|
|
Executive
branch:
chief
of state:
King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born
1994), eldest son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to inherit
the throne
head of government: Prime Minister Marouf al-BAKHIT(since
24 November 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ziad FARIZ (since 24
November 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime
minister appointed by the monarch
Capital:
Amman
Population:
5,759,732 (July 2005 est.)
Languages:
Arabic
(official), English widely understood among upper and middle
classes
Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Climate:
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to
April)
Land boundaries:
total:
1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi
Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Background:
For most of its history since independence from British
administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN
(1953-99). 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, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he
reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political
liberalization; in 1994 he signed a peace treaty with Israel.
King ABDALLAH II, the son of King HUSSEIN, assumed the throne
following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he
has consolidated his power and undertaken an aggressive economic
reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization
in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade
Association in 2001. After a two-year delay, parliamentary and
municipal elections took place in the summer of 2003. The prime
minister appointed in December 2005 said the government would
focus on political reforms, improving conditions for the poor,
and fighting corruption
Administrative divisions:
12
governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah,
Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa',
Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
International
organization participation:
ABEDA,
AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW,
OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO
GDP
(purchasing power parity):
$27.7
billion (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by
sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 29.9%
services: 66.7% (2005 est.)
Agriculture
- products:
wheat,
barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry
Industries:
phosphate
mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash,
inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism
By
the
Courtesy of World
Fact Book - Jordan and
Wikipedia
|
|
