orce:
572,000 (1988)
by occupation:
agriculture 20%, manufacturing and mining 20% (1987 est.)

*Jordan, Government

Names:
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
Digraph:
JO
Type:
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)
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
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Political parties and leaders:
approximately 24 parties have been formed since the National Charter, but
the number fluctuates; after the 1989 parliamentary elections, King Hussein
promised to allow the formation of political parties; a national charter
that sets forth the ground rules for democracy in Jordan - including the
creation of political parties - was approved in principle by the special
National Conference on 9 June 1991, but its specific provisions have yet to
be passed by National Assembly
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held 8 November 1989 (next to be held November 1993); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (80 total) Muslim Brotherhood (fundamentalist)
22, Independent Islamic bloc (generally traditionalist) 6, Democratic bloc
(mostly leftist) 9, Constitutionalist bloc (traditionalist) 17, Nationalist
bloc (traditionalist) 16, independent 10
Executive branch:
monarch, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma) consists of an upper house or
House of Notables (Majlis al-A'ayan) and a lower house or House of
Representatives (Majlis al-Nuwaab); note - the House of Representatives has
been convened and dissolved by the King several times since 1974 and in
November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
Judicial branch:
Court of Cassation

*Jordan, Government

Leaders:
Chief of State:
King HUSSEIN Ibn Talal