Part 435

Land boundaries: total: 1,619 km border countries : Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 728 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline: 26 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain: mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Jabal Ram 1,754 m

Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures : 9% forests and woodland: 1% other: 85% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 630 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

@Jordan:People

Population: 4,324,638 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 968,833; female 921,158) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,188,248; female 1,125,527) 65 years and over : 3% (male 60,876; female 59,996) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 35.95 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 3.88 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 30.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.69 years male: 70.81 years female: 74.68 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 8%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes

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