About Jordan
Arabic - the sole official language.
English - widely understood, particularly among the upper and middle classes.
Arabic is the sole official language of Jordan.
| Geography |
Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel and the West Bank, and Iraq
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 89,342 sq km
Land boundaries:
border countries: Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria, West Bank
Geography - note: strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba; shares the longest border with Israel and the West Bank of any Arab country; the Dead Sea, lowest point in Asia and second saltiest body of water in the world, lies on Jordan's western border; almost landlocked, with a single 26 km southwestern coastline and one port, Aqaba
| People |
Population: 11,180,568-11,312,507 (2023-2025 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.4%
15-64 years: 62.02%
65 years and over: 3.7%
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.8 years
male: 73.4 years
female: 76.3 years
Infant mortality rate: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Nationality:
noun/adjective: Jordanian(s)
Ethnic groups: Jordanian 69.3%, Syrian 13.3%, Palestinian 6.7%, Egyptian 6.7%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 2.6% (2015 est.; self-identified nationality)
Religions: Muslim 97.1% (official, predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.1% (majority Greek Orthodox) (2015 est.)
Languages: Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes)
Population distribution: heavily concentrated in the west, particularly the northwest, in and around the capital, Amman; a smaller population is located in the southwest along the Gulf of Aqaba
| Government |
Country name:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
Data code: JO
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
National capital: Amman
| Economy |
Economy - overview: upper-middle-income, resource-poor economy; heavily reliant on foreign aid, remittances (nearly 9-11% of GDP), and tourism; free trade agreements with the US, Canada, the EU, and several Arab and regional partners; growth has slowed considerably over the past two decades
GDP (purchasing power parity): $153.65 billion (2026 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (2025)
GDP - per capita: $13,260 PPP (2026 est.)
Inflation rate: 4.224% (2022)
Unemployment rate: 16.5% (2025 est.)
Population below poverty line: 14.4% (2010)
Currency: Jordanian dinar (JOD)
| Military |
Military branches: Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; Arab Army): Jordanian Army (includes Special Operations Forces, Border Guards, Royal Guard), Air Force, Navy; Ministry of Interior: Public Security Directorate (2025)
Military - note: the US is a key security partner; Jordan holds Major Non-NATO Ally status, one of the largest recipients of US military aid in the region; cooperates on border security, arms transfers, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism (2025)