Jordan (2004) | Bermuda (2004) | |
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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 | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 35.2% (male 1,009,604; female 967,645)
15-64 years: 61.1% (male 1,829,984; female 1,598,141) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 100,896; female 104,932) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 19.1% (male 6,192; female 6,186)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,268; female 22,703) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 3,295; female 4,291) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products |
Airports | 17 (2003 est.) | 1 (2003 est.) |
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 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Area | total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km water: 329 sq km |
total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Indiana | about one-third 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, despite several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a formal peace treaty 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 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 and government appointed in October 2004 declared their commitment to accelerated economic and political reforms and the new cabinet includes an unprecedented four women as ministers. | Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. |
Birth rate | 22.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 11.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.397 billion
expenditures: $3.587 billion, including capital expenditures of $582 million (2003 est.) |
revenues: $671.1 million
expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55 million (FY03/04) |
Capital | 'Amman | Hamilton |
Climate | mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter |
Coastline | 26 km | 103 km |
Constitution | 8 January 1952 | 8 June 1968, amended 1989 and 2003 |
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: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
Currency | Jordanian dinar (JOD) | Bermudian dollar (BMD) |
Death rate | 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $7.683 billion (2003 est.) | $160 million (FY99/00) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David M. HALE
embassy: Abdoun, Amman mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 592-0101 FAX: [962] (6) 592-4102 |
chief of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette BOECKER
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | border dispute settled with Syria in 2004 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA, $553 million (2000 est.) | NA |
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 substantial headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a free trade accord with the US (2000), and an association agreement with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The US-led war in Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent on Iraq for discounted oil (worth $300-$600 million a year). Several Gulf nations have provided temporary aid to compensate for the loss of this oil; when this foreign aid expires, the Jordanian government has pledged to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales tax base. Other ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit, broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures, and the encouragement of tourism. | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, equal to that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - was severely hit as American tourists chose not to travel. Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002-03. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable. |
Electricity - consumption | 6.86 billion kWh (2001) | 598.6 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 2 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 267 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 7.091 billion kWh (2001) | 643.7 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, 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% | black 58%, white 36%, other 6% |
Exchange rates | Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002), 0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000), 0.709 (1999) | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
Executive branch | chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to inherit the throne
head of government: Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October 2003) 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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Alex SCOTT (since 24 July 2003); Deputy Premier Ewart BROWN cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables, manufactures, pharmaceuticals | reexports of pharmaceuticals |
Exports - partners | US 21.5%, Iraq 17.6%, Switzerland 6.5%, India 6.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.3% (2003) | France 62%, Norway 13.8%, UK 7.5% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $23.64 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.33 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 29% services: 67.4% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.1% (2003 est.) | 2% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 31 00 N, 36 00 E | 32 20 N, 64 45 W |
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 | consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 |
Heliports | 1 (2003 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 7,245 km
paved: 7,245 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1997) |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals |
Imports - partners | Saudi Arabia 11.3%, China 7.9%, Germany 7.9%, US 6.8%, Iraq 6.5% (2003) | Kazakhstan 46.7%, France 32.5%, US 8.5% (2003) |
Independence | 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.5% (2003 est.) | NA |
Industries | phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, tourism | tourism, international business, light manufacturing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 8.79 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.4% (2003 est.) | 3.3% (mid-2003 est.) |
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, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO, Egmont Group, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force |
Irrigated land | 750 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal) | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts |
Labor force | 1.36 million (2003) | 37,470 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.) | agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 22%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, services 20% (2000 est.) |
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: 2.67%
permanent crops: 1.83% other: 95.5% (2001) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2001) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes | English (official), Portuguese |
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 | English law |
Legislative branch | bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55 seats; members 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) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special electoral panel if no women are elected)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%; seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front 18; note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF candidate 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; political parties were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001 elections until 2003 |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held NA July 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.06 years
male: 75.59 years female: 80.69 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 77.6 years
male: 75.54 years female: 79.7 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3% male: 95.9% female: 86.3% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.) |
Location | Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US) |
Map references | Middle East | North America |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT
by type: cargo 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Greece 6 registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.) |
total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 4, container 17, liquefied gas 9, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea/passenger 3 foreign-owned: Croatia 5, Germany 2, Greece 21, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 33, United States 12 registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
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 | Bermuda Regiment |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2,043.2 million (2003) | $4.03 million (2001) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 20.2% (2003) | 0.11% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,636,537 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,153,385 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 59,471 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 25 May (1946) | Bermuda Day, 24 May |
Nationality | noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian |
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
Natural hazards | droughts; periodic earthquakes | hurricanes (June to November) |
Natural resources | phosphates, potash, shale oil | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism |
Net migration rate | 6.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 2.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Al-Ahed Party [Khaldoun al-NASSER, secretary general]; Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive Party [Mahmood MA'AYTEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary] general; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; Muslim Centrist Party [NA leader]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general] | Gombey Liberation Party or GLP [Gavin Sundjata SMITH]; National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [William Alexander SCOTT]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Grant GIBBONS]; |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general] | Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] |
Population | 5,611,202 (July 2004 est.) | 64,935 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 30% (2001 est.) | 19% (2000) |
Population growth rate | 2.67% (2004 est.) | 0.68% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Al 'Aqabah | Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | total: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003) |
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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.) | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: service has improved recently with 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: country code - 962; 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: good
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: country code - 1-441; 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 622,600 (2003) | 56,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,325,300 (2003) | 37,873 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995) | 4 (2003) |
Terrain | mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River | low hills separated by fertile depressions |
Total fertility rate | 2.86 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.) | 5% (2002 est.) |