Jordan General Information

Official Name: Known as The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (locally known as Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah).

Capital city: The capital of Jordan is Amman. Amman is one of the oldest continuously inhabited ciies in the world, it was mentioned in the Old Testament as Rabbath-Ammon, and it was the capital of the Ammonites around 1200 B.C.

Location: Jordan is located in the Middle East; the term Middle East is from a European perspective, Mashreq is used exclusively by Arabic speaking locals. Jordan shares borders with Syria to the North, Iraq to the North-East, The West Bank and Israel to the West, and Saudi Arabia to the East and South. Jordan shares control of The Dead Sea with Israel, and the coastline of the Gulf of Aqaba with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Much of Jordan is covered by desert and it generally has an arid and a hot climate with several major rivers providing for irrigation to support agriculture in limited areas (Fertile Cresent).

Size: The total land and water area of Jordan is 89,342 sq km. Total land area is 88,802 sq km and the total water area is 540 sq km. Jordan is slightly larger than Azerbajan and smaller than Portugal.

Climate: The climate of Jordan is mostly arid desert; the rainy season in the west occurs from November to April. The country's long summer reaches a peak during August, especially in Amman and the Jordan Valley. The winter months from November to April can be very cold, notably in Amman, with snow, rain and wind, but there is little rainfall in the desert regions and in Aqaba, which makes a delightful wintertime resort. January is usually the coolest month.

Population: Jordan has a gross population of approximately 6,342,948 million people and ranks 105 worldwide. This is comparable to the population of Sierra Leone or Libya. Males make up 51.5% of Jordan's population (2,628,717). Females: 2,472,264 (48.5%).

Life expectancy at Birth: The total average life expectancy at birth for Jordan is 78.87 years. The life expectancy for males is 76.34 years from birth, while females live much longer at an average of 81.56 years. Jordan is ranked at 38 worldwide for life expectancy putting it between Finland and Isle of Man.

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Jordan is less than 0.1% putting Jordan at the lower ranking of 152 globally between South Korea and Japan. There is less than 1000 people living with the HIV/AIDS virus in Jordan. Jordan has a low HIV/AIDS prevalence, but if preventive measures are not implemented, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases could increase or re-emerge and have significant social and economic consequences.

Major Illnesses: Jordan has a quite advanced healthcare system but it is concentrated in the major cities. Cases of tuberculosis declined by half during the 1990s, but tuberculosis remains an issue and an area needing improvement. Jordan experienced a brief outbreak of bird flu in March 2006. Noncommunicable diseases such as cancer also are a major health issue in Jordan. Hepatitis and Typhoid are common throughout the country.

Ethnic Groups: The major ethnic groups in Jordan are; Arab 98%, Carcassian 1%, and Armenian 1%. Ethnic Jordanians only make up about a quarter of the population with some even estimating it at less. Jordan has one of the highest immigration rates in the world with nationalities such as; Iraqis, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Egyptians, Armenians, Turks, and Chechens relocating there every year.

Languages: Arabic is the official language of Jordan. English is widely understood by most Jordanians. Middle and upper class citizens tend to be fluent and consider English as their second language. French is understood by the upper class, especially graduates of the handful of French schools in Jordan.

Religion: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a majority Muslim country, with 92% of the population following Sunni Islam while a small minority of around 2% follow Shia Islam and Druze. 6% of Jordanians are Christians the majority are Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations are present.

Government: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a constitutional monarchy with representative government. The reigning monarch is the head of state, the chief executive and the commanded-in-chief of the armed forces. He is also in charge of all cabinet decisions, court judgments and the national currency are put in circulation in his name. There is a council of ministers led by a prime minister and there is a Chamber of Deputies which consists of 110 members.

Head of State: The Head of State in Jordan is King Abdallah (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince Hussein (born 28 June 1994), eldest son of King Abdallah is the current heir.

Head of Government: Prime Minister Nader aldahabi (since 25 November 2007).

Military: The Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) consist of: Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya, RJAF), Special Operations Command (Socom). Militray service age and obligation are: 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 are not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions.

Economy: Jordan is a small nation with a small population and few natural resources. Jordan has been exploring with many ways to expand its limited water supply and use its existing water resources more efficiently, including through regional cooperation. The country depends on external sources for the majority of its energy requirements. During the 1990s, its crude petroleum needs were met through imports from Iraq and neighboring countries. Since early 2003, oil has been provided by some Gulf Cooperation Council member countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). Under King Abdallah, Jordan has undertaken a program of economic reform. The government has taken the initiative for the phased elimination of fuel subsidies, passed legislation targeting corruption, and begun tax reform. It has also worked to liberalize trade, joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2000, signing an Association Agreement with the European Union (EU) in 2001, and signing the first bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) between the U.S. and an Arab country in 2001.