ale: 70.62 years
female: 74.45 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian

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

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%

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

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

Government
----------

Name of country:
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

Type of government: constitutional monarchy

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)
is a constitutional monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Karim al-KABARITI (since 4
February 1996) was appointed by the king
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the king

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma)
House of Notables (Majlis al-A'ayan): consists of a 40-member body
appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures
House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1993 (next
to be held NA November 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (80 total) IAF 16, Jordanian National Alliance Party 4,
Al-Yaqazah Party 2, Al-Watan Party 2, Al-'Ahd Party 2, Jordanian
Arab Democratic Party 2, Al-Mustaqbal Party 1, Jordanian Arab
Socialist Ba'th Party 1, Jordanian Democratic Progressive Party 1,
Jordanian People's Democratic Party-Hashd 1, Jordanian Socialist
Democratic Party 1, independents 47
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
by the king several time