Capital: Amman

Administrative divisions: 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq,
'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under
British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution: 8 January 1952

Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review
of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7
February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch,
born 29 March 1980)

head of government: Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June
2000)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
with the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma
consists of the Senate (a 40-member body appointed by the monarch
from designated categories of public figures; members serve
four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (80 seats; members
elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
to serve four-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997
(next to be held NA November 2001)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab
Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2

note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years were held

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final
appeal)

Political parties and leaders: Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad
al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad
al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity
Party [Sa'eed THIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional
Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Council of Professional
Association Presidents [Ahmad al-QADIRI, chairman]; Jordanian Press
Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood
[Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

International organization