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 defeated Palestinian rebels who attempted 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 King HUSSEIN's eldest son assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then he has consolidated his power and implemented some economic and political reforms. 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 last held in November 2010 and saw independent pro-government candidates win the vast majority of seats. Beginning in January 2011 in the wake of unrest in Tunisia and Egypt as many as several thousand Jordanians staged weekly demonstrations and marches in Amman and other cities throughout Jordan to push for political reforms and protest government corruption rising prices rampant poverty and high unemployment. In response King ABDALLAH replaced his prime minister and formed two commissions - one to propose specific reforms to Jordan's electoral and political parties laws and the other to consider limited constitutional amendments. In a televised speech in June the King announced plans to work toward transferring authority for appointing future prime ministers and cabinet ministers to parliament; in a subsequent announcement he outlined a revised political parties law intended to encourage greater political participation. Protesters and opposition elements generally acknowledged those measures as steps in the right direction but many continue to push for greater limits on the King's authority and to fight against government corruption. In September a royal decree approved constitutional amendments passed by the Parliament aimed at strengthening a more independent judiciary and establishing a constitutional court and independent election commission to oversee the next municipal and parliamentary elections slated for April 2012 and fall 2012 respectively. King ABDALLAH in October 2011 dissolved the Jordanian parliament and replaced the prime minister in response to widespread public dissatisfaction with government performance and escalating criticism of the premier because of public concerns over his reported involvement in corruption.

Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N 36 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 89,342 km²
Rank: 112
Land: 88,802 km²
Water: 540 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries
Total: 1635 km
Border countries: (5) Iraq 181 km; Israel 238 km; Saudi Arabia 744 km; Syria 375 km; West Bank 97 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 3 nm

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

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
Extremes highest point: Jabal Umm ad Dami 1854 m

Natural resources: phosphates potash shale oil

Land use
Arable land: 3.32%
Permanent crops: 1.18%
Other: 95.5% (2005)

Irrigated land: 820 km² (2008)

Total renewable water resources: 0.9 km³ (1997)

Natural hazards: droughts; periodic earthquakes

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

Population: 6,508,271 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 103
Growth rate: 0.984% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 116
Below poverty line: 14.2% (2002)

Nationality
Noun: Jordanian
Adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98% Circassian 1% Armenian 1%

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

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92% (official) 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.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 35.3%
15-64 years: 59.9% (male 1,977,075/female 1,921,504)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 153,918/female 160,646) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 22.1 years
Male: 21.8 years
Female: 22.4 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.984% (2011 est.)
Rank: 116

Birth rate: 26.79 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 50

Death rate: 2.69 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 219

Net migration rate: -14.26 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 215

Urbanization
Urban population: 79% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 16.42 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 107
Male: 16.98 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 15.83 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.05 years
Rank: 29
Male: 78.73 years
Female: 81.45 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.39 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 49

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 2.45 physicians/1000 population (2009)
Rank: 55

Hospital bed density: 1.8 beds/1000 population (2009)
Rank: 110

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 133
People living with hivaids: 600 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 149
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 88

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 19.5% (2004)
Rank: 23

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 89.9%
Male: 95.1%
Female: 84.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 13 years (2008)

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

Government type: constitutional monarchy

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 first Friday in April; ends last Friday in October

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

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

National holiday: Independence Day 25 May (1946)

Constitution: 1 January 1952; amended many times

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic religious law; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King ABDALLAH II ; Crown Prince HUSSEIN (born 28 June 1994) eldest son of King ABDALLAH II
Head of government: Prime Minister Awn Shawkat al-KHASAWNAH (since 24 October 2011)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate also called the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (60 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 (120 seats; members elected using a single non-transferable vote system in multi-member districts to serve four-year terms); note - the new electoral law enacted in May 2010 allocated an additional 10 seats (6 seats added to the number reserved for women bringing the total to 12; 2 additional seats for Amman; and 1 seat each for the cities of Zarqa and Irbid; unchanged are 9 seats reserved for Christian candidates 9 for Bedouin candidates and 3 for Jordanians of Chechen or Circassian descent
Elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 9 November 2010 (next scheduled in 2012); note - the King dissolved the previous Chamber of Deputies in November 2009 midway through the parliamentary term
Election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents and other 120 (includes 12 seats filled by women's quota and 1 woman was directly elected); note - the IAF boycotted the election

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation (Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party [Akram al-HIMSI]; Ba'ath Arab Progressive Party [Fuad DABBOUR]; Call Party [Muhammed ABU BAKR]; Democratic People's Party [Ablah ABU]; Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DIAB]; Islamic Action Front or IAF [Hamzah MANSOUR]; Islamic Center Party [Marwan al-FA'URI; Jordanian Communist Party [Munir HAMARNAH]; Jordanian National Party [Muna ABU BAKR]; Jordanian United Front [Amjad al-MAJALI]; Life Party [Zahier AMR]; Message Party [Hazem QASHOU]; National Constitution Party [Ahmad al-SHUNAQ]; National Current Party [Abd al-Hadi al-MAJALI]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Muhammad al-QAQ]

International organization participation: ABEDA AFESD AMF CAEU CICA FAO G-11 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC LAS MIGA MINURSO MINUSTAH MONUSCO NAM OIC OPCW OSCE (partner) PCA UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNISFA UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNRWA UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Alia Hatough BOURAN
In the us chancery: 3,504 International Drive NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 966-2,664
In the us fax: [1] (202) 966-3,110
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart E. JONES
From the us embassy: Abdoun Amman
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 354 Amman 11,118 Jordan; Unit 70,200 Box 5 DPO AE 9,892-0200
From the us telephone: [962] (6) 590-6,000
From the us fax: [962] (6) 592-0121

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

National symbols: eagle

National anthem
Name: 'As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni'
Lyricsmusic: 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

Economy overview: 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 inflation and a large budget deficit. Since assuming the throne in 1999 King ABDALLAH has implemented significant economic reforms such as opening the trade regime privatizing state-owned companies and eliminating most fuel subsidies which in the past few years have spurred economic growth by attracting foreign investment and creating some jobs. The global economic slowdown however has depressed Jordan's GDP growth. Export-oriented sectors such as manufacturing mining and the transport of re-exports have been hit the hardest. The Government approved two supplementary budgets in 2010 but sweeping tax cuts planned for 2010 did not materialize because of Amman's need for additional revenue to cover excess spending. The budget deficit is likely to remain high at 5-6% of GDP and Amman likely will continue to depend heavily on foreign assistance to finance the deficit in 2011. Jordan's financial sector has been relatively isolated from the international financial crisis because of its limited exposure to overseas capital markets. Jordan is currently exploring nuclear power generation to forestall energy shortfalls.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 103
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 122

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 143
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.4%
Industry: 30.3%
Services: 65.3% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: citrus tomatoes cucumbers olives strawberries stone fruits; sheep poultry dairy

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

Industrial production growth rate: -3.1% (2010 est.)
Rank: 157

Labor force: 1.719 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 125
By occupation agriculture: 2.7%
By occupation industry: 20%
By occupation services: 77.4% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 12.9% (2009 est.)
Rank: 132
Note: official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30%

Population below poverty line: 14.2% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3%
Highest 10: 30.7% (2006)

Distribution of family income gini index: 36.4 (1997)
Rank: 65

Budget
Revenues: $6.008 billion
Expenditures: $8.051 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -7.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 178

Taxes and other revenues: 21.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 141

Public debt: 59.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 31

Inflation rate consumer prices: -0.7% (2009 est.)
Rank: 150

Central bank discount rate: 4.75% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 80

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 116

Stock of narrow money: $8.518 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 74

Stock of broad money: $33.38 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 72

Stock of domestic credit: $25.14 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 71

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 56

Current account balance: -$1.27 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 132

Exports: $6.366 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 101
Commodities: clothing fertilizers potash phosphates vegetables pharmaceuticals
Partners: US 15.6% Iraq 15.4% India 13.2% Saudi Arabia 10.6% UAE 4.3% Syria 4% (2010)

Imports: $12.5 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 81
Commodities: crude oil machinery transport equipment iron cereals
Partners: Saudi Arabia 19.8% China 10.8% Germany 6.1% US 5.6% Egypt 4.5% South Korea 4.2% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $12.14 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 65

Debt external: $7.301 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 79

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $18.89 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 68

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 13.01 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 83
Consumption: 11.3 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 84
Exports: 323 million kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 224 million kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 250 million m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 75
Consumption: 3.1 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 72
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 121
Imports: 2.85 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 40
Proven reserves: 6.031 billion m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 88

Telephones
Main lines in use: 485,000 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 99
Mobile cellular: 6.62 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 91

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; currently multiple mobile-cellular providers with subscribership rapidly approaching 100 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 (2010)

Broadcast media: 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 operational with JRTV operating the main government-owned station; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .jo
Hosts: 42,412 (2010)
Hosts rank: 92
Users: 1.642 million (2009)
Users rank: 78

Military expenditures: 8.6% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 4

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription for males at age 18 was suspended in 1999 but reinstated 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 (2010)

Airports: 18 (2010)
Rank: 139
With paved runways total: 16
With paved runways over 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2010)

Railways
Total: 507 km
Rank: 111
Narrow gauge: 507 km 1.050-m gauge (2010)

Roadways
Total: 7,891 km
Rank: 143
Paved: 7,891 km (2009)

Merchant marine
Total: 13
Rank: 107
By type: cargo 5 passenger/cargo 6 petroleum tanker 1 roll on/roll off 1
Foreign owned: 7 (UAE 7)
Registered in other countries: 20 (Bahamas 2 Egypt 2 Panama 13 Syria 2 unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Al 'Aqabah

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: 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)); 500,000 (Iraq)
Idps: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)