Jordan began 2015 working frantically to secure therelease of Muath al-Kasasbeh, a Jordanian fighterpilot who had been captured by the Islamic State in

Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) after his jet crashed during amission against the group in northern Syria on Dec. 24,2014. In spite of the Jordanian government’s attempts tonegotiate Kasasbeh’s safe return, ISIL released a video onFebruary 3 showing the pilot being burned to death.Enraged, the Jordanian government increased its combatoperations against ISIL and executed two prisoners, whoserelease ISIL had sought. Kasasbeh’s killing also solidifiedpopular support for Jordan’s participation in the interna-tional campaign against ISIL that began in late 2014.

DemographyPopulation (2015): 6,749,0003.Density (2015): persons per sq mi196.8, persons per sq km 76.0.

Sex distribution (20144): male51.55%; female 48.45%.

Population projection: (2020)7,416,000; (2030) 8,773,000.

Major cities (20144): Amman1,349,260; Al-Zarqa) 502,900; Irbid313,800; Al-Rusayfah 289,800; Al-Quwaysimah 176,400.

Urban-rural (20144):

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population (2012): 28.1 (world avg. 19.5).Death rate per 1,000 population (2012): 7.0 (world avg. 8.1).Life expectancy at birth (2012): male 78.8 years; female 81.6years.

Age breakdown (2014):

Ethnic composition (2000):

Religious affiliation (2010):

Jordan

Official name: Al-Mamlakah al-Urduniyyah al-Hashimiyyah(Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan).

Form of government: constitutionalmonarchy with two legislative houses(Senate [751]; House of Representatives[1502]).

Head of state and government: KingAbdullah II, assisted by Prime MinisterAbdullah Ensour.

Capital: Amman.Official language: Arabic.Official religion: Islam.Monetary unit: Jordanian dinar (JD); val-uation (Sept. 1, 2015) JD 1.00 =U.S.$1.41 = £0.92.

Area and populationarea population

20144

Governorates Capitals sq mi sq km estimate

(Ajlun (Ajlun 162 420 150,200Al-(Aqabah Al-(Aqabah 2,667 6,905 142,300Al-Balqa) Al-Salt 432 1,120 437,500Al-Karak Al-Karak 1,349 3,495 254,700Al-Mafraq Al-Mafraq 10,252 26,551 306,900Al-Tafilah Al-Tafilah 853 2,209 91,400Al-Zarqa) Al-Zarqa) 1,838 4,761 972,900(Amman Amman 2,926 7,579 2,528,500Irbid Irbid 607 1,572 1,162,300Jarash Jarash 158 410 195,900Ma(an Ma(an 12,677 32,832 124,100Madaba Madaba 363 940 163,300TOTAL 34,284 88,794 6,530,000

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National economyBudget (2007). Revenue: JD 3,971,500,000 (tax revenue 75.4%, ofwhich taxes on goods and services 39.5%, taxes oncorporations 10.0%, customs duties 9.3%, propertytaxes 7.7%; nontax revenue 15.5%; grants 8.6%).Expenditures: JD 4,540,100,000 (social protection28.0%; defense 16.7%; education 13.9%; publicorder 8.8%; economic affairs 7.6%; health 7.1%;public debt 7.1%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2013): U.S.$8,855,-000,000.

Production (metric tons except as noted).Agriculture, forestry, fishing (2012): tomatoes616,427, eggplants 177,692, cucumbers and gherkins155,938, olives 155,640, potatoes 141,573, watermel-ons 108,731, green chilies and peppers 70,506, pumpkins, squash, andgourds 68,967, oranges 40,581; livestock (number of live animals;2013) 2,250,000 sheep, 795,000 goats, 27,000,000 chickens; roundwood(2013) 329,880 cu m, of which fuelwood 99%; fisheries production1,080 (from aquaculture 54%). Mining and quarrying (2012): phos-phate ore 6,383,000; potash (crude salts) 1,824,000; bromine 136,000.Manufacturing (value added in U.S.$’000,000; 2007): bricks, cement,and ceramics 472; food products 295; wearing apparel 273; tobaccoproducts 265; base chemicals 182; iron and steel 156. Energy produc-tion (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2011) 14,647,000,000 (16,299,-000,000), by source (2012): fossil fuels 99.6%; renewable energy 0.4%,of which hydroelectric 0.3%, biomass and wind 0.1%; coal, none(none); crude petroleum (barrels; 2011) 7,000 (23,600,000); petroleumproducts (metric tons; 2011) 3,070,000 (5,860,000); natural gas (cu m;2011) 160,000,000 (1,040,000,000).

Population economically active (2014): total 2,190,000; participationrates (2013): age 15 and over, male 60.4%; female 13.2%; unemployed12.6%, of which youth, n.a.

Gross national income (GNI; 2014): U.S.$34,070,000,000 (U.S.$5,160per capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$11,910 per capita).

Average household size (2008): 5.4.Land use as % of total land area (2009): in temporary crops 1.6%, leftfallow 0.7%, in permanent crops 0.9%, in pasture 8.4%, forest area1.1%.

Foreign trade8

Imports (2013): U.S.$22,120,000,000 (petroleum oilsand gases 25.6%, machinery and apparatus 11.9%,base metals and articles thereof 8.4%, chemicalsand chemical products 7.1%, vegetable products6.9%, transport equipment 6.1%). Major import sources:

Exports (2013): U.S.$7,921,000,000 (chemicals andchemical products 30.5%, wearing apparel 13.8%,pharmaceuticals 9.1%, vegetable products 9.0%,machinery and apparatus 7.2%, mineral products6.4%). Major export destinations:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads (2006): routelength (2008) 314 mi, 506 km; pas-senger-km 600,000; metric ton-kmcargo 400,000,000. Roads (2007):total length 4,827 mi, 7,768 km(paved 100%). Vehicles (2007):passenger cars 536,665; trucks and buses248,058.

Education and healthLiteracy (2008): percentage of population age 15 andover literate 92.3%; males 95.9%; females 88.6%.

Health (2008): physicians (2007) 15,280 (1 per 375persons); hospital beds 11,200 (1 per 517 persons);infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births 19.0;undernourished population (2005–07) less than 5%of total population.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2014):100,500 (army 73.6%, navy 0.5%, air force11.9%, special operations 14.0%). Militaryexpenditure as percentage of GDP (2014):3.5%; per capita expenditure U.S.$194.

1In October 2013 two royal decrees to dissolve the 60-member Senate and to appoint a new 75-memberSenate were issued; 9 seats are reserved for women. 2Expanded to 150 members after elections inJanuary 2013; 15 seats are reserved for women. 3Includes roughly 2,000,000 registered Palestinianrefugees, most of whom hold Jordanian citizenship; excludes approximately 500,000 Iraqi refugees and539,000 registered Syrian refugees. 4January 1. 5Net taxes on products less imputed bank servicecharges. 6Including 4,000 not adequately defined and 187,000 unemployed. 7Detail does not add to totalgiven because of rounding. 8Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 9Subscribers.

Internet resources for further information:• Department of Statistics www.dos.gov.jo• Central Bank of Jordan www.cbj.gov.jo

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2014 11,0929 1,4789

Landline 2014 375 50

Internet users 2009 5,300 339Broadband 2014 3509 479

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2007 2003

in value % of total labour % of labourJD ’000,000 value force force

Agriculture 312 2.8 39,000 3.0Mining 312 2.8 14,000 1.1Manufacturing 1,890 16.8 137,000 10.6Construction 478 4.3 71,000 5.5Public utilities 208 1.9 18,000 1.4Transp. and commun. 1,510 13.5 110,000 8.5Trade, hotels 1,016 9.1 224,000 17.3Pub. admin., defense 1,673 14.9 184,000 14.2Finance, real estate 2,198 19.6 59,000 4.5Services 578 5.1 246,000 19.1Other 1,0505 9.45 191,0006 14.86

TOTAL 11,225 100.07 1,293,000 100.0

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