| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Middle East |
| Geographical Location |
31° 00' North Latitude
36° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
92,300 sq km |
| Climate |
Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) |
| Natural Resources |
Phosphates, potash, shale oil |
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| Political Information |
 |
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| Country Name |
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan |
| Capital City |
'Amman |
| Government Type |
Constitutional monarchy |
| 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 Day |
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
5,759,732 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Jordanian |
| Ethnic Groups |
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% |
| Religion |
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.) |
| Languages |
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes |
| Population Growth Rate |
2.56% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Jordanian dinar (JOD) |
| Industries |
Phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism |
| Labor Force |
1.41 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture Products |
Wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry |
| Export Commodities |
Clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables, manufactures, pharmaceuticals |
| Export Partners |
US 25.8%, Iraq 18.4%, India 6.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.2% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods |
| Import Partners |
Saudi Arabia 19.9%, China 8.4%, Germany 6.8%, US 6.7% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
505 km |
| Highways |
7,301 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004) |
| Airports |
17 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Al 'Aqabah |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+962 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.jo |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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 goernment's achievements to respect political and human rights and improve living standards. |
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