ion, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

@Jordan:People

Population: 4,324,638 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 968,833; female 921,158)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,188,248; female 1,125,527)
65 years and over : 3% (male 60,876; female 59,996) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 35.95 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 3.88 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.69 years
male: 70.81 years
female: 74.68 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%

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

Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.6%
male : 93.4%
female: 79.4% (1995 est.)

@Jordan:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan

Data code: JO

Government type: constitutional monarchy

National capital: Amman

Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
Zarqa', Irbid, Ma'an

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 HUSSEIN bin Talal Al-Hashimi (since 2 May 1953)
head of government : Prime Minister Abd al-Salam al-MAJALI (since 19
March 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with
the king