GENERAL

Capital       

Amman

Area

89,342 sq km[Land 88,802 Sq Km & Water 540 Sq Km] - equivalent to 34,492 sq miles

Current Weather

A mix of  Mediterranean and arid desert climates
Maximum temperature: 40 °C [Peak summer]
Minimum  temperature: -2 °C [extreme winter]

Population

6.5 million [UN, 2010]

Languages (with %age of speakers, if available)

 Arabic [Official] & English widely spoken.

Religions (with %age, if available)

Sunni Muslim [92%]; Christian [6 %- mainly Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Syrian orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenia Orthodox, and Protestant] and Others[2%] including Shiá Muslim and Druze]

Currency
Exchange rate with US$ & INR                         

Jordanian Dinar is pegged to US $ 1 = JD 0.71
1 JD = Indian Rs.88.49 [for the month of March, 2015]

Political Structure

Constitutional Monarchy with representative government. The cabinet is responsible before the elected House of Deputies which, along with the House of Notables (Senate), constitutes the legislative branch of the government. The judicial branch is an independent branch of the government. Bicameral National Assembly ("Majlis al-’Umma"): the Senate (60 members appointed by the King); the Chamber of Deputies (Lower House), also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (150 seats; 123 members elected using the single, non-transferable voting system in multi-member districts, and 27 seats elected using a closed National List system based on proportional representation; all legislators serve four years term, is subject to dissolution by the King.)

Head of State

His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Dr. Abdullah Ensour.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Deputy Prime Minister

Mr. Nasser S Judeh.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Economy

The Kingdom’s economy is amongst the smallest in the Middle East, with limited supplies of water, oil and other natural resources underlying the government's heavy reliance on foreign assistance. Chronic high rates of poverty, unemployment, inflation and budget deficit further compounded the situation. Since King Abdullah ascended the throne in February 1999, Jordan has taken several measures, including opening the trade regime, privatizing state-owned companies and eliminating some fuel subsidies, to encourage foreign investment and to develop an outward-oriented, market-based, and globally competitive economy which resulted in spurring economic growth by attracting foreign investment and creating some jobs. The global economic slowdown regional turmoil and disruption in supply of natural gas from neighbouring countries severely strained Jordan's economy.

GDP at market price

US$ 9633.8 [In Millions] [for third Quarter of 2014]

GDP per capita

US$ 2855.14 [2013] The GDP per Capita in Jordan is equivalent to 23 percent of the world's average. [Source: World Bank Report]

GDP Growth Rate

GDP growth rate in 2014 was 3.1 percent. GDP per capita in Jordan averaged 2105.76 USD from 1975 until 2013, reaching an all-time high of 2855.14 USD in 2013 and a record low of 1221.52 USD in 1975. [Source World Bank Report]

Total Trade
 Imports
Exports

US$ 30.045 bn
US$ 22.765 bn
US$ 7.280 bn

Bilateral Trade
Imports from India
Exports to India

US$ 1.89 billion [in 2014]
US$ 1.24 billion [in 2014]
US$ 648 million [in 2014]

INDIA SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Indian Origin/ Permanent Resident

Total: Approximately 80 [as per PIOs/OCIs certificate issued by the Embassy]

Indian Expatriates (composition and any pertinent information that may be of interest)

Total: Over 10,000 Indian immigrants. 95 % working in various textile, garment and construction sectors. 5% working in education, nursing and various UN agencies.

Indian Organizations

Banks

NIL

PSUs

NO PSU although Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co Ltd is in Joint Venture with the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company in fertilizer sector.
-AFCONS involved in infrastructure projects
- EXIM had signed an MOU with erstwhile Jordan Investment Board [now Jordan Investment Commission]

Government Organizations

Embassy of India, Amman

Others

There are about two dozen textile industries owned by NRIs in the Qualified Industrial Zones.