no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government
Independence date
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
Sunni Muslim
Languages
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
Jordanian dinars (JOD) per US dollar - 0.709 (2008 est.), 0.709 (2007), 0.709 (2006), 0.709 (2005), 0.709 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
8.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Area
89,342 km sq
637,657 km sq
Coastline
26 km
3,025 km
Climate
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
