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Compare Jordan (2004) - Switzerland (2001)

Compare Jordan (2004) z Switzerland (2001)

 Jordan (2004)Switzerland (2001)
 JordanSwitzerland
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 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
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:
16.97% (male 634,030; female 601,929)

15-64 years:
67.73% (male 2,505,450; female 2,427,408)

65 years and over:
15.3% (male 453,366; female 661,091) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Airports 17 (2003 est.) 67 (2000 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:
42

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
13

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
15 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
25

under 914 m:
25 (2000 est.)
Area total: 92,300 sq km


land: 91,971 sq km


water: 329 sq km
total:
41,290 sq km

land:
39,770 sq km

water:
1,520 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Indiana slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
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. Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality.
Birth rate 22.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.397 billion


expenditures: $3.587 billion, including capital expenditures of $582 million (2003 est.)
revenues:
$32.66 billion

expenditures:
$34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.)
Capital 'Amman Bern
Climate mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Coastline 26 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 8 January 1952 29 May 1874
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:
Swiss Confederation

conventional short form:
Switzerland

local long form:
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

local short form:
Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)
Currency Jordanian dinar (JOD) Swiss franc (CHF)
Death rate 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $7.683 billion (2003 est.) $NA
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:
Ambassador J. Richard FREDERICKS

embassy:
Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3001 Bern

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[41] (31) 357 70 11

FAX:
[41] (31) 357 73 44
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO

chancery:
2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 745-7900

FAX:
[1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

consulate(s):
Boston
Disputes - international border dispute settled with Syria in 2004 none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)
Economic aid - recipient ODA, $553 million (2000 est.) -
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. Switzerland, a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP 20% above that of the big western European economies, experienced solid growth of 3% in 2000, but growth is expected to fall back to about 2% in 2001. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties, and the agreements should come into force in 2001. Switzerland is still considered a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value.
Electricity - consumption 6.86 billion kWh (2001) 51.862 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 2 million kWh (2001) 31.955 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 267 million kWh (2001) 21.723 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 7.091 billion kWh (2001) 66.768 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
3.44%

hydro:
59.16%

nuclear:
35.43%

other:
1.97% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m
lowest point:
Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point:
Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
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
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Exchange rates Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002), 0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000), 0.709 (1999) Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996)
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:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term

elections:
president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 6 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001)

election results:
Moritz LEUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 76%; Kaspar VILLIGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 72%
Exports NA (2001) $91.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables, manufactures, pharmaceuticals machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
Exports - partners US 21.5%, Iraq 17.6%, Switzerland 6.5%, India 6.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.3% (2003) EU 65.8% (Germany 22.6%, France 9.2%, Italy 8.0%, UK 5.5%, Austria 3.2%), US 12.4%, Japan 4.0% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $23.64 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $207 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.6%


industry: 29%


services: 67.4% (2003 est.)
agriculture:
2.8%

industry:
31.1%

services:
66.1% (1995)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.1% (2003 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 31 00 N, 36 00 E 47 00 N, 8 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 landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe
Heliports 1 (2003 est.) -
Highways total: 7,245 km


paved: 7,245 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total:
71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways)

paved:
71,059 km

unpaved:
0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.3%


highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)
lowest 10%:
2.8%

highest 10%:
25.2% (1992)
Illicit drugs - because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
Imports NA (2001) $91.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
Imports - partners Saudi Arabia 11.3%, China 7.9%, Germany 7.9%, US 6.8%, Iraq 6.5% (2003) EU 77.7% (Germany 31.0%, France 12.0%, Italy 9.7%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 5.7%), US 7.1%, Japan 2.9% (1999)
Independence 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% (2003 est.) 8.6% (2000 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, tourism machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
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.)
4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.4% (2003 est.) 1.5% (2000 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 ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)
Irrigated land 750 sq km (1998 est.) 250 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal) Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
Labor force 1.36 million (2003) 3.9 million (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.) services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998 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
total:
1,852 km

border countries:
Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Land use arable land: 2.67%


permanent crops: 1.83%


other: 95.5% (2001)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
28%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
28% (1993 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%
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 civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Council of States - last held in 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003)

election results:
Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Greens 9, other small parties 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.06 years


male: 75.59 years


female: 80.69 years (2004 est.)
total population:
79.73 years

male:
76.85 years

female:
82.76 years (2001 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:
99% (1980 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Map references Middle East Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm none (landlocked)
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:
24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 435,966 GRT/780,458 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 1 (2000 est.)
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 Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2,043.2 million (2003) $3.1 billion (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 20.2% (2003) 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,636,537 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
1,849,034 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,153,385 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
1,570,918 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 59,471 (2004 est.) males:
42,597 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 25 May (1946) Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Nationality noun: Jordanian(s)


adjective: Jordanian
noun:
Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective:
Swiss
Natural hazards droughts; periodic earthquakes avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Natural resources phosphates, potash, shale oil hydropower potential, timber, salt
Net migration rate 6.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004) crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km
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] Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Adalbert DURRER, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruedi BAUMANN, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties
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] NA
Population 5,611,202 (July 2004 est.) 7,283,274 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 30% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.67% (2004 est.) 0.27% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Al 'Aqabah Basel
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 7.1 million (1997)
Railways total: 505 km


narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)
total:
4,492 km (1,564 km double track)

standard gauge:
3,317 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified)

narrow gauge:
1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,165 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (1998)
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.) Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.69 male(s)/female

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 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:
excellent domestic and international services

domestic:
extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 622,600 (2003) 4.82 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,325,300 (2003) 1.967 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995) 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Total fertility rate 2.86 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.) 1.9% (2000 est.)
Waterways - 65 km

note:
The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes
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