Conventional Name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan ( Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah).
Surface area: 91.860 km²
Comparison with a European country: about the size of Portugal.
Capital: Amman
Population: 6,4 millions of inhabitants
Young people under 25 Years Old: 54%
GDP/ inhab: 5 200 dollars
Ethnic background: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Religions: 95% of the population are Muslims (mostly Sunni) -Christians (all rites): 5%
Language: Arabic (official)
Currency: Dinar (2001: 1 Jordan Dinar = 1.6 Euro)
Unemployment Rate: 16% official rate - actual rate 25%-30% (est. 2001).
Year of independence: 25 May 1946 (in 1920, Transjordania had been established as a British Mandate)
Member of United Nations: 1955
Political System: Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy, pluralism.
Formalities: valid passport, visa required + 6 months from the date of return. The visa is easily obtained on arrival at the airport in Amman.
Sources (figures) : Economist Intelligence Unit, UN Population Data base, CIA.
Useful websites
- The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.mfa.gov.j
- All news f...
- The official website of King Abdullah to share his plans for the country (in English): http://www.kingabdullah.jo/homepage.php
- The French portal on the east lorientaliste.com: http://lorientaliste.free.fr/
Jordan-EU relations
- A first cooperation agreement was signed in 1977.
- The negotiation process for the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement with Jordan was concluded in April 1997 (signed in November 1997) and it enter into forced in May 2002.
- In 1998 the EU part in Jordanian exports was 7% and 33% in imports.
- Between 1978 and 1996, European Community funds to Jordan accounted for 414 million Euro (216 Milllion in grants and 198 Million in EIB loans). Since 1996 the EU has been Jordan largest donor (1.5 billion Euros allocated by the EC and the EU Member States). Jordan received an 572 Million Euros under the MEDA Programme (from 1996 to 2000), from which 289 Million were grants and 283 Million were EIB loans. In terms of MEDA ressources effectively allocated, Jordan is one of the best performers in the EuroMediterranean Partnership (with a rate of arround 80% of the committed grants effectively allocated) . A Country Strategy Paper has been agreed for the period 2002-2006.
