Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
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Geographic coordinates:
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31 00 N, 36 00 E
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Map references:
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Middle East
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Area:
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total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km
water: 329 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Indiana
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
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Coastline:
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26 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
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Climate:
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mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
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Terrain:
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mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
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Natural resources:
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phosphates, potash, shale oil
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Land use:
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arable land: 3.32%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 95.5% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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750 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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0.9 cu km (1997)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 1.01 cu km/yr (21%/4%/75%)
per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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droughts; periodic earthquakes
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Environment - current issues:
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limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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6,342,948 (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure:
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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.)
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Median age:
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total: 24.3 years
male: 25 years
female: 23.6 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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2.264% (2009 est.)
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Birth rate:
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19.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Death rate:
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2.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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5.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Urbanization:
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urban population: 78% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 14.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.87 years
male: 76.34 years
female: 81.56 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.39 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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600 (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian
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Ethnic groups:
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Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
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Religions:
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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.)
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Languages:
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Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.9%
male: 95.1%
female: 84.7% (2003 est.)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
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total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2006)
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Education expenditures:
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4.9% of GDP (1999)
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Country name:
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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
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy
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Capital:
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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
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Administrative divisions:
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12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
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Independence:
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25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
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Constitution:
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1 January 1952; amended many times
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II, is considered to be first in line to inherit the throne
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
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Legislative branch:
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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
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Cassation (Supreme Court)
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Political parties and leaders:
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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 [Zaki Beni-IRSHAID]; 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];
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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]
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International organization participation:
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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
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$30.76 billion (2008 est.)
$29.07 billion (2007)
$27.42 billion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$19.12 billion (2008 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.8% (2008 est.)
6% (2007 est.)
6.3% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$5,000 (2008 est.)
$4,800 (2007 est.)
$4,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 10.1%
services: 86.3% (2008 est.)
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Labor force:
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1.615 million (2008 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 20%
services: 77.4% (2001 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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12.9% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2008 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 30.6% (2003)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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39.7 (2007)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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34.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $5.999 billion
expenditures: $7.87 billion (2008 est.)
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Public debt:
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58.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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14.9% (2008 est.)
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Central bank discount rate:
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6.25% (31 December 2008)
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Commercial bank prime lending rate:
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8.45% (31 December 2008)
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Stock of money:
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$7.87 billion (31 December 2008)
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Stock of quasi money:
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$17.98 billion (31 December 2008)
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Stock of domestic credit:
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$25.05 billion (31 December 2008)
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$35.8 billion (31 December 2008)
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Agriculture - products:
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citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives; sheep, poultry, stone fruits, strawberries, dairy
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Industries:
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clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1.8% (2008 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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10.08 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
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9.852 billion kWh (2006 est.)
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Electricity - exports:
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13 million kWh (2006 est.)
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Electricity - imports:
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472 million kWh (2006 est.)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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110,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - imports:
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112,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
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320 million cu m (2006 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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2.25 billion cu m (2006 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2007 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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2.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
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Current account balance:
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-$4.87 billion (2008 est.)
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Exports:
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$6.521 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables, pharmaceuticals
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Exports - partners:
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US 22.4%, Iraq 12.9%, India 8.3%, UAE 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, Syria 4.9% (2007)
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Imports:
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$15.65 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, iron, cereals
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Imports - partners:
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Saudi Arabia 21%, China 9.7%, Germany 7.5%, US 4.7%, Egypt 4.4% (2007)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$7.884 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$6.597 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
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$20.38 billion (2008 est.)
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Exchange rates:
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Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2008 est.), 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004)
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Airports:
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17 (2008)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 15
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2008)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2008)
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Heliports:
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1 (2007)
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Pipelines:
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gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2008)
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Railways:
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total: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2006)
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Roadways:
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total: 7,694 km
paved: 7,694 km (2006)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 21
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)
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Ports and terminals:
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Al 'Aqabah
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Military branches:
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Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force, 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)
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Military service age and obligation:
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17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions (2004)
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 16-49: 1,812,551
females age 16-49: 1,559,155 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 1,593,919
females age 16-49: 1,382,097 (2009 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
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male: 69,830
female: 67,292 (2009 est.)
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Military expenditures:
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8.6% of GDP (2006)
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Disputes - international:
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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
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 1,835,704 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)); 500,000 (Iraq)
IDPs: 160,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2007)
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Trafficking in persons:
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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)
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This page was last updated on 14 May 2009
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