FLAG : The national flag is a tricolor of black, white, and green horizontal stripes with a seven-pointed white star on a red triangle at the hoist.

ANTHEM : As-Salam al-Maliki (Long Live the King).

MONETARY UNIT : The Jordanian dinar (jd) is a paper currency of 1,000 fils. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, and 250 fils and notes of ½, 1, 5, 10, and 20 dinars. jd1 = $1.40845 (or $1 = jd0.71) as of 2005.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard, but some local and Syrian units are still widely used, especially in the villages.

HOLIDAYS : Arbor Day, 15 January; Independence Day, 25 May; Accession of King Hussein, 11 August; King Hussein’s Birthday, 14 November. Muslim religious holidays include the 1st of Muharram (Islamic New Year), ‘Id al-Fitr, ‘Id al-’Adha’, and Milad an-Nabi. Christmas and Easter are observed by sizable Christian minorities.

TIME: 2 pm = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

Situated in southwest Asia, Jordan has an area of 92,300 square kilometers (35,637 square miles), slightly smaller than the state of Indiana. The country has a total land boundary length of 1,635 kilometers (1,016 miles), including the West Bank, and a coastline (Gulf of Aqaba) of 26 kilometers (16 miles).

Jordan’s capital city, ‘Amman, is located in the northwestern part of the country.

2 Topography

The Jordan River Valley has a maximum depression of 408 meters (1,338 feet) below sea level at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth’s surface. To the east of the Jordan River, the Transjordanian plateaus have an average altitude of 910 meters (3,000 feet), with hills rising to more than 1,650 meters (5,400 feet) in the south. Farther eastward, the highlands slope down gently toward the desert, which constitutes 88% of the East Bank. The highest point in the country is Jabal Ramm in the south, with an altitude of 1,734 meters (5,689 feet).

The Jordan River, the longest in the country, enters the country from Israel to the north and

GEOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Geographic Features

Area: 92,300 sq km (35,637 sq mi)

Size ranking: 109 of 194

Highest elevation: 1,734 meters (5,689 feet) at Jabal Ramm

Lowest elevation: -408 meters (-1,338 feet) at the Dead Sea

Land Use*

Arable land: 3%

Permanent crops: 1%

Other: 96%

Weather**

Average annual precipitation: 27.3 centimeters (10.7 inches)

Average temperature in January: 8.2°C (46.8°F)

Average temperature in July: 25.2°C (77.4°F)

* Arable Land: Land used for temporary crops, like meadows for mowing or pasture, gardens, and greenhouses.

Permanent crops: Land cultivated with crops that occupy its use for long periods, such as cocoa, coffee, rubber, fruit and nut orchards, and vineyards.

Other: Any land not specified, including built-on areas, roads, and barren land.

** The measurements for precipitation and average temperatures were taken at weather stations closest to the country’s largest city.

Precipitation and average temperature can vary significantly within a country, due to factors such as latitude, altitude, coastal proximity, and wind patterns.

flows into the Dead Sea. Its main tributary is the Yarmuk, which near its juncture forms the border between Jordan and Syria. The total length of the Jordan River is 322 kilometers (200 miles).

The Dead Sea is the largest lake, with an area of 962 square kilometers (370 square miles).

3 Climate

The Jordan Valley has little rainfall, intense summer heat, and mild winters. The desert regions are subject to great extremes of temperature and receive rainfall of less than 20 centimeters (8 inches) annually, while the rest of the country has an average rainfall of up to 58 centimeters (23 inches) a year.

Temperatures at ‘Amman range from about 4°c (39°f) in winter to more than 32°c (90°f) in summer.

4 Plants and Animals

Plants and animals are those common to the eastern Mediterranean and the Syrian Desert. The vegetation ranges from semitropical flora in the Jordan Valley and other regions to shrubs and drought-resistant bushes in the desert. Less than 1% of the land is forested. The wild animal life includes the jackal, hyena, fox, wildcat, gazelle, ibex, antelope, rabbit, vulture, sand grouse, skylark, partridge, quail, woodcock, goldfinch, viper, diced water snake, and Syrian black snake.

5 Environment

Jordan’s principal environmental problems are water shortages, soil erosion caused by overgrazing of goats and sheep, and deforestation. Water pollution is an important issue in Jordan and it is expected that the rate of population growth will place more demands on an already inadequate

water supply. Current sources of pollution are sewage, herbicides, and pesticides.

Jordan’s wildlife was reduced drastically by livestock overgrazing and uncontrolled hunting between 1930 and 1960. Larger wild animals such as the Arabian oryx, onager, and Asiatic lion have completely disappeared. As of 2003, 3.4% of Jordan’s total land area is protected. In 2006, seven of Jordan’s mammal species, fourteen bird species, five species of fish, and one type of reptile

were listed as threatened. Endangered species in Jordan include the South Arabian leopard, the sand cat, the cheetah, and the goitered gazelle.

6 Population

The 2005 estimated population was 5.8 million. During 2005–10, the population was projected to increase each year by an average of 2.4%. A population of 8.3 million was projected for the year 2025. The estimated population density was 62 persons per square kilometer (161 per square mile) in 2005. In 2005, ‘Amman, the capital, had an estimated population of 1.2 million.

7 Migration

In 2000, there were 1,945,000 migrants living in Jordan, accounting for approximately 40% of the total population. Of those migrants, 83% (or about 1,610,100) were refugees. In 2004, Jordan hosted 1.7 million refugees and 12,453 asylum seekers. The estimated net migration rate for 2005 was 6.4 migrants per 1,000 population.

8 Ethnic Groups

Ethnically, the Jordanians represent a mixed stock. Most of the population is Arab (approximately 98% in 2002). Bedouin nomads and seminomads occupy the desert and steppe areas. Some groups of Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Europeans, and Africans have been present in Jordan for millennia. The Palestinian Arabs now residing in Jordan tend to be sedentary and urban. About 1% of the population is Armenian and another 1% is Circassian. There are also small Kurd, Druze, and Chechen minorities.

9 Languages

Arabic is the official language of the country and is spoken even by the ethnic minorities who maintain their own languages in their everyday lives. The spoken Arabic of the country is essentially a local dialect of literary Arabic; it is common to neighboring countries but is quite different from the spoken language in Egypt. There also are differences between the languages of the towns and of the countryside and between those of the East and West Banks. English is widely understood by the upper and middle classes.

10 Religions

Islam is the state religion, although all are guaranteed religious freedom under the law. Most Jordanians (about 95%) are Sunni Muslims. Of the racial minorities, the Turkomans and Circassians are Sunni Muslims. The Druzes are a nontraditional Muslim sect. Christians constitute about 4% of the population and live mainly in ‘Amman or the Jordan Valley. Most are Greek Orthodox or Roman Catholic. Other officially recognized Christian denominations include Anglicans, Lutherans, Seventh-Day Adventists, Baptists, Free Evangelicals, and Assemblies of God. There are small groups of Baha’is and Samaritans, a form of the ancient Jewish religion. There are numerous missionary groups within the country.

11 Transportation

In 2003, all of Jordan’s estimated 7,364 kilometers (4,580 miles) of road was paved. Passenger automobiles numbered 315,250; trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles totaled 107,920 in 2003. The rail system includes some 505 kilometers (314 miles) of narrow-gauge single track. Situated at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, the port of Al-’Aqabah is Jordan’s only outlet to the sea.

The Alia-Royal Jordanian Airline, owned by the government, operates domestic and international flights. The major airport is the new Queen Alia International Airport. In 2003, 1.3 million passengers were carried on scheduled domestic and international flights.

12 History

Origins Neolithic remains from about 7000 bc have been found in Jericho, the oldest known city in the world. In the tenth century bc, the western part of the area of Jordan formed part of the domain of the Hebrew kings David and Solomon. In the fourth century bc, Palestine and Syria were conquered by Alexander the Great, beginning about 1,000 years of intermittent European rule.

After the second century ad, Palestine and areas east of the Jordan came under direct Roman rule. Christianity spread rapidly in Jordan, and for 300 years it was the dominant religion. When Muslim invaders appeared, however, little resistance was offered, and in 636, Arab rule was

firmly established. The area became thoroughly Arabized and Islamized, remaining so to this day despite a century-long domination by the Crusaders (12th century). It was controlled by the Ottoman Turks from 1517 to 1917.

1917–1958 During World War I (1914–18), the British persuaded Sharif Hussein ibn-’Ali, the Hashemite ruler of Mecca, to start an Arab revolt against the Turks. After the defeat of the Turks, Palestine and Transjordan were placed under British administration. In 1923, the independence of Transjordan was proclaimed under British supervision, and by 1946, Transjordan attained full independence.

After the Arab-Israeli war of 1948, King ‘Abdallah annexed the area of Palestine now known as the West Bank. It was incorporated into the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1950. Meanwhile, since the 1948 war, Jordan had absorbed about 500,000 of some 1 million Palestinian Arab refugees, mostly sheltered in United Nations-administered camps. On 20 July 1951, ‘Abdallah was assassinated in Jerusalem by a Palestinian Arab, and the throne passed to his grandson Hussein I, who was formally enthroned on 2 May 1953.

Following the overthrow of Egypt’s King Faruk in July 1952, the Arab countries were strongly influenced by the movement for Arab unity. Jordan, however, maintained a close association with Britain in an effort to preserve the kingdom as a separate, independent country. British intervention during the 1956 war in the Suez hurt their relations with Jordan. But Hussein turned again to the West for support after his cousin King Faisal II of Iraq was assassinated in a July 1958 coup. British troops were flown to Jordan from Cyprus.

1959–1967 Hussein, while retaining Jordan’s Western ties, gradually strengthened his relations with other Arab states (except Syria). But even in years of comparative peace, relations with Israel remained the focus of tensions in the region. Terrorist raids launched from within Jordan drew strong Israeli reprisals. In addition, the activities of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) often violated Jordan’s borders. These incursions led Hussein to withdraw support for the PLO in July 1966 and in early 1967, again angering the Arab world.

In the 1967 Six-Day War with Israel, Israel took over the Jordanian West Bank (including all of Jerusalem). Jordan suffered heavy casualties, and more than 300,000 Palestinians fled across the Jordan River to the East Bank. Jordan’s refugee population swelled from 700,000 in 1966 to more than 1 million, adding to the severe economic problems caused by the war.

1970–1979 After Hussein’s acceptance of a cease-fire with Israel in August 1970, he tried to suppress various Palestinian guerrilla organizations, finally driving them out in July 1971. In the following September, Premier Wasfi al-Tal was assassinated by guerrilla commandos. Coup attempts, in which Libya was said to have been involved, were defeated in November 1972 and February 1973.

Jordan did not actively participate in the “Yom Kippur War” against Israel in October 1973, but it sent an armored brigade of about 2,500 men to assist Syria. After the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty of 1979, Jordan joined other Arab states in trying to isolate Egypt diplomatically. Hussein refused to join further Egyptian-Israeli talks on the future of the West Bank.

1980–1999 In the 1980s, Hussein gradually liberalized his country’s internal politics. In 1988, Jordan cut its ties with the Israeli occupied West Bank. In 1989, for the first time since 1956, Jordan held relatively free parliamentary elections. New parliamentary elections were held in 1993.

In 1990, Jordan was critical of the Persian Gulf War led by the United States. This hurt Jordan’s relations with the United States and the Gulf states. Jordan lost its subsidies from the latter while having to support hundreds of thousands of refugees from the war and its aftermath.

Jordan’s willingness to participate in peace talks with Israel in late 1991 helped to repair relations with Western countries. In June 1994, Jordan and Israel began meetings to work out practical steps on policies concerning water, borders, and energy which would lead to normal relations. In July 1994, Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty that officially ended their state of war. In September 1995, Israel agreed to give administrative control of the West Bank to the Palestinians.

Following a battle with cancer, Hussein died on 8 February 1999. His son, Abdallah, was named king and pledged his support for the Middle East peace process, a more open government, and economic reforms. King Abdallah II also resumed talks between Israel and Syria.

Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Jordan put into force a series of temporary laws imposing sharp restrictions on the right to public assembly and protest. One law broadened the definition of terrorism, and allowed for the freezing of suspects’ bank accounts. The number of offenses carrying the death penalty was increased. Journalists faced up to three years in prison if their articles were considered harmful to national unity or likely to incite protests.

Jordan was generally considered a safe and stable county until 2005. Late that year, suicide bomb attacks on hotels in ‘Amman, the capital. Islamic militants based in Iraq claimed responsibility for the bombings, which killed several dozen people.

BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Name : Abdullah II Ibn Hussein

Position : King of a constitutional monarchy

Took Office : 7 February 1999

Birthplace : Amman, Jordan

Birthdate : 30 January 1962

Religion : Islam

Education : Sandhurst Military Academy, Oxford University, international politics; Georgetown University

Spouse : Rania Yassin

Children : Two sons, Hussein and Hashem; two daughters, Iman and Salma

Of interest : Abdullah is known as an athletic and easygoing man. He also is a licensed pilot.

13 Government

Jordan is a constitutional monarchy. The king has wide powers over all branches of government, and he chooses the prime minister, who then selects the other ministers (or cabinet). The constitution gives legislative power to the national assembly, composed of a 55-member senate and a 110-member lower house, the chamber of deputies. There is universal suffrage at age 18. Women received the right to vote in April 1973.

Jordan (outside the West Bank) is divided into 12 governorates, each under a governor appointed by the king. The towns and larger villages are administered by elected municipal councils. Smaller villages are headed by a headman (mukhtar).

14 Political Parties

Political parties were abolished on 25 April 1957, following an alleged attempted coup by Arab militants. In 1992, parties were again permitted and 22 of them were allowed to compete in elections. The main opposition group has been the Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood.

In 1997, nine pro-government parties banded together to form the National Constitutional Party. In that election, independent pro-government candidates won 62 out of the 80 seats; 10 seats were won by nationalist and leftist candidates; and eight by independent Islamists.

In the 2003 elections for the chamber of deputies, independents won 89.6% of the vote and the Islamic Action Front won 10.4% of the vote.

15 Judicial System

There are four levels of civil and criminal courts, religious courts, and tribal courts. The Supreme Court and the courts of appeals deal with appeals from lower courts. Courts of First Instance hear major civil and criminal cases. Religious courts, such as the Muslim Shariah courts, have authority over matters such as marriage, divorce, wills and testaments, and orphans.

16 Armed Forces

In 2005, the Jordanian army had some 10,500 troops. The army numbered 85,000, the air force had 15,000 personnel, and the navy had about 500 personnel. In that year, the Jordanian defense budget totaled $956 million.

17 Economy

Jordan’s economy has been greatly affected by the Arab-Israeli conflict. The loss of the West Bank in 1967 resulted in the loss of most of Jordan’s richest agricultural land and a decline in the growing tourist industry. An estimated 80% of annual national income in the early 1980s came from direct grants from and exports to oil-rich Arab countries. Other sources of income included tax payments and money being sent home by Jordanians working in other Arab countries. Western economic aid, notably from the United States, Britain, and Germany, also has been important to the economy.

Yearly Growth Rate

This economic indicator tells by what percent the economy has increased or decreased when compared with the previous year.

The start of the recession in Jordan in the mid-1980s, followed by the economic collapse of 1988–89 and the Persian Gulf War in 1991, left the country with an unemployment rate of approximately 30 to 35% and high inflation. About 25 to 30% of the population fell below the poverty line. The international embargo against Iraq caused Jordan to lose a major market for its exports and re-exports.

In 1995, the government began a program of economic reforms, which included market-oriented policies, commitment to international investment, and the signing of trade and transportation agreements with Israel.

Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rose steadily from 3.1% to 5.0% from 1999 to 2002. Inflation was low, falling from 3.1% in 1998 to 0.6% in 1999, 0.7% in 2000, and 1.8% in 2001. The Jordanian economy continued

Components of the Economy

This pie chart shows how much of the country’s economy is devoted to agriculture (including forestry, hunting, and fishing), industry, or services.

to improve in 2002, even though the second Palestinian intifada (uprising), which began in 2000, was taking place next door.

After a slight downturn in 2003, the economy expanded by 5.2% in 2004, and approached 6% growth in 2005. The unemployment rate was tagged at 15%, although unofficial numbers show it to be as high as 30%. The war in Iraq, begun in 2003, has significantly affected the economy of Jordan.

18 Income

In 2005, Jordan’s gross domestic product (GDP) was $27.7 billion, or about $4,800 per person. In 2002, the average inflation rate was 3.9%. The annual growth rate of GDP approached 6% in 2005.

19 Industry

Most industrial income comes from four industries: cement, oil refining, phosphates, and potash. The oil refinery at Az-Zarqa’ has a capacity of 90,400 barrels per day. Jordan’s Dead Sea potash extraction plant has an estimated 1.4 million tons capacity.

In 2005, industry as a whole accounted for 29% of gross domestic product.

20 Labor

The labor force numbered 1.5 million people in 2005, with an additional 300,000 workers employed abroad. In 2001, the service industry accounted for 83% of the workforce, industry employed 13%, with the remaining engaged in agriculture. The official unemployment rate was 15% in 2004; the actual rate, however, may be as high as 30%.

Approximately 30% of the labor force is unionized, and there were 17 trade unions in 2002. The minimum age for employment is 16, except for children working in family businesses or on family farms. The national minimum wage was $114 per month in 2002. This amount does not provide the average family with a living wage.

21 Agriculture

In 2005, agriculture accounted for 3% of gross domestic product. Production of principal field crops in 2004 included 50,000 tons of wheat, 30,000 tons of barley, and 2,000 tons of tobacco. Prominent vegetables and fruits produced included 415,000 tons of tomatoes, 52,000 tons of eggplant, 100,000 tons of cucumbers, and 28,000 tons of cabbage. Over 16 million fruit trees that year produced 147,000 tons of citrus, 160,700 tons of olives, 51,000 tons of bananas, and 28,000 tons of grapes.

22 Domesticated Animals

Raising livestock for both meat and dairy products is an important part of Jordanian agriculture. The large nomadic tribes take their camels into the desert every winter, returning nearer to the cultivated area in summer. The camels provide transportation, food (milk and meat), shelter, and clothing (hair). The sale of surplus camels is a source of cash. Sheep- and goat-herding nomads make similar use of their animals. Imported milk and meat are sold at subsidized prices.

Sheep and goats account for 90% of the livestock and are raised for both meat and milk. The Awasi is the major breed of sheep used and the Baladi is the major breed of goat. In 2005, the number of sheep was estimated at 1.7 million, goats at 444,000, and cattle at 69,000 head. Jordan had an estimated 25 million chickens the same year. Poultry meat production was 121,000 tons and meat production from cattle and sheep reached 8,700 tons. Production of fresh milk from cattle and sheep was 252,700 tons. Jordan produces about 30% of its needs in red meat and 50% of its need for milk.

23 Fishing

Fishing is unimportant as a source of food. The rivers are relatively poor in fish and there are no

Yearly Balance of Trade

The balance of trade is the difference between what a country sells to other countries (its exports) and what it buys (its imports). If a country imports more than it exports, it has a negative balance of trade (a trade deficit). If exports exceed imports there is a positive balance of trade (a trade surplus).

fish in the Dead Sea. The short Gulf of Aqaba shoreline has only recently been developed for fishing. In 2003, the total fish catch was only 1,131 tons.

24 Forestry

Forestland now covers less than 1% of the total area. Scrub forests and maquis growths are the most common. The olive, characteristic of the Mediterranean basin, is widely cultivated. The important forests are around Ajlun in the north and near Ma’an. From 1976 to 1991, about 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) was reforested. In 2004, roundwood production was 257,000 tons. Imports of forestry products totaled $167 million in 2004.

25 Mining

Jordan’s leading mineral commodities include phosphate, potash, and cement. Jordan also produces common clay, feldspar, natural gas and petroleum (for domestic consumption), gravel, gypsum, limestone, marble, salt, and sulfuric acid. In 2004, Jordan mined no metals, although it had deposits of copper, gold, iron, sulfur, titanium, and, in the Dead Sea, bromine and manganese. Copper deposits between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba remained undeveloped.

26 Foreign Trade

Until 2000, Jordan exported mainly phosphates, manufactured products, and fruits and vegetables. In 2000, however, Jordan’s fertilizer exports plummeted, accounting for only 7.6% of exports. Now apparel, medical and pharmaceutical products, paper products, industrial machinery, and vegetables are important exports. Imports consist mainly of machinery and transport equipment, manufactured products, petroleum, and food-stuffs. Until 1990 when the oil embargo against Iraq went into effect, Jordan bought the bulk of its crude oil from Iraq. Iraq was also a key market for Jordanian exports. In 2004, Jordan’s principal trading partners were Saudi Arabia, the United States, Iraq, India, China, and Germany.

27 Energy and Power

Jordan has miniscule petroleum deposits. Before the 1991 Persian Gulf War, its imports of oil from Saudi Arabia via the Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline) and its refinery at Az Zarqa’, with an annual productive capacity of 22 million barrels, supplied virtually all the country’s energy

Selected Social Indicators

The statistics below are the most recent estimates available as of 2006. For comparison purposes, data for the United States and averages for low-income countries and high-income countries are also given. About 15% of the world’s 6.5 billion people live in high-income countries, while 37% live in low-income countries.

Indicator	Jordan	Low-income countries	High-income countries	United States
sources: World Bank. World Development Indicators. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 2006; Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006; World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C.
Per capita gross national income (GNI)*	$4,770	$2,258	$31,009	$39,820
Population growth rate	3.9%	2%	0.8%	1.2%
People per square kilometer of land	62	80	30	32
Life expectancy in years: male	70	58	76	75
female	73	60	82	80
Number of physicians per 1,000 people	2.0	0.4	3.7	2.3
Number of pupils per teacher (primary school)	20	43	16	15
Literacy rate (15 years and older)	89.9%	65%	>95%	99%
Television sets per 1,000 people	177	84	735	938
Internet users per 1,000 people	107	28	538	630
Energy consumed per capita (kg of oil equivalent)	1,027	501	5,410	7,843
CO² emissions per capita (metric tons)	3.15	0.85	12.97	19.92
* The GNI is the total of all goods and services produced by the residents of a country in a year. The per capita GNI is calculated by dividing a country’s GNI by its population and adjusting for relative purchasing power.
n.a.: data not available >: greater than <: less than

needs. Saudi Arabia stopped supplying Jordan via the Tapline during the war to protest Jordan’s tacit support of Iraq during the war. With the United Nations embargo that followed, however, Jordan became the sole legal recipient of Iraqi oil exports. Crude oil imports in 2004 averaged 100,000 barrels per day. In 2002, electricity generated totaled 7.6 billion kilowatt-hours.

28 Social Development

The social insurance system provides old-age, disability, and survivor benefits, as well as workers’ compensation. Workers contribute 5.5% of their wages, employers pay 9% of payroll, and the government covers any deficit.

Women experience legal discrimination regarding pension and social security benefits, inheritance, and divorce. Under Islamic law, a female heir’s inheritance is half that of a male, and in court, a woman’s testimony has only half the value of a man’s. Violence against women is common, as is spousal abuse.

29 Health

As of 2004, Jordan had 205 physicians, 96 pharmacists, 55 dentists, and 275 nurses per 100,000 people. Medical services are concentrated in the main towns. Village clinics are staffed by trained nurses, with regular visits by government physicians. Trachoma, hepatitis, typhoid fever, intestinal parasites, and other endemic conditions are common.

In 2005, average life expectancy was 70 years for men and 73 years for women. The infant mortality

rate for the same year was 17.4 per 1,000 live births. As of 2000, an estimated 8% of all children under five were malnourished. In 2004, 600 people were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

30 Housing

Jordan still lacked adequate housing in the early 1980s. From 1981 to 1986, some 42,300 new residential building permits were issued. According to 1994 statistics, the total number of dwellings was 831,799.

Most residential units were made of cement bricks or concrete blocks. About 3% of all dwellings were described as mud brick and rubble constructions.

31 Education

Education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16. Ten years are devoted to primary education, followed by two years at the secondary stage. More than 95% of primary-school-aged children attended school. About 75% of those eligible attended secondary school. The United National Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operated 208 schools in refugee camps.

Jordan has five universities. In addition, there are 53 community colleges; two of these are UNRWA schools on the East Bank for Palestinian students. As of 2003, the adult literacy rate was estimated at 89.9% (males, 95.1%; females, 84.7%).

32 Media

In 2003, Jordan had 242 telephones and 242 mobile telephones for every 1,000 people. All radio and television broadcasts are controlled by the government. As of 1999, there were six AM and five FM radio stations. In 2003, there were 437 radios and 177 television sets for every 1,000 people. In 2000 there were five Internet service providers, serving 210,000 subscribers by 2001. By 2004, of every 1,000 people, an estimated 107 were Internet users.

Jordan’s four major daily newspapers (with 2002 estimated daily circulations) are: Al-Dustour (Constitution, 100,000); Al-Rai (Opinion, 90,000); Sawt Ash-Shaab (Voice of the People, 30,000); and Jordan Times (15,000). All except the English-language Jordan Times are published in Arabic.

33 Tourism and Recreation

In 2000, an estimated 1.4 million tourists arrived in Jordan. Of these arrivals, more than 64% were from other Middle Eastern countries. Tourism receipts totaled $1 billion in 2003. There were 19,698 rooms in hotels and other establishments, with 37,859 beds and a 33% occupancy rate in 2003.

Jordan is an area of immense historical interest, with some 800 archaeological sites, including 224 in the Jordan Valley. Jordan’s notable tourist attractions include the Greco-Roman remains at Jarash (ancient Garasi), one of the best-preserved cities of its time in the Middle East. Petra (Batra), carved out of the red rock by the Nabataeans, is probably the most famous historical site. Natural attractions include the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, which is the lowest spot on earth—at -408 meters (-1,338 feet).

The beaches on the Gulf of Aqaba offer holiday relaxation for Jordanians as well as for tourists. Sports facilities include swimming pools, tennis and squash courts, and bowling alleys.

34 Famous Jordanians

The founder of Jordan’s Hashemite dynasty was Hussein ibn-’Ali (Husayn bin ‘Ali, 1856– 1931), sharif of Mecca and king of the Hijaz. The founder of the kingdom was ‘Abdallah ibn-Husayn (1882–1951). He was recognized as emir in 1921 and king in 1946. The second emir was his grandson, King Hussein I (Husayn ibn-Talal, 1935–1999), who ruled from 1953 until his death. In June 1978, 16 months after the death by helicopter crash of Queen Alia (1948–1977), Hussein married his fourth wife, the Queen Noor al-Hussein (Elizabeth Halaby, b. United States, 1951– ).