Region
Middle East

Population
4,998,564
(July 2000 Estimate)

Area Total
89,213 km

Area Land
88,884 km

Coastline
26 km

Climate
Mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April).

Languages
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes.

Currency
1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

Holiday
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Boundaries
Saudi Arabia
728 km

Syria
375 km

Israel
238 km

Iraq
181 km

Ethnic Divisions
Arab
98 %
Circassian
1 %
Armenian
1 %

Religions
Sunni Muslim 96 %
Christian 4 %

Largest Cities
City Population
Amman
1,809,800
Zarga
848,300
Irbid
747,900

People
Most Jordanians are Arabs, except for a few small communities of Circassians, Armenians, and Kurds who have adapted to Arab culture.

History
The land that became Jordan is part of the richly historical Fertile Crescent region.

Economy
Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil and coal.

Agriculture
The agriculture sector in Jordan contributes 3.5% of the GDP and employs an estimated 6.4% of the labor force.

Energy
Jordan is a net energy importer and produces only 5% of its energy requirements.

Metals
Industrial minerals, including construction raw materials are the major mineral commodities mined in Jordan.

Environment
Jordan is composed primarily of mountains, plains and rocky deserts, and it possesses very limited cultivatable or forested landscapes.