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NAVIGATION
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
former: Transjordan
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan local short form: Al Urdun local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah former: Transjordan |
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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Amman |
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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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8 January 1952 |
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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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20 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)
head of government: Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch elections: none; 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 (Majlis al-Aayan), a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms
elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (November 2001 election postponed, next scheduled to be held in June 2003) note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2 |
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Abd al latif al-ARABIYAT, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]; Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president] |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr.
embassy: Abdoun, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 5920101 FAX: [962] (6) 5920121 |
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Flag description:
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three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side 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 |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), an association agreement with the EU (2000), and a free trade accord with US (2000). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The substantial trade deficit is covered by tourism receipts, worker remittances, and foreign assistance. Ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.5% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 4%
industry: 26% services: 70% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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30% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 30% (1997) (1997) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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36 (1997) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.3% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.26 million
note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (2001) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 83%, industry 13%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.9 billion
expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-1.1% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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6.932 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 99%
hydro: 1% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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7.092 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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5 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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650 million kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry |
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Exports:
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$2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals |
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Exports - partners:
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India 11.4%, US 9.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Israel 3.7% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany 8.8%, US 7.8%, Italy 5.6%, France 5.5% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$8.2 billion (2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA, $600 million (2000 est.) |
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Currency:
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Jordanian dinar (JOD) |
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Currency code:
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JOD |
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Exchange rates:
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Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present )
note: since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |