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Jordan

For alternative meanings see: Jordan (disambiguation)

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or Jordan is a country in the Middle East. It is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the north-east, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, and Israel and West Bank to the west. It shares the coastlines of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea.

المملكة الأردنّيّة الهاشميّة
Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
([[Flag of Jordan|In Detail]])
''National motto: None''
Official language Arabic
Capital Amman
King Abdullah II
Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb
Area
 - Total
 - % water
Ranked 110th
92,300 km²
0.01%
Population
 - Total (2002)
 - Density
Ranked 107th
5,153,378
48/km²
Independence
 - Declared
 - Recognised
From the League of Nations
May 25, 1946
Currency Jordanian dinar
Time zone UTC +2
National anthem As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni
Internet TLD .JO
Calling Code 962

Table of contents
1 History
2 Politics
3 Governorates
4 Geography
5 Economy
6 Demographics
7 Culture
8 Miscellaneous topics
9 External links

History

Main article: History of Jordan

Politics

Main article: Politics of Jordan

For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King Hussein (1953-1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population making up a majority of Jordan's citizens, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel.

Governorates

Main article: Governorates of Jordan

Jordan is divided into 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah):

Geography

Main article: Geography of Jordan

Economy

Main article: Economy of Jordan

Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. The Persian Gulf crisis, which began in August 1990, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth, and straining government resources.

The economy rebounded in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning from the Gulf. After averaging 9% in 1992-95, GDP growth averaged only 2% during 1996-99. In an attempt to spur growth, King Abdullah has undertaken limited economic reform, including partial privatization of some state owned enterprises and Jordan's entry in January 2000 into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental ongoing economic problems.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Jordan

Culture

Main article: Culture of Jordan

Holidays
DateEnglish NameLocal NameRemarks

See also: Music of Jordan

Miscellaneous topics

External links


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