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@Jordan
Introduction
Jordan
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, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he
reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political
liberalization; 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.
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.
Geography
Jordan
Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km
water: 329 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana
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
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
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
Natural resources:
phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use:
arable land: 3.32%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 95.5% (2005)
Irrigated land:
750 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.9 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.01 cu km/yr (21%/4%/75%)
per capita: 177 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
droughts; periodic earthquakes
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
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
People
Jordan
Population:
6,198,677 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.2% (male 1,017,233/female 976,284)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,110,293/female 1,840,531)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 122,975/female 131,361) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.9 years
male: 24.6 years
female: 23.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.338% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.13 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
2.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.71 years
male: 76.19 years
female: 81.39 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.47 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian
Ethnic groups:
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
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.)
Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle
classes
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 (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (1999)
Government
Jordan
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 last Thursday in March; ends last
Friday in September
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:
based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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
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 from designated categories
of public figures to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of
Deputies, also called the House of Representatives or Majlis
al-Nuwaab (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six
seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
electoral panel if no women are elected)
elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 20 November 2007 (next to
be held in 2011)
election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
IAF 5.5 %, independents and other 94.5%; seats by party - IAF 6,
independents and other 104; note - seven women will serve in the
next Assembly - six of whom filled women's quota seats and one was
directly elected
Judicial branch:
Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Political parties and leaders:
al-Ahd Party; Arab Islamic Democratic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR];
Arab Land Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN]; Arab Socialist Ba'th
Party [Taysir al-HIMSI]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Fu'ad
DABBUR]; Freedom Party; Future Party; Islamic Action Front or IAF
[Zaki Sa'ed BANI IRSHEID]; Islamic Center Party [Marwan al-FAURI];
Jordanian Arab Ansar Party; Jordanian Arab New Dawn Party; Jordanian
Arab Party; Jordanian Citizens' Rights Movement; Jordanian Communist
Party [Munir HAMARINAH]; Jordanian Communist Workers Party;
Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH]; Jordanian
Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA]; Jordanian
Generations Party [Muhammad KHALAYLEH]; Jordanian Green Party
[Muhammad BATAYNEH]; Jordanian Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman
Jiryis HANNA]; Jordanian Peace Party; Jordanian People's Committees
Movement; Jordanian People's Democratic Party (Hashd) [Ahmad YUSUF];
Jordanian Rafah Party; Jordanian Renaissance Party; Mission Party;
Nation Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH]; National Action Party (Haqq)
[Tariq al-KAYYALI]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi
MAJALI]; National Popular Democratic Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI];
Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
chairman]; Jordan Bar Association [Hussein Mujalli, chairman];
Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
Brotherhood [Salem AL-FALAHAT, controller general]
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
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
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. Beecroft
embassy: Abdun, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box
5, APO AE 09892-0200
telephone: [962] (6) 590-6000
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
Economy
Jordan
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 duty free
to the US. In 2006, Jordan reduced its debt-to-GDP ratio
significantly. These measures have helped improve productivity and
have made Jordan more attractive for foreign investment. Before the
US-led war in Iraq, Jordan imported most of its oil from Iraq. Since
2003, however, Jordan has been more dependent on oil from other Gulf
nations. 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 budget deficit, attracting investments, and creating
jobs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$28.45 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$16.01 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 10.3%
services: 86.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.563 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 12.5%
services: 82.5% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
13.5% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
14.2% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 30.6% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.8 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
27.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.117 billion
expenditures: $6.468 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
72.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
7% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.68% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$6.765 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$15.38 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$19.53 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives; sheep, poultry, stone fruits,
strawberries, dairy
Industries:
clothing, phosphate mining, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum
refining, cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing,
tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
7.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
10.87 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
9.852 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
13 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
472 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.4%
hydro: 0.6%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
110,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
112,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
1 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
320 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
2.25 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
2.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$2.767 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.7 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, pharmaceuticals, potash, phosphates, fertilizers,
vegetables, manufactures;
Exports - partners:
US 22.4%, Iraq 12.9%, India 8.3%, UAE 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, Syria
4.9% (2007)
Imports:
$12.02 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,
manufactured goods
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 21%, China 9.7%, Germany 7.5%, US 4.7%, Egypt 4.4%
(2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $752 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.929 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$8.133 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$18.18 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$29.73 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Currency code:
JOD
Exchange rates:
Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006),
0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003)
Communications
Jordan
Telephones - main lines in use:
585,500 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.771 million (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 is increasing rapidly
and teledensity reached 80 per 100 persons in 2007
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 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
FM 31 (2007)
Radios:
1.66 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
22 (2007)
Televisions:
500,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.jo
Internet hosts:
21,150 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)
Internet users:
1.127 million (2007)
Transportation
Jordan
Airports:
17 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 426 km; oil 49 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 7,694 km
paved: 7,694 km (2006)
Merchant marine:
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)
Ports and terminals:
Al 'Aqabah
Military
Jordan
Military branches:
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)
Military service age and obligation:
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)
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: 1,546,766
females age 16-49: 1,339,366 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 68,067
female: 65,512 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
8.6% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Jordan
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)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Kazakhstan
Introduction
Kazakhstan
Background:
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who
migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as
a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's economy is larger than
those of all the other Central Asian states combined, largely due to
the country's vast natural resources and a recent history of
political stability. Current issues include: developing a cohesive
national identity; expanding the development of the country's vast
energy resources and exporting them to world markets; achieving a
sustainable economic growth; diversifying the economy outside the
oil, gas, and mining sectors; enhancing Kazakhstan's
competitiveness; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
and other foreign powers.
Geography
Kazakhstan
Location:
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural
River in eastern-most Europe
Geographic coordinates:
48 00 N, 68 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 2,717,300 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 12,185 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,224 km, Russia 6,846
km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now split
into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
Terrain:
extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in
western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
Natural resources:
major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, manganese,
chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite,
gold, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 8.28%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 91.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
35,560 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
109.6 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 35 cu km/yr (2%/17%/82%)
per capita: 2,360 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
Environment - current issues: