Reunion (2002) | Jordan (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons | 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 31.7% (male 120,864; female 115,251)
15-64 years: 62.5% (male 228,864; female 235,991) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 17,459; female 25,552) (2002 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn | wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry |
Airports | 2 (2001) | 18 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
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) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 2,517 sq km
land: 2,507 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km water: 329 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly smaller than Indiana |
Background | The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route. | 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. |
Birth rate | 20.7 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 24.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
revenues: $2.9 billion
expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | Saint-Denis | Amman |
Climate | tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April | mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April) |
Coastline | 207 km | 26 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 8 January 1952 |
Country name | conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion local long form: none local short form: Ile de la Reunion former: Bourbon Island |
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 |
Currency | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) | Jordanian dinar (JOD) |
Death rate | 5.51 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $8.2 billion (2002 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas department of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas department of France) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas department of France) | 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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France | ODA, $600 million (2000 est.) |
Economy - overview | The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to more than 40% of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.014 billion kWh (2000) | 7.092 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 5 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 650 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 1.09 billion kWh (2000) | 6.932 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 55%
hydro: 45% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 99%
hydro: 1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m |
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
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 |
Ethnic groups | French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian | Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997) | Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present )
note: since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA)
head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils |
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 |
Exports | $214 million f.o.b. (1997) | $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Exports - commodities | sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993) | phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals |
Exports - partners | France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (1994) | India 11.4%, US 9.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Israel 3.7% (2001) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $3.4 billion (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 26% services: 70% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,800 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.8% (1998 est.) | 3.5% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 06 S, 55 36 E | 31 00 N, 36 00 E |
Geography - note | this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean | 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 |
Heliports | - | 2 (2002) |
Highways | total: 2,724 km
paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road) unpaved: 1,424 km note: 370 km of road are maintained by national authorities, 754 km by departmental authorities and 1,600 km by local authorities (1994) |
total: 8,000 km
paved: 8,000 km unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 30% (1997) (1997) |
Imports | $2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997) | $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities | manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products | crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (1994) | Germany 8.8%, US 7.8%, Italy 5.6%, France 5.5% (2001) |
Independence | none (overseas department of France) | 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | -1.1% (2002 est.) |
Industries | sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction | phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 8.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3.3% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | FZ, InOC, WFTU | 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 5 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 120 sq km (1998 est.) | 750 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel | Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal) |
Labor force | 261,000 (1995) (1995) | 1.26 million
note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (1990) (1990) | services 83%, industry 13%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.2%
permanent crops: 2% other: 84.8% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 1.52% other: 95.61% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Creole widely used | Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes |
Legal system | French law | based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10, UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 19, UDF 9, RPR 8, various right-wing candidates 4, various left-wing candidates 5 note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1, PCR 1 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.18 years
male: 69.78 years female: 76.74 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 77.71 years
male: 75.26 years female: 80.3 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79% male: 76% female: 80% (1982 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.6% male: 93.4% female: 79.4% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar | Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia |
Map references | World | Middle East |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT
ships by type: chemical tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2002 est.) |
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.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie) | 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: 194,485 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,517,751 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 99,251 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 1,073,991 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 6,243 (2002 est.) | males: 57,131 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 25 May (1946) |
Nationality | noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective: Reunionese |
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian |
Natural hazards | periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano | droughts; periodic earthquakes |
Natural resources | fish, arable land, hydropower | phosphates, potash, shale oil |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use |
Political parties and leaders | Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD] | 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | 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] |
Population | 743,981 (July 2002 est.) | 5,307,470 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 30% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.52% (2002 est.) | 2.89% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Le Port, Pointe des Galets | Al 'Aqabah |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001) | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999) |
Radios | 173,000 (1997) | 1.66 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 677 km
narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge (2001) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995) | 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.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 20 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open wire and microwave radio relay network international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 268,500 (1999) | 403,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 197,000 (September 2000) | 11,500 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001) | 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast | mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River |
Total fertility rate | 2.55 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.15 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 42.8% (1998) (1998) | 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |