Jordan

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

8 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios

1.66 million (1997)

Telephone system

service has improved recently with the 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 is made of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available international: 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 - main lines in use

402,600 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

75,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

8 (plus approximately 42 repeaters and 1 TV receive-only satellite link) (1999)

Televisions

500,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.8 billion expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Currency

1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

Debt - external

$8.4 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $850 million (1996 est.)

Economy - overview

Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. The Persian Gulf crisis, which began in August 1990, 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. After averaging 9% in 1992-95, GDP growth averaged only 2% during 1996-99. In an attempt to spur growth, King ABDALLAH has undertaken limited economic reform, including partial privatization of some state owned enterprises and Jordan's entry in January 2000 into the World Trade Organization (WTrO). Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental ongoing economic problems.

Electricity - consumption

6.102 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

2 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

450 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

6.08 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 99.51% hydro: 0.49% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.7090 (January 2000-1996), 0.7005 (1995) note: since May 1989, the dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies

Exports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures

Exports - partners

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $16 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3% industry: 25% services: 72% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$3.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Germany, Iraq, US, Japan, UK, Italy, Turkey, Malaysia, Syria, China

Industrial production growth rate

-3.4% (1996)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.15 million note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (1999 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate

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

Coastline

26 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Irrigated land

630 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

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

Location

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Terrain

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

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

Capital

Amman

Constitution

8 January 1952

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

Data code

JO

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador William BURNS embassy: Abdoum, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 5920101 FAX: [962] (6) 5927712

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Marwan Jamil MUASHER chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Executive branch

chief of state: King ABDALLAH bin al Hussein (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH bin al Hussein (half brother of the King, born 29 March 1980) head of government: Prime Minister Abdur-Rauf RAWABDEH (since 4 March 1999) 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 description

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

constitutional monarchy

Independence

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

International organization participation

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, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

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

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

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Political parties and leaders

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]; Democratic Party of the Left [Musa MA'AITAH, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Abd-al-Latif ARABIYAT, secretary general]; Jordanian Arab Constitutional Front Party [Milhem TELL, secretary general]; Jordanian Arab New Dawn Party [leader NA]; 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 or HASHD [Salem NAHHAS, secretary general]; Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party [Suleiman 'ARAR, secretary general]; National Action Party or 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]; The Generations [Hamad al-KHALAYLA, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Council of Professional Association Presidents [Ahmad al-QADIRI, chairman]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Background

For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-1999). 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, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel.

Military branches

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

$608.9 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

7.8% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,399,138 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 993,730 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 55,742 (2000 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38% (male 968,579; female 925,987) 15-64 years: 59% (male 1,568,615; female 1,374,303) 65 years and over: 3% (male 79,748; female 81,332) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

26.24 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

2.63 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Infant mortality rate

21.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.36 years male: 74.94 years female: 79.93 years (2000 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

Net migration rate

7.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

4,998,564 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.1% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.44 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

20 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 16 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

total: 8,000 km paved: 8,000 km unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.)

Merchant marine

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 1 (1999 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use

Ports and harbors

Al 'Aqabah

Railways

total: 677 km narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge (2000)