{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
After World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations awarded Britain the mandate to govern much of the Middle East. In 1921, Britain demarcated from Palestine a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan and recognized ABDALLAH I from the Hashemite family as the country's first leader. The Hashemites also controlled the Hijaz, or the western coastal area of modern-day Saudi Arabia, until 1925, when IBN SAUD and Wahhabi tribes pushed them out. The country gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The country has had four kings. Long-time ruler King HUSSEIN (r. 1953-99) successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, UK, and Soviet Union), various Arab states, Israel, and Palestinian militants, the latter of which led to a brief civil war in 1970 that is known as \"Black September\" and ended in King HUSSEIN ousting the militants.Petra (c); Quseir Amra (c); Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a) (c); Wadi Rum Protected Area (m); Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (c); As-Salt - The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality (c); Umm Al-Jimāl (c)
" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "upper-middle-income Middle Eastern economy; high debt and unemployment, especially for youth and women; global events triggering trade slump and decreased revenue from tourism; growing manufacturing and agricultural sectors; key US foreign assistance recipient; natural-resource-poor and import-reliant
" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": { "text": "$107.101 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$104.307 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$101.617 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "2.68% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "2.65% (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "3.66% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$9,400 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$9,300 (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$9,200 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$50.967 billion (2023 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023": { "text": "2.08% (2023 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": { "text": "4.23% (2022 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "1.35% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "BB- (2019)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "B1 (2013)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "B+ (2017)" }, "note": "note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained." }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "4.8% (2023 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "24.8% (2023 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "60.7% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "78.9% (2021 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "15.8% (2021 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "22.2% (2021 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "3% (2021 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "43.5% (2023 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-56.7% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "tomatoes, milk, chicken, potatoes, cucumbers/gherkins, olives, watermelons, peaches/nectarines, sheep milk, chilies/peppers (2022)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "tourism, information technology, clothing, fertilizer, potash, phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "3.54% (2023 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "3.103 million (2023 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "17.94% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "18.2% (2022 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "19.84% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "40.8% (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "39.3% (2023 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "47.1% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "15.7% (2018 est.)", "note": "note: % of population with income below national poverty line" }, "Average household expenditures": { "on food": { "text": "25% of household expenditures (2023 est.)" }, "on alcohol and tobacco": { "text": "4.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)" } }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2023": { "text": "8.79% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "10.07% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Remittances 2021": { "text": "10.96% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$16.073 billion (2018 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$14.464 billion (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2022": { "text": "100.91% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government debt as a % of GDP" }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "17.47% (of GDP) (2022 est.)", "note": "note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2023": { "text": "-$1.91 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$3.815 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$3.718 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2023": { "text": "$22.186 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Exports 2022": { "text": "$20.743 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Exports 2021": { "text": "$13.87 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "US 20%, India 14%, Saudi Arabia 7%, China 6%, Iraq 6% (2022)", "note": "note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "fertilizers, garments, phosphates, jewelry, phosphoric acid (2022)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2023": { "text": "$28.922 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Imports 2022": { "text": "$30.019 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Imports 2021": { "text": "$23.321 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 17%, UAE 12%, Saudi Arabia 12%, India 6%, US 4% (2022)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, cars, gold, crude petroleum, jewelry (2022)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$15.56 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016": { "text": "$15.543 billion (2016 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015": { "text": "$16.572 billion (2015 est.)" }, "note": "note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars" }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$21.766 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2023": { "text": "0.71 (2023 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "0.71 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "0.71 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "0.71 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "0.71 (2019 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "100%" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "98.9%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "6.805 million kW (2022 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "19.679 billion kWh (2022 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "177.332 million kWh (2022 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "389.867 million kWh (2022 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "2.4 billion kWh (2022 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "77.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "15.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "7.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "consumption": { "text": "479,000 metric tons (2022 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton" }, "imports": { "text": "297,000 metric tons (2022 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "20 bbl/day (2023 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "97,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "1 million barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "187.262 million cubic meters (2022 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "4.382 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "375.998 million cubic meters (2018 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "4.255 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "6.031 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "21.261 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "1.124 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "13.256 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "6.881 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2022": { "text": "30.906 million Btu/person (2022 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "451,000 (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "4 (2023 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "7.73 million (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "68 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Jordan’s government has focused on the use of ICT in a range of sectors, aimed at transforming the relatively small economy through the use of digital services; this policy has helped the country rise in the league tables for digital connectivity and internet readiness, and it has also attracted investment from foreign companies; during the ongoing global pandemic, the start-up sector has been further encouraged to develop solutions to combat the crisis, while other efforts have facilitated e-government services and encouraged businesses to adapt to new methods of working through their own digital transformation; these developments have been supported by the highly developed mobile sector, led by three major regional players which have near-comprehensive LTE network coverage (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line stands at nearly 4 per 100 persons and mobile cellular subscriptions at 65 per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 962; landing point for the FEA and Taba-Aqaba submarine cable networks providing connectivity to Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Asia; satellite earth stations - 33 (3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals (2019)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "radio and TV dominated by the government-owned Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) that operates a main network, a sports network, a film network, and a satellite channel; first independent TV broadcaster aired in 2007; international satellite TV and Israeli and Syrian TV broadcasts are available; roughly 30 radio stations with JRTV operating the main government-owned station; transmissions of multiple international radio broadcasters are available" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".jo" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "90% (2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "805,000 (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "7 (2023 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "4 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "54" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "3,383,805 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "175.84 million (2018) mt-km" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "JY" }, "Airports": { "text": "17 (2024)" }, "Heliports": { "text": "6 (2024)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "473 km gas, 49 km oil (2013)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "509 km (2020)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "509 km (2014) 1.050-m gauge" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "7,203 km" }, "paved": { "text": "7,203 km (2011)" } }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "34 (2023)" }, "by type": { "text": "general cargo 5, other 29" } }, "Ports": { "total ports": { "text": "1 (2024)" }, "large": { "text": "0" }, "medium": { "text": "0" }, "small": { "text": "0" }, "very small": { "text": "1" }, "ports with oil terminals": { "text": "1" }, "key ports": { "text": "Al Aqabah" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Army (includes Special Operations Forces, Border Guards, Royal Guard), Royal Jordanian Air Force, Royal Jordanian Navy