Name of the Country: Hashemite Kingdom Jordan / al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashimiyya

Location: Israel, Palestinian Autonomous Territories, Syria, Iraq, Saudi-Arabia;

Area: 89.342 sq km

Capital: Amman

Population:

6,5 million without refugees and guest workers (99,2% Arabs: approximately 50% of Palestinian origin, 0,5% Circassians, 0,1% Armenians, 0,1% Turkish, 0,1% Kurds)

9,5 million with refugees and foreign guest workers (according to UNHCR: about 650.000 registrated syrian refugees // Jordanian Statistic Authority: 1.2 Mio. Syrians; 300.000 Iraqis)

Major Language: Arabic; English is widely spoken;

Religions: 93% Sunni Muslims, 5% Christians, 2% other

Currency: Jordanian Dinar (JD)

Public Holidays:

January 1 - New Year

May 1 - Labor Day

Varies – Easter Sunday

May 25 - Independence Day

June 9th – King Abdullah Accession to the Throne

December 25 – Christmas

10 Dhul Hija – Eid al Adha

1 Shawwal – Eid al Fitr

1 Muharram – Ras Assanah al Hijiri

27 Rajab - Isra wal Miraj

12 Rabi ‘al Awwal – Mawlid al Nabi

Form of Government: constitutional monarchy

Head of State: King Abdullah II. Ibn Al-Hussein (since 07/02/1999)

Head of Government: Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki (since 01/06/2016)

Foreign Minister: Ayman Safadi (im Amt seit 15.01.2017)

Government:

Executive:

Majesty King Abdullah II, is the Head of State, the Chief Executive and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces. The king exercises his executive authority through the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, or Cabinet.

Legislative:

the Jordanian Parliament "Majlis al-Umma" consists of the House of Deputies "Majlis al-Nuwaab" (last elections: 20/09/2016) and the House of Notables/Senate „Majlis al-Aayan“ (appointed by the king: 27/09/2016)

Judiciary:

independent branch of the government

Administrative Sturucture: twelve gouvernorates and its municipalities

Membership of International Organizations: Arab League, Islamic Conference Organization, United Nations, International Red Cross

Nominal GDP 2015: 37,5 billion $

Main Exports: Clothing, Fertilizers, Potash, Phosphates, Vegetables, Pharmaceuticals

Life Expectancy: 72 years (men), 75 year (women)

Sources: Embassy of Jordan, German Embassy, World Bank, BBC