonies Court; Courts of First Instance; Magistrate Courts; religious courts; state security courts
Legal system [time series]
mixed system developed from codes instituted by the Ottoman Empire (based on French law), British common law, and Islamic law
Legislative branch [time series]
description: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, or the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (60 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (130 seats; 115 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote and 15 seats for women; 12 of the 115 seats reserved for Christian, Chechen, and Circassian candidates; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 20 September 2016 (next to be held in 2020) | election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
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 holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
National symbol(s) [time series]
eagle; national colors: black, white, green, red
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Ahl al-Himma | Al-Bayyan | Al-Hayah Jordanian Party [Zahier AMR] | Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party [Akram al-HIMSI] | Ba'ath Arab Progressive Party [Fuad DABBOUR] | Citizenship | Construction | Cooperation | Dawn | Democratic People's Party [Ablah ABU ULBAH] | Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DIAB] | Dignity | Du'a Party [Muhammed ABU BAKR] | Free Voice | 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] | Labor and Trade | Muslim Center Party [Haitham ALAMAERAH] | Nation | National Accord Youth Block | National Action | National Constitution Party [Ahmad al-SHUNAQ] | National Current Party [Abd al-Hadi al-MAJALI] | National Movement for Direct Democracy [Muhammad al-QAQ] | National Union | National Unity | Nobel Jerusalem | Risalah Party [Hazem QASHOU] | Salvation | Stronger Jordan | The Direct Democratic Nationalists Movement Party [Nash'at KHALIFAH] | The Homeland (Hizb Al-Watan) | The People | Unified Front | United Front | Voice of the Nation; qtgan
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
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
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Following 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. Britain demarcated a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s. The area gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country's long-time ruler, King HUSSEIN (1953-99), 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 Six-Day War. King HUSSEIN in 1988 permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank; 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 1999. He implemented modest political and economic reforms, but in the wake of the 2011 "Arab Revolution" across the Middle East, Jordanians continue to press for further political liberalization, government reforms, and economic improvements. Jordan held a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2014-15 term.
Military and Security
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
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 expenditures [time series]
4.65% of GDP (2012) | 4.64% of GDP (2011) | 4.65% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 7
Military service age and obligation [time series]
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)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 35.04% (male 1,470,865/female 1,397,057) | 15-24 years: 20.12% (male 842,202/female 804,557) | 25-54 years: 36.44% (male 1,491,855/female 1,491,302) | 55-64 years: 4.46% (male 177,720/female 187,181) | 65 years and over: 3.94% (male 151,071/female 171,574) (2016 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
25.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
3% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 114
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
61.2% (2012)
Death rate [time series]
3.8 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 64.8% | youth dependency ratio: 58.5% | elderly dependency ratio: 6.2% | potential support ratio: 16% (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 97.8% of population | rural: 92.3% of population | total: 96.9% of population | urban: 2.2% of population | rural: 7.7% of population | total: 3.1% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
7.5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 25
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 15.5 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104
Languages [time series]
Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 74.6 years | male: 73.2 years | female: 76.1 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 95.4% | male: 97.7% | female: 92.9% (2015 est.)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
AMMAN (capital) 1.155 million (2015)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
58 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Median age [time series]
total: 22.3 years | male: 21.9 years | female: 22.7 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
24.7 | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2012 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Jordanian(s) | adjective: Jordanian
Net migration rate [time series]
-13.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 218
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
28.1% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 28
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
2.56 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
Population [time series]
8,185,384 | note: increased estimate reflects revised assumptions about the net migration rate due to the increased flow of Syrian refugees (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Population distribution [time series]
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
Population growth rate [time series]
0.83% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 132
Religions [time series]
Muslim 97.2% (official; predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.2% (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 religionist <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1, other <0.1 (2010 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 98.6% of population | rural: 98.9% of population | total: 98.6% of population | urban: 1.4% of population | rural: 1.1% of population | total: 1.4% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 13 years | male: 12 years | female: 13 years (2012)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female | total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.18 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 29.3% | male: 25.2% | female: 48.8% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 83.7% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 3.79% annual rate of change (2010-15 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): 2,117,361 (Palestinian refugees) (2015); 655,833 (Syria); 59,196 (Iraq) (2016)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
18 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 140
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
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 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 2 | under 914 m: 2 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
JY (2016)
Heliports [time series]
1 (2012)
Merchant marine [time series]
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) | country comparison to the world: 106
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 7 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 40 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,065,145 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 169.105 million mt-km (2015)
Pipelines [time series]
gas 473 km; oil 49 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Al 'Aqabah
Railways [time series]
total: 507 km | narrow gauge: 507 km 1.050-m gauge (2008) | country comparison to the world: 114
Roadways [time series]
total: 7,203 km | paved: 7,203 km (2011) | country comparison to the world: 144