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

9.5 million(6.6 million Jordanians and 2.9 million non-Jordanians) [November 2015 census].

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.96.15 [for the month of July, 2016]

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 (75 members appointed by the King(the number should not exceed half the House of Representatives members); the Chamber of Deputies (Lower House), also called the House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (Reduced from 150 to 130 seats as per Election Law 2015 endorsed by the King on 13.3.2016, nine seats reserved for Christians, three are for Circassian and Chechen minorities, and fifteen for women. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place on September 20, 2016. The members of both houses serve for four-year terms, is subject to dissolution by the King.The elections this year will be held in accordance with the electrical reform changing one person one vote electoral system with at-large voting system, in which candidates can run for parliamentary elections on one large multi member ticket.

Head of State

His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Mr Hani Mulki [since June 1, 2016]

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.Of late, Jordan had largely updated key economic legislation according to world-class practices, including the Investment Law, Public-Private Partnership Law, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Law, Income Tax Law, Electronic Transactions Law and Customs and Immovable Property Law aimed to bolstering the economic and investment environment. In addition, Jordan has finalized the Anti-Corruption Commission Law, Illicit Gains Law and legislation governing the work of the Integrity Commission and the ombudsman to promote transparency, integrity and good governance. In May, 2015, the Kingdom launched its much awaited 10-year blueprint for economic and social development titled “Jordan 2025 Vision and National Strategy” and also hosted the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa [WEF-MENA] at Dead Sea.Recently, Jordan reached an agreement with the IMF over the Extended Fund Facility following which the government has announced a set of immediate fiscal measures to raise revenues and cut spending this year. According to some estimates, under the EFF, the budget is expected to achieve a surplus of JS 170 million by 2019.  Jordan is presently negotiating with EU for Jordan’s increased access to the EU market through simplified rules of origin.It is finalizing regulations of the new Investment fund law for funding resources for large-scale infrastructure which was approved by the Cabinet recently.

GDP at market price

US$ 37.52 bn in 2015

GDP per capita

US$ 2878.22[2014] 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 2015 was 2.30 percent. GDP per capita in Jordan averaged 2126.01 USD from 1975 until 2013, reaching an all-time high of 2878.22 USD in 2014 and a record low of 1221.52 USD in 1975. [Source World Bank Report]

Total Trade
Imports
Exports

US$ 31.081bn
US$ 22.866bn
US$ 8.215bn
[Source WTO Statistics Database 2014]

Bilateral Trade
Imports from India
Exports to India

US$ 1.350 billion [in 2015-16]
US$ 499.77 million [in 2015-16]
US$ 850.62 million [in 2015-16]

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 worth US $ 860 million with the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company in fertilizer sector(JIFCO)
-AFCONS involved in infrastructure projects Aqaba Phosphate Terminal amounting to US$200 mn.
- 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 to avail of Jordan’s FTA outreach to US and other western markets. Approximate investment of US $ 300 million.