Jordan (2002) | Northern Mariana Islands (2003) | |
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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 | none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 36.6% (male 991,370; female 949,247)
15-64 years: 60% (male 1,698,568; female 1,485,261) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 90,186; female 92,838) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 9,483; female 9,168)
15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,839; female 32,041) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 748; female 727) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry | coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle |
Airports | 18 (2001) | 6 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 15
over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km water: 329 sq km |
total: 477 sq km
land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Indiana | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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, 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. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities, including an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade Association in 2001. | Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978. |
Birth rate | 24.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 19.97 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.9 billion
expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 01/02 est.) |
Capital | Amman | Saipan |
Climate | mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) | tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October |
Coastline | 26 km | 1,482 km |
Constitution | 8 January 1952 | Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978 |
Country name | conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah local short form: Al Urdun former: Transjordan |
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) |
Currency | Jordanian dinar (JOD) | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $8.2 billion (2002 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr.
embassy: Abdoun, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 5920101 FAX: [962] (6) 5920121 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110 |
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Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA, $600 million (2000 est.) | extensive funding from US |
Economy - overview | Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), an association agreement with the EU (2000), and a free trade accord with US (2000). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The substantial trade deficit is covered by tourism receipts, worker remittances, and foreign assistance. Ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures. | The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions. |
Electricity - consumption | 7.092 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 5 million kWh (2000) | 0 kWh |
Electricity - imports | 650 million kWh (2000) | 0 kWh |
Electricity - production | 6.932 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 99%
hydro: 1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification | contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Ethnic groups | Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% | Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean |
Exchange rates | Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present )
note: since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies |
the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)
head of government: Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49% |
Exports | $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals | garments |
Exports - partners | India 11.4%, US 9.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Israel 3.7% (2001) | US (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side 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 | blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $900 million
note: $900 million $900 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 26% services: 70% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 31 00 N, 36 00 E | 15 12 N, 145 45 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 | strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean |
Heliports | 2 (2002) | 1 (2002) |
Highways | total: 8,000 km
paved: 8,000 km unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.) |
total: 362 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 30% (1997) (1997) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods | food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | Germany 8.8%, US 7.8%, Italy 5.6%, France 5.5% (2001) | US, Japan (2000) |
Independence | 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) | none (commonwealth in political union with the US) |
Industrial production growth rate | -1.1% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism | tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2002 est.) | 1.2% (1997 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 5 (2000) | 1 (2001) |
Irrigated land | 750 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal) | Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court |
Labor force | 1.26 million
note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (2001) |
6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers |
Labor force - by occupation | services 83%, industry 13%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.) | NA |
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 |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 1.52% other: 95.61% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 15.22%
permanent crops: 6.52% other: 78.26% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes | English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home |
Legal system | based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation |
Legislative branch | bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Aayan), a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms
elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (November 2001 election postponed, next scheduled to be held in June 2003) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2 note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held |
bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 1, independent 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.71 years
male: 75.26 years female: 80.3 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 76.16 years
male: 73.06 years female: 79.44 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.6% male: 93.4% female: 79.4% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.) |
Location | Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia | Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines |
Map references | Middle East | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 NM | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,206 GRT/53,401 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, container 1, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 6 (2002 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or Socom); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $757.5 million (FY01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 8.6% (FY01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,517,751 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,073,991 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 57,131 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 25 May (1946) | Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978) |
Nationality | noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian |
noun: NA
adjective: NA |
Natural hazards | droughts; periodic earthquakes | active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) |
Natural resources | phosphates, potash, shale oil | arable land, fish |
Net migration rate | 6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use | - |
Political parties and leaders | Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Abd al latif al-ARABIYAT, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general] | Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]; Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president] | NA |
Population | 5,307,470 (July 2002 est.) | 80,006 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 30% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.89% (2002 est.) | 3.37% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Al 'Aqabah | Saipan, Tinian |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 1.66 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 677 km
narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge (2001) |
0 km |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.) | Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000 |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 403,000 (1997) | 21,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 11,500 (1995) | 1,200 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995) | 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River | southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 3.15 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | none | none |