ddle classes

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

Government Jordan

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

Government type: constitutional monarchy

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
Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000) cabinet: 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, also called the House of Notables (Majlis
al-Aayan), a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated
categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms and the
House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
al-Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected by popular vote on the basis of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms elections: House
of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (November 2001 election
postponed, next to be held NA) 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
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

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-'OR