Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 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:
6,407,085 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 1,161,484/female 1,096,441)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 1,892,472/female 1,829,112)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 143,058/female 146,718) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.8 years
male: 21.6 years
female: 22.1 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.159% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Birth rate:
27.06 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Death rate:
2.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222
Net migration rate:
-2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Urbanization:
urban population: 78% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/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 (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.03 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 109
male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.92 years
country comparison to the world: 27
male: 78.64 years
female: 81.28 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.42 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
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 (2008)
Education expenditures:
4.9% of GDP (1999)
country comparison to the world: 72
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 Friday in March; 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:
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); Crown
Prince HUSSEIN (born 28 June 1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH II
head of government: Prime Minister Samir al-RIFAI (since 9 December
2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Ayman al-SAFADI, Khalid al-KARAKI,
Sa'ad Hayel SROUR
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
with the monarch
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
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 2014); 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 [Fuad DABBOUR]; Ba'ath Arab Progressive
Party [Tayseer al-HAMSI]; Call Party [Mohammed Abu BAKR]; Democratic
People's Party [Ablah al-ULBAH]; Democratic Popular Unity Party
[Sa'ed DIAB]; Islamic Action Front or IAF [Hamzeh MANSOUR]; 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 Current Party [Abd al-Hadi al-MAJALI]; National Movement
for Direct Democracy [Mohammed al-QAQ]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Anti-Normalization Committee [Hamzeh MANSOUR, chairman]; Higher
Coordination Committee of Opposition Parties [Hamzeh MANZOUR];
Jordan Bar Association [Saleh al-ARMUTI, chairman]; Jordanian Press
Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Jordanian Muslim
Brotherhood [Dr. Hamam SAID, controller general]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-11, 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, MINURSO,
MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alia Hatough BOURAN
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: 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
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 anthem:
name: "As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni" (Long Live the King of Jordan)
lyrics/music: 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 ::Jordan
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$33.79 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$32.74 billion (2009 est.)
$31.98 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$27.13 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
2.4% (2009 est.)
5.8% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,300 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
$5,200 (2009 est.)
$5,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.4%
industry: 30.3%
services: 66.2% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
1.719 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 20%
services: 77.4% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
13.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
12.9% (2009 est.)
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:
39.7 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 63
36.4 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
30.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Public debt:
61.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
64.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
-0.7% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.75% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 73
6.25% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
9.03% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$9.386 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 72
$8.437 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$35.53 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$33.38 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$26.85 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$25.14 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$31.86 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 53
$35.85 billion (31 December 2008)
$41.22 billion (31 December 2007)
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:
2.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Electricity - production:
12.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Electricity - consumption:
10.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Electricity - exports:
176 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
200 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Oil - consumption:
108,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
Oil - imports:
108,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Oil - proved reserves:
1 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Natural gas - production:
250 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Natural gas - consumption:
2.97 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Natural gas - imports:
2.72 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.031 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Current account balance:
-$975 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
-$1.27 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$7.333 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
$6.366 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, fertilizers, potash, phosphates, vegetables,
pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners:
US 17.13%, Iraq 17%, India 13.59%, Saudi Arabia 10.56%, Syria 4.18%,
UAE 4.09% (2009)
Imports:
$12.97 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$12.5 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, iron, cereals
Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 17.3%, China 10.95%, US 6.94%, Germany 6.29%, Egypt
6.1% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$12.64 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
$12.14 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$5.522 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
$6.766 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$22.19 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
$19.76 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2010), 0.709 (2009),
0.709 (2008), 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006)
Communications ::Jordan
Telephones - main lines in use:
501,200 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 96
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.014 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 85
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
Internet hosts:
42,412 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 92
Internet users:
1.642 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 78
Transportation ::Jordan
Airports:
18 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 138
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2010)
Heliports:
1 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 439 km; oil 49 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 507 km
country comparison to the world: 114
narrow gauge: 507 km 1.050-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 7,891 km
country comparison to the world: 143
paved: 7,891 km (2009)
Merchant marine:
total: 13
country comparison to the world: 108
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
Military ::Jordan
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 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 in the Royal
Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps; conscription for males only
resurrected in July 2007 in order to provide youth training
necessary for job market needs (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,646,215
females age 16-49: 1,579,268 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,416,681
females age 16-49: 1,358,608 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 73,554
female: 69,359 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
8.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 5
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)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Kazakhstan (Central Asia)
Introduction ::Kazakhstan
Background:
Ethnic 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-ethnic Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 drove
many of these newcomers to emigrate. Kazakhstan's economy is larger
than those of all the other Central Asian states largely due to the
country's vast natural resources. Current issues include: developing
a cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
diversifying the economy outside the oil, gas, and mining sectors;
enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness; developing a
multiparty parliament and advancing political and social reform; 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
(Zhayyq) River in eastern-most Europe
Geographic coordinates:
48 00 N, 68 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 2,724,900 sq km
country comparison to the world: 9
land: 2,699,700 sq km
water: 25,200 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:
vast flat steppe extending from the Volga in the west to the Altai
Mountains in the east and from the plains of western Siberia in the
north to oases and deserts of Central Asia in the south
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: