Jordan
- For alternative meanings see: Jordan (disambiguation)
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| ''National motto: None'' | |||
| Official language | Arabic | ||
| Capital | Amman | ||
| King | Abdullah II | ||
| Prime Minister | Ali Abul Ragheb | ||
| Area - Total - % water |
Ranked 110th 92,300 km² 0.01% |
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| Population - Total (2002) - Density |
Ranked 107th 5,153,378 48/km² |
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| Independence - Declared - Recognised |
From the League of Nations May 25, 1946 |
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| Currency | Jordanian dinar | ||
| Time zone | UTC +2 | ||
| National anthem | As-salam al-malaki al-urdoni | ||
| Internet TLD | .JO | ||
| Calling Code | 962 | ||
| Table of contents |
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2 Politics 3 Governorates 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 External links |
For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King Hussein (1953-1999). 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 making up a majority of Jordan's citizens, 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.
Jordan is divided into 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah):
Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. The Persian Gulf crisis, which began in August 1990, aggravated Jordan's already serious economic problems, forcing the government to shelve the IMF program, stop most debt payments, and suspend rescheduling negotiations. Aid from Gulf Arab states, worker remittances, and trade contracted; and refugees flooded the country, producing serious balance-of-payments problems, stunting GDP growth, and straining government resources.
The economy rebounded in 1992, largely due to the influx of capital repatriated by workers returning from the Gulf. After averaging 9% in 1992-95, GDP growth averaged only 2% during 1996-99. In an attempt to spur growth, King Abdullah has undertaken limited economic reform, including partial privatization of some state owned enterprises and Jordan's entry in January 2000 into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental ongoing economic problems.History
Main article: History of JordanPolitics
Main article: Politics of JordanGovernorates
Main article: Governorates of JordanGeography
Main article: Geography of JordanEconomy
Main article: Economy of Jordan
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
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See also: Music of Jordan
Miscellaneous topics
External links
