Jordan

Internet country code

.jo

Internet hosts

28,896 (2009) country comparison to the world: 92

Internet users

1.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 74

Radio broadcast stations

FM 31 (2007)

Telephone system

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; Internet penetration remains modest and slow-growing 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; mobile-cellular usage has increased and teledensity reached 85 per 100 persons in 2008 international: country code - 962; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe; 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 (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

519,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 95

Telephones - mobile cellular

5.314 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 84

Television broadcast stations

22 (2007)

Agriculture - products

citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives; sheep, poultry, stone fruits, strawberries, dairy

Budget

revenues: $5.67 billion expenditures: $7.66 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 7% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.03% (31 December 2008)

Current account balance

-$2.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 -$2.767 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$6.794 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 97 $8.133 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.7 (2007) country comparison to the world: 63 36.4 (1997)

Economy - overview

Jordan is a small Arab country with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources. Poverty, unemployment, and inflation are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH II, since assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Since Jordan's graduation from its most recent IMF program in 2002, Amman has continued to follow IMF guidelines, practicing careful monetary policy, making substantial headway with privatization, and opening the trade regime. Jordan's exports have significantly increased under the free trade accord with the US and Jordanian Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), which allow Jordan to export goods with some Israeli content duty free to the US. In 2006 and 2008, Jordan used privatization proceeds to significantly reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio. These measures have helped improve productivity and have made Jordan more attractive for foreign investment. The government ended subsidies for petroleum and other consumer goods in 2008 in an effort to control the budget. The main challenges facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing the growing budget deficit, attracting investments, and creating jobs. Jordan is currently exploring nuclear power generation to forestall energy shortfalls. Jordan's conservative banking sector has been largely protected from the worldwide financial crisis, but many businesses, particularly in the tourism and real estate sector, are predicting a slow-down in 2009.

Electricity - consumption

10.4 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - exports

176 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

200 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

12.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Exchange rates

Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2008 est.), 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004)

Exports

$7.782 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 $5.7 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables, pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners

India 16.2%, Iraq 16.1%, US 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, UAE 4.6% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$21.23 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$31.68 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103 $30 billion (2007 est.) $28.14 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3.6% industry: 29.9% services: 66.5% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,200 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $5,000 (2007 est.) $5,000 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 6.6% (2007 est.) 8% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 30.7% (2006)

Imports

$14.99 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 $12.02 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, iron, cereals

Imports - partners

Saudi Arabia 21.2%, China 10.4%, Germany 6%, US 4.6%, Egypt 4.5%, Ukraine 4.3% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

5.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 189 5.4% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

32.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Labor force

1.615 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 2.7% industry: 20% services: 77.4% (2001 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$35.85 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 $41.22 billion (31 December 2007) $29.73 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

2.97 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - imports

2.72 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - production

250 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - proved reserves

6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Oil - consumption

108,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - imports

108,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Oil - proved reserves

1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Population below poverty line

14.2% (2002)

Public debt

62.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 85.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.918 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $7.929 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$16.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 66 $14.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$25.05 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 $19.53 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$NA (31 December 2008) $6.765 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$17.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 43 $15.38 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

12.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 13.5% (2007 est.) note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30%

Area

total: 89,342 sq km country comparison to the world: 111 land: 88,802 sq km water: 540 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, 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.01 cu km/yr (21%/4%/75%) per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

31 00 N, 36 00 E

Geography - note

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

750 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

arable land: 3.32% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 95.5% (2005)

Location

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards

droughts; periodic earthquakes

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

Total renewable water resources

0.9 cu km (1997)

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

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 Thursday in March; ends last Friday in September

Constitution

1 January 1952; amended many times

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. BEECROFT embassy: Abdoun, 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) 592-0121

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador ZEID Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, Prince 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 II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HUSSEIN (born 28 June 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II head of government: Prime Minister Nader al-DAHABI (since 25 November 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch elections: the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Flag description

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

constitutional monarchy

Independence

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

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation (Supreme Court)

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, also called the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (55 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected using a single, non-transferable vote system in multi-member districts to serve four-year terms); note - six seats are reserved for women, nine seats are reserved for Christian candidates, nine seats are reserved for Bedouin candidates, and three seats are reserved for Jordanians of Chechen or Circassian descent elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 November 2007 (next scheduled to be held in 2011) election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IAF 6, independents and other 104; note - seven women serve in the Assembly, six of whom filled women's quota seats and one was directly elected

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Political parties and leaders

Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party [Fuad DABBOUR]; Ba'ath Arab Progressive Party [Tayseer al-HAMSI]; Call Party [Mohammed Abu BAKR]; Democratic People's Party [Ahmad Yusuf 'ALIYA]; Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'ed DIAB]; Islamic Action Front or IAF [Ishaq al-FARHAN]; Islamic Center Party [Marwan al-FA'OURI; Jordanian Communist Party [Munir HAMARNEH]; Jordanian National Party [Mona Abu BAKR]; Jordanian United Front [Amjad al-MAJALI]; Life Party [Thaher 'AMROU]; Message Party [Hazem QASHOU]; National Constitution Party [Ahmed al-SHUNAQ]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Mohammed al-QAQ];

Political pressure groups and leaders

Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Saleh al-ARMUTI, chairman]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood [Dr. Hamam SAID, controller general]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the UK received a mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain separated out a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in the early 1920s, and the area gained its independence in 1946; it adopted the name of Jordan in 1950. The country's long-time ruler was King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic leader, he 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 war and barely managed to defeat Palestinian rebels who threatened to overthrow the monarchy in 1970. King HUSSEIN in 1988 permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank. In 1989, he reinstituted parliamentary elections and initiated a gradual political liberalization; political parties were legalized in 1992. In 1994, he signed a peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, 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. In 2003, Jordan staunchly supported the Coalition ouster of Saddam in Iraq and following the outbreak of insurgent violence in Iraq, absorbed thousands of displaced Iraqis. Municipal elections were held in July 2007 under a system in which 20% of seats in all municipal councils were reserved by quota for women. Parliamentary elections were held in November 2007 and saw independent pro-government candidates win the vast majority of seats. In November 2007, King ABDALLAH instructed his new prime minister to focus on socioeconomic reform, developing a healthcare and housing network for civilians and military personnel, and improving the educational system.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,812,551 females age 16-49: 1,559,155 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,593,919 females age 16-49: 1,382,097 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 69,830 female: 67,292 (2009 est.)

Military branches

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) (2008)

Military expenditures

8.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 5

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service; male conscription at age 18 - suspended in 1999 - resurrected in July 2007 in order to provide youth training necessary for job market needs; all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps (2009)

Age structure

0-14 years: 31.3% (male 1,014,183/female 973,538) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 2,183,638/female 1,904,420) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 128,759/female 138,410) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

19.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Death rate

2.75 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Education expenditures

4.9% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 77

Ethnic groups

Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 500 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Infant mortality rate

total: 14.97 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 128 male: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.87 years country comparison to the world: 38 male: 76.34 years female: 81.56 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.9% male: 95.1% female: 84.7% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 24.3 years male: 25 years female: 23.6 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

Net migration rate

5.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Population

6,342,948 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Population growth rate

2.264% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Religions

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 Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2006)

Sex ratio

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: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.39 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Urbanization

urban population: 78% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan; 2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)); 500,000 (Iraq) IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Jordan is a destination and transit country for women and men from South and Southeast Asia trafficked for the purpose of forced labor; Jordan is also a destination for women from Eastern Europe and Morocco for prostitution; women from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines migrate willingly to work as domestic servants, but some are subjected to conditions of forced labor, including unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Jordan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of law enforcement against trafficking for forced labor; the government made minimal efforts to investigate or prosecute numerous allegations related to exploitation of foreign domestic workers; Jordan failed for a second year to criminally prosecute and punish those who committed acts of forced labor; Jordan also continues to lack victim protection services; Jordan has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Airports

17 (2009) country comparison to the world: 142

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports

1 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 21 country comparison to the world: 97 by type: cargo 8, container 1, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 13 (UAE 13) registered in other countries: 24 (Algeria 7, Bahamas 2, Panama 13, Syria 2) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Al 'Aqabah

Railways

total: 507 km country comparison to the world: 115 narrow gauge: 507 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 8,002 km country comparison to the world: 141 paved: 8,002 km (2007)