2024 Edition

Background

After World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations awarded Britain the mandate to govern much of the Middle East. In 1921, Britain demarcated from Palestine a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan and recognized ABDALLAH I from the Hashemite family as the country's first leader. The Hashemites also controlled the Hijaz, or the western coastal area of modern-day Saudi Arabia, until 1925, when IBN SAUD and Wahhabi tribes pushed them out. The country gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country has had four kings. Long-time ruler King HUSSEIN (r. 1953-99) successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, UK, and Soviet Union), various Arab states, Israel, and Palestinian militants, the latter of which led to a brief civil war in 1970 that is known as "Black September" and ended in King HUSSEIN ousting the militants.Jordan's borders have changed since it gained independence. In 1948, Jordan took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the first Arab-Israeli War, eventually annexing those territories in 1950 and granting its new Palestinian residents Jordanian citizenship. In 1967, Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the Six-Day War but retained administrative claims to the West Bank until 1988, when King HUSSEIN permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank in favor of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). King HUSSEIN signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, after Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo Accords in 1993.Jordanian kings continue to claim custodianship of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem by virtue of their Hashemite heritage as descendants of the Prophet Mohammad and agreements with Israel and Jerusalem-based religious and Palestinian leaders. After Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 War, it authorized the Jordanian-controlled Islamic Trust, or Waqf, to continue administering the Al Haram ash Sharif/Temple Mount holy compound, and the Jordan-Israel peace treaty reaffirmed Jordan's "special role" in administering the Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem. Jordanian kings claim custodianship of the Christian sites in Jerusalem on the basis of the 7th-century Pact of Omar, when the Muslim leader, after conquering Jerusalem, agreed to permit Christian worship.King HUSSEIN died in 1999 and was succeeded by his eldest son and current King ABDALLAH II. In 2009, ABDALLAH II designated his son HUSSEIN as the Crown Prince. During his reign, ABDALLAH II has contended with a series of challenges, including the Arab Spring influx of refugees from neighboring states, the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of the war in Ukraine, a perennially weak economy, and the Israel-HAMAS conflict that began in October 2023.

Area

land

88,802 sq km

total

89,342 sq km

water

540 sq km

Area - comparative

about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate

mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Coastline

26 km

Elevation

highest point

Jabal Umm ad Dami 1,854 m

lowest point

Dead Sea -431 m

mean elevation

812 m

Geographic coordinates

31 00 N, 36 00 E

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; the Dead Sea, the lowest point in Asia and the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lac Assal in Djibouti), lies on Jordan's western border with Israel and the West Bank; Jordan is almost landlocked but does have a 26 km southwestern coastline with a single port, Al 'Aqabah (Aqaba)

Irrigated land

833 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iraq 179 km; Israel 307 km; Saudi Arabia 731 km; Syria 379 km; West Bank 148 km

total

1,744 km

Land use

agricultural land

11.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.4% (2018 est.)

forest

1.1% (2018 est.)

other

87.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Dead Sea (shared with Israel and West Bank) - 1,020 sq kmnote - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea

3 nm

Natural hazards

droughts; periodic earthquakes; flash floods

Natural resources

phosphates, potash, shale oil

Population distribution

population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable, but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

Terrain

mostly arid desert plateau; a great north-south geological rift along the west of the country is the dominant topographical feature and includes the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Jordanian Highlands

Age structure

0-14 years

30.9% (male 1,771,840/female 1,678,178)

15-64 years

64.9% (male 3,844,575/female 3,409,164)

65 years and over

4.2% (2024 est.) (male 228,564/female 241,703)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

22.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

0.1% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

1.5%

women married by age 18

9.7%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.7% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

51.8% (2017/18)

Current health expenditure

7.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

55.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.8

potential support ratio

17.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

57.1

youth dependency ratio

51.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 97.9% of population

improved: total

total: 99.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.8% of population

Education expenditures

3.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Jordanian 69.3%, Syrian 13.3%, Palestinian 6.7%, Egyptian 6.7%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 2.6% (2015 est.)

note

note: data represent population by self-identified nationality in national census

Gross reproduction rate

1.39 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

12.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

14.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Languages

Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes)

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.1 years

male

75 years

total population

76.5 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.4% (2021)

male

98.7%

total population

98.4%

Major urban areas - population

2.232 million AMMAN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

41 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

24.4 years

male

25.5 years

total

25 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.6 years (2017/18 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Jordanian

noun

Jordanian(s)

Net migration rate

-10.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

35.5% (2016)

Physician density

2.66 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

female

5,329,045 (2024 est.)

male

5,844,979

note

note: increased estimate reflects revised assumptions about the net migration rate due to the increased flow of Syrian refugees

total

11,174,024

Population distribution

population heavily concentrated in the west, and particularly the northwest, in and around the capital of Amman; a sizeable, but smaller population is located in the southwest along the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

Population growth rate

0.78% (2024 est.)

Religions

Muslim 97.1% (official; predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.1% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), Buddhist 0.4%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, folk <0.1%, other <0.1%, unaffiliated <0.1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 97.8% of population

improved: total

total: 98.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2020)

male

10 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.13 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.95 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

12.8% (2020 est.)

male

56.8% (2020 est.)

total

34.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.87 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

92% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); 'Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, Al ‘Asimah (Amman), At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Capital

etymology

in the 13th century B.C., the Ammonites named their main city "Rabbath Ammon"; "rabbath" designated "capital," so the name meant "The Capital of [the] Ammon[ites]"; over time, the "Rabbath" came to be dropped and the city became known simply as "Ammon" and then "Amman"

geographic coordinates

31 57 N, 35 56 E

name

Amman

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Jordan

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

15 years

Constitution

amendments

constitutional amendments require at least a two-thirds majority vote of both the Senate and the House and ratification by the king; amended several times, last in 2022

history

previous 1928 (preindependence); latest initially adopted 28 November 1947, revised and ratified 1 January 1952

Country name

conventional long form

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form

Jordan

etymology

named for the Jordan River, which makes up part of Jordan's northwest border

former

Transjordan

local long form

Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form

Al Urdun

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Yael LEMPERT (since 3 September 2023)

email address and website

Amman-ACS@state.govhttps://jo.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Abdoun, Al-Umawyeen St., Amman

FAX

[962] (6) 592-0163

mailing address

6050 Amman Place, Washington DC  20521-6050

telephone

[962] (6) 590-6000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Dina Khalil Tawfiq KAWAR (since 27 June 2016)

email address and website

hkjconsular@jordanembassyus.orghttp://www.jordanembassyus.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 966-3110

telephone

[1] (202) 966-2664

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister

chief of state

King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999)

elections/appointments

prime minister appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Jafar HASSAN (since 15 September 2024)

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

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, NATO (partner), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (consists of 15 members, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the king; other judges nominated by the Judicial Council, an 11-member judicial policymaking body consisting of high-level judicial officials and judges, and approved by the king; judge tenure not limited; Constitutional Court members appointed by the king for 6-year non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Great Felonies Court; religious courts; military courts; juvenile courts; Land Settlement Courts; Income Tax Court; Higher Administrative Court; Customs Court; special courts including the State Security Court

Legal system

mixed system developed from codes instituted by the Ottoman Empire (based on French law), British common law, and Islamic law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of:Senate or the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (65 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms)Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (138 seats; 97 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote; of these, 12 seats reserved for Christian, Circassian, and Chechen minorities, and 18 reserved for women; the remaining 41 members directly elected from a single national constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote; of these, 2 seats reserved for Christians and 1 each for members of the Chechen and Circassian minorities; party candidate lists must include at least 1 woman among the first 3 candidates and 1 among the next 3 candidates; all members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - composition - men 55, women 10, percent of women 15.4%House of Representatives - percentage by party - NA; seats by party - Islamic Action Front 31, Mithaq 21, Irada 19, and Taqadum 8, other (includes seats reserved for women, minorities)

elections

Senate - last appointments on 27 Sep 2020 (next appointments by November 2024)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 10 September 2024 (next to be held in 2028)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Abdul-Mone'm al-RIFAI'/Abdul-Qader al-TANEER

name

"As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni" (Long Live the King of Jordan)

note

note: adopted 1946; the shortened version of the anthem is used most commonly, while the full version is reserved for special occasions

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Petra (c); Quseir Amra (c); Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a) (c); Wadi Rum Protected Area (m); Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (c); As-Salt - The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality (c); Umm Al-Jimāl (c)

total World Heritage Sites

7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

National symbol(s)

eagle; national colors: black, white, green, red

Political parties

'AzemBlessed Land PartyBuilding and Labor CoalitionEradah Party Growth PartyIslamic Action Front or IAFJordanian al-Ansar PartyJordanian al-Ghad PartyJordanian Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party or JASBP Jordanian Civil Democratic PartyJordanian Communist Party or JCPJordanian Equality PartyJordanian Democratic People's Party or HASDJordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party or JDPUP/WihdaJordanian Democratic Unionist PartyJordanian Flame PartyJordanian Future and Life PartyJordanian Model PartyJordanian National Integration PartyJordanian National Loyalty PartyJordanian Reform and Renewal Party or HassadJordanian Shura Party Jordanian Social Democratic Party or JSDPJustice and Reform Party or JRP Labor PartyNational Charter PartyNational Coalition Party National Constitutional PartyNational Current Party or NCPNational Islamic PartyNational UnionNationalist Movement Party or HsqNew Path Party Progress Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

tomatoes, milk, chicken, potatoes, cucumbers/gherkins, olives, watermelons, peaches/nectarines, sheep milk, chilies/peppers (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.5% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

26.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$14.464 billion (2018 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$16.073 billion (2018 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB- (2019)

Moody's rating

B1 (2013)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2020

-$2.505 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$3.718 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$4.159 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$16.293 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

upper-middle-income Middle Eastern economy; high debt and unemployment, especially for youth and women; global events triggering trade slump and decreased revenue from tourism; growing manufacturing and agricultural sectors; key US foreign assistance recipient; natural-resource-poor and import-reliant 

Exchange rates

Currency

Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.71 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.71 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.71 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.71 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.71 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$10.444 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$13.87 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$20.335 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

fertilizers, garments, phosphates, jewelry, phosphoric acid (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 20%, India 14%, Saudi Arabia 7%, China 6%, Iraq 6% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

30.3% (2021 est.)

government consumption

15.8% (2021 est.)

household consumption

78.9% (2021 est.)

imports of goods and services

-50.2% (2021 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.2% (2021 est.)

investment in inventories

3% (2021 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

4.8% (2023 est.)

industry

24.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

60.6% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$50.814 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports

Imports 2020

$18.424 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$23.321 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$29.955 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, gold, crude petroleum, jewelry (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 17%, UAE 12%, Saudi Arabia 12%, India 6%, US 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.28% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizer, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.35% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

4.23% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.08% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

3.063 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

15.7% (2018 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

101.14% of GDP (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$101.617 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$104.084 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$106.806 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.66% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.43% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.62% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$9,100 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$9,200 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$9,400 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

10.96% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

10.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

9.72% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015

$16.572 billion (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016

$15.543 billion (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$15.56 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.51% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

19.84% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

18.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

17.94% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

47.1% (2023 est.)

male

39.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

40.8% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.124 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

6.881 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

13.256 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

21.261 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

479,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

imports

297,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

19.679 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

177.332 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

389.867 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

6.805 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

2.4 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

98.9%

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

77.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

15.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

7.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

30.906 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

4.382 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

375.998 million cubic meters (2018 est.)

imports

4.255 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

187.262 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

6.031 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

1 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

97,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

20 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2020 est.)

total

630,545 (2020 est.)

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 with JRTV operating the main government-owned station; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are available

Internet country code

.jo

Internet users

percent of population

83% (2021 est.)

total

9.13 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscriptions at 65 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Jordan’s government has focused on the use of ICT in a range of sectors, aimed at transforming the relatively small economy through the use of digital services; this policy has helped the country rise in the league tables for digital connectivity and internet readiness, and it has also attracted investment from foreign companies; during the ongoing global pandemic, the start-up sector has been further encouraged to develop solutions to combat the crisis, while other efforts have facilitated e-government services and encouraged businesses to adapt to new methods of working through their own digital transformation; these developments have been supported by the highly developed mobile sector, led by three major regional players which have near-comprehensive LTE network coverage (2022)

international

country code - 962; landing point for the FEA and Taba-Aqaba submarine cable networks providing connectivity to Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Asia; satellite earth stations - 33 (3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

466,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

68 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

7.626 million (2022 est.)

Airports

17 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

JY

Heliports

6 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, other 29

total

34 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

175.84 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

3,383,805 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

54

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Pipelines

473 km gas, 49 km oil (2013)

Ports

key ports

Al Aqabah

ports with oil terminals

1

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

1

Railways

narrow gauge

509 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge

total

509 km (2020)

Roadways

paved

7,203 km (2011)

total

7,203 km

Military - note

the JAF traces its origins back to the Arab Legion, which was formed under the British protectorate of Transjordan in the 1920s; it is responsible for territorial defense and border security and has a supporting role for internal security; the JAF participates in both bilateral and multinational exercises, UN peacekeeping missions, and has taken part in regional military operations alongside international forces in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yementhe JAF’s primary concerns include terrorist and criminal threats emanating from its borders with Syria and Iraq, as well as the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and conflicts in southern Lebanon/northern Israel and the Red Sea; the terrorist group Hizballah and Iranian-backed militia forces operate in southwestern Syria near Jordan’s border while fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group continue to operate in both Iraq and Syria; ISIS fighters have included Jordanian nationals, some of whom have returned to Jordan; individuals and groups sympathetic to Palestinian causes have planned and conducted terrorist attacks in Jordanthe US is a key security partner, and Jordan is one of the largest recipients of US military aid in the region; it cooperates with the US on a number of issues, including border and maritime security, arms transfers, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism; Jordan has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2024)

Military and security forces

Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Army (includes Special Operations Forces, Border Guards, Royal Guard), Royal Jordanian Air Force, Royal Jordanian NavyMinistry of Interior: Public Security Directorate (includes national police, the Gendarmerie, and the Civil Defense Directorate) (2024)

note

note: the JAF report administratively to the minister of defense and have a support role for internal security; the prime minister serves as defense minister, but there is no separate ministry of defense

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 100,000 active-duty armed forces personnel (85,000 Army; 14,000 Air Force; 1,000 Navy); approximately 15,000 Gendarmerie Forces (2023)

Military deployments

Jordan has about 200 police deployed to the MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the JAF inventory is comprised of a wide mix of imported equipment, much of it older or secondhand, from China, Europe, some Gulf States, Russia, and the US (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

5.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

4.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

4.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women); initial service term is 24 months, with option to reenlist for up to 18 years; conscription was abolished in 1991, but in 2020 Jordan announced the reinstatement of compulsory military service for jobless men aged between 25 and 29 with 12 months of service, made up of 3 months of military training and 9 months of professional and technical training; in 2019, Jordan announced a voluntary 4-month National Military Service program for men and women aged between 18-25 years who have been unemployed for at least 6 months; service would include 1 month for military training with the remaining 3 months dedicated to vocational training in the sectors of construction and tourism (2023)

note

note: women comprised about 3% of the military as of 2023

Illicit drugs

primarily a transshipment country for amphetamine tablets originating in Lebanon and Syria and destined for Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Gulf countries; the government is increasingly concerned about domestic consumption of illicit drugs

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

2.4 million (Palestinian refugees) (2020); 12,866 (Yemen), 6,013 Sudan (2021); 33,951 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022) (2022); 638,760 (Syria) (2024)

stateless persons

64 (2022)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

25.11 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.04 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

25.87 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater resources; declining water table; salinity; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; biodiversity and ecosystem damage/loss

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

11.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.4% (2018 est.)

forest

1.1% (2018 est.)

other

87.5% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Dead Sea (shared with Israel and West Bank) - 1,020 sq kmnote - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

940 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

570 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

500 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.98% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

92% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,529,997 tons (2013 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

177,100 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

7% (2014 est.)