The World Factbook (1982)/Jordan

by the Central Intelligence Agency

JORDAN

(See reference map VI)

NOTE: The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of West Jordan. Although approximately 930,000 persons resided in this area before the start of the war, fewer than 750,000 of them remain there under the Israeli occupation, the remainder having fled to East Jordan. Over 14,000 of those who fled were repatriated in August 1967, but their return has been more than offset by other Arabs who have crossed and are continuing to cross from West to East Jordan. These and certain other effects of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war are not included in the data below.

LAND

96,089 km² (including about 5,439 km² occupied by Israel); 11% agricultural, 88% desert, waste, or urban, 1% forested

Land boundaries: 1,770 km (1967, 1,668 km excluding occupied areas)

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 3 nm

Coastline: 26 km

PEOPLE

Population: 3,246,000—East and West Banks, including East Jerusalem (July 1982), average annual growth rate 3.2%; East Bank, 2,415,000, average annual growth rate 3.9%; West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 831,000, average annual growth rate 1.2%

Nationality: noun—Jordanian(s); adjective—Jordanian

Ethnic divisions: 98% Arab, 1% Circassian, 1% Armenian

Religion: 90%-92% Sunni Muslim, 8%-10% Christian

Language: Arabic official; English widely understood among upper and middle classes

Literacy: about 50%-55% in East Jordan; somewhat less than 60% in West Jordan

Labor force: 638,000; less than 2% unemployed

Organized labor: 9.8% of labor force

GOVERNMENT

Official name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: 'Amman

Political subdivisions: eight governorates (three Israeli occupied) under centrally appointed officials

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; constitution adopted 1952; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May

Branches: King holds balance of power; Prime Minister exercises executive authority in name of King; Cabinet appointed by King and responsible to parliament; bicameral parliament with House of Representatives last chosen by national elections in April 1967, and dissolved by King in February 1976; a National Consultative Council appointed by the King in March 1978 as temporary substitute for House of Representatives; Senate last appointed by King in January 1979; present parliament subservient to executive; secular court system based on differing legal systems of the former Transjordan and Palestine; law Western in concept and structure; Sharia (religious) courts for Muslims, and religious community council courts for non-Muslim communities; desert police carry out quasi-judicial functions in desert areas

Government leader: King HUSSEIN I

Suffrage: all citizens over age 20

Political parties and leaders: political party activity illegal since 1957; Palestine Liberation Organization and various smaller fedayeen groups clandestinely active on West Bank; Muslim Brotherhood

Communists: party actively repressed, membership estimated at less than 500

Member of: Arab League, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMCO, IMF, IPU, ISCON, ITU, NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

ECONOMY

GNP: $3.4 billion (East Bank only, 1980), $1,250 per capita; real growth rate (1980), 9%

Agriculture: main crops—vegetables, fruits, olive oil, wheat; not self-sufficient in many foodstuffs

Major industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, and cement production, light manufacturing

Electric power: 299,000 kW capacity (1980); 917 million kWh produced (1980), 290 kWh per capita, East Bank only

Exports: $553 million (f.o.b., 1980); fruits and vegetables, phosphate rock; Communist share 13% of total (1980)

Exports: $553 million (f.o.b., 1980); fruits and vegetables, phosphate rock; Communist share 13% of total (1980)

Imports: $2,414 million (c.i.f., 1980); petroleum products, textiles, capital goods, motor vehicles, foodstuffs; Communist share 7% of total (1980)

Aid: economic—OPEC (ODA; 1973-76), $1,143.1 million; US, including Ex-Im, (1970-80), $1.2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (1970-79), $391 million; military—US (1970-76), $906.8 million

Budget: (1980)—$1,291 million public revenue, $971 million current expenditures, $520 million capital expenditures

Monetary conversion rate: 1 Jordanian dinar= US$3.35, freely convertible (1980 average); 1 Jordanian dinar=US$2.99 (October 1981)

Fiscal year: calendar year

COMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: 817 km 1.050-meter gauge, single track

Highways: 6,332 total; 4,837 paved, 1,495 gravel and crushed stone

Pipelines: crude oil, 209 km

Ports: 1 major (Aqaba)

Civil air: 17 major transport aircraft, including 2 leased in

Airfields: 27 total, 18 usable; 16 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m, 13 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: adequate system of radio-relay, wire, and radio; 53,000 telephones (1.6 per 100 popl.); 5 AM, no FM, and 11 TV stations; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station, 1 Indian Ocean station

DEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 722,000; 511,000 fit for military service; 36,000 reach military age (18) annually

Military budget: for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, $874 million; 44% of central government budget