Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 29,751 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3NM and 12 NM in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru,Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Straitexclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point:Fujiyama 3,776 m
Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish
Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% other: 87% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 26,790 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
Environment - current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-EnvironmentalProtocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, butnot ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: strategic location in northeast Asia
People Japan
Population: 126,974,628 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 14.5% (male 9,465,282; female 8,999,888) 15-64 years: (male 9,664,112; female 13,231,914) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.15% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 10.03 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 84.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.42 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 10,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 150 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Japanese (singular and plural) adjective: Japanese
Ethnic groups: Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 51,126, Chinese 24,424,Brazilian 18,223, Filipino 8,995, other 23,792) (2000)
Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (includingChristian 0.7%)
Languages: Japanese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1970 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government Japan
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan
Government type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Capital: Tokyo
Administrative divisions: 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba,Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido,Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata,Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi,Yamanashi
Independence: 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
National holiday: Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)
Constitution: 3 May 1947
Legal system: modeled after European civil law system withEnglish-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in theSupreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989) note: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI, Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority Liberal Democratic Party, and soon thereafter designated by the Diet to become the next prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister cabinet: Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 24 April 2001)
Legislative branch: bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (247 seats - formerly 252; one-half of the members elected every three years - 73 seats of which are elected from the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 48 of which are elected from a single nationwide list; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - 180 of which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 110, DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5, independents 14; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: 6, others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 233, DPJ 127, Komeito 31, Liberal Party 22, JCP 20, SDP 19, other 28; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: other 13 elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 25 June 2000 (next must be held by June 2004, but may occur sooner)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [YukioHATOYAMA, leader, Naoto KAN, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party orJCP [Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Tadayeshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito[Takenori KANZAKI, president, Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general];Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president, TakuYAMASAKI, secretary general]; Liberal Party [Ichiro OZAWA, president,Hirohisa FUJII, secretary general]; New Conservative Party or NCP[Takeshi NODA, president, Toshihiro NIKAI, secretary general]; SocialDemocratic Party or SDP [Takako DOI, chairperson, Mizuho FUKUSHIMA,secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialoguepartner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE(observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest),NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187 Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr. embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 205, APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Flag description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center
Economy Japan
Economy - overview: Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and third largest economy in the world after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered in 2000-01 by the slowing of the US and Asian economies. The crowding of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic strength, with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots".
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.45 trillion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 36% services: 62% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 24.9 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 67.7 million (December 2000)
Labor force - by occupation: services 65%, industry 30%, agriculture 5%
Unemployment rate: 4.9% (2001)
Budget: revenues: $441 billion expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $84 billion (FY01/02 est.)
Industries: among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods
Industrial production growth rate: -8.3% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 1.015 trillion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.69% hydro: 8.54% other: 1.82% (2000) nuclear: 28.95%
Electricity - consumption: 943.71 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish
Exports: $404.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals
Exports - partners: US 29.7%, Taiwan 7.5%, South Korea 6.4%, China 6.3%,Hong Kong 5.7% (2000 est.)
Imports: $331.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, office machinery
Imports - partners: US 19%, China 14.5%, South Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.7%,Indonesia 4.3%, Australia 3.9% (2000 est.)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $9.1 billion (1999)
Currency: yen (JPY)
Currency code: JPY
Exchange rates: yen per US dollar - 132.66 (January 2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Japan
Telephones - main lines in use: 60.381 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 63.88 million (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21 (2001)
Radios: 120.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)
Televisions: 86.5 million (1997)
Internet country code: .jp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 73 (2000)
Internet users: 47.08 million (2001)
Transportation Japan
Railways: total: 23,654 km (15,895 km electrified) standard gauge: 3,059 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified) narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (entirely electrified); 20,491 km 1.067-m gauge (12,732 km electrified); 27 km 0.762-m gauge (entirely electrified) (2000)
Highways: total: 1,152,207 km paved: 863,003 km (including 6,114 km of expressways) unpaved: 289,204 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 1,770 km approximately note: seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
Pipelines: crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km
Ports and harbors: Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate,Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro,Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai
Merchant marine: total: 615 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,995,839 GRT/14,405,159 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 50, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 189, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 48, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 54
Airports: 173 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 142 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 31 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 37
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2001)
Heliports: 16 (2001)
Military Japan
Military branches: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan MaritimeSelf-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force),Japanese Coast Guard
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 29,644,498 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 25,637,387 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 765,817 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $40,774,300,000 (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Japan
Disputes - international: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Jersey
Introduction
Jersey
Background: The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.
Geography Jersey
Location: Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France
Geographic coordinates: 49 15 N, 2 10 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 116 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 116 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 70 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate: temperate; mild winters and cool summers
Terrain: gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use: arable land: NEGL% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of population concentrated in Saint Helier
People Jersey
Population: 89,775 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 8,287; female 7,729) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 30,099; female 30,347) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 5,729; female 7,584) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.44% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 10.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.57 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander
Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent
Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,Methodist, Presbyterian
Languages: English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Jersey
Country name: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Dependency status: British crown dependency
Government type: NA
Capital: Saint Helier
Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency)
Independence: none (British crown dependency)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: English law and local statute
Suffrage: NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) elections: by the monarch head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995) cabinet: Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators, 12 constables or heads of parishes, 29 deputies; all elected for six-year terms, half elected every third year; the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all appointed by the monarch elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 52
Judicial branch: Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)
Political parties and leaders: none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency)
Flag description: white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag and in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red shield holding the three lions of England in yellow
Economy Jersey
Economy - overview: The economy is based largely on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax haven.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.7% (1998)
Labor force: 57,050 (1996)
Unemployment rate: 0.7% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $601 million expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98 million (2000 est.)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, dairy
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - imports: NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France
Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products
Exports: $NA
Exports - commodities: light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles
Exports - partners: UK
Imports: $NA
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners: UK
Debt - external: none
Economic aid - recipient: none
Currency: British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound
Currency code: GBP
Exchange rates: Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Jersey
Telephones - main lines in use: 65,500 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,400 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 3 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .je
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Internet users: NA
Transportation Jersey
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 577 km (1995) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Military Jersey
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Jersey
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Jamaica
Introduction
Jamaica
Background: Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s.
Geography Jamaica
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 10,991 sq km land: 10,831 sq km water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,022 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Terrain: mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Land use: arable land: 16% permanent crops: 9% other: 75% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November)
Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed,but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and JamaicaChannel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal
People Jamaica
Population: 2,680,029 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.1% (male 399,249; female 380,864) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 858,433; female 859,174) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 81,321; female 100,988) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.56% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 17.74 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 77.73 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.71% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,900 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 650 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican
Ethnic groups: black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%
Religions: Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, UnitedChurch 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%),Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7%
Languages: English, patois English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:Government Jamaica
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:Jamaica
Government type: constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital: Kingston
Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston,Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, SaintElizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)
Constitution: 6 August 1962
Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993) cabinet: minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PNP 50, JLP 10
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA];National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's NationalParty or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: New Beginnings Movement or NBM;Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Seymour MULLINGS consulate(s) general: chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5 mailing address: use [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
Economy Jamaica
Economy - overview: The economy, which depends heavily on tourism and bauxite, has been stagnant since 1995. After five years of recession, the economy grew 0.8% in 2000 and 1.1% in 2001, but the global economic slowdown, particularly in the United States after the 11 September terrorist attacks, has stunted the economic recovery. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt, the result of government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 28% services: 65% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 34.2% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 28.9% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.4 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.9% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 1.13 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation: services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998)
Unemployment rate: 16% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.23 billion expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million (FY99/00 est.)
Industries: tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products
Industrial production growth rate: -2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 6.74 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.44% hydro: 3.22% other: 7.34% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 6.27 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk
Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum
Exports - partners: US 35.7%, EU (excluding UK) 15.9%, UK 13%, Canada 10.5% (1999)
Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals, fertilizers
Imports - partners: US 47.8%, Caricom countries 12.4%, Latin America 7.2%, EU (excluding UK) 4.7% (1999)
Debt - external: $5.2 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $102.7 million (1995)
Currency: Jamaican dollar (JMD)
Currency code: JMD
Exchange rates: Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 47.277 (December 2001), 45.996 (2001), 42.701 (2000), 39.044 (1999), 36.550 (1998), 35.404 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Jamaica
Telephones - main lines in use: 353,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 54,640 (1996)
Telephone system: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: 3 coaxial submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 1.215 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 7 (1997)
Televisions: 460,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .jm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 21 (2000)
Internet users: 60,000 (2000)
Transportation Jamaica
Railways: total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km, belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation, were in common carrier service but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite (2000)
Highways: total: 19,000 km paved: 13,433 km unpaved: 5,567 km (1997)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: petroleum products 10 km
Ports and harbors: Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay,Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)
Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,954GRT/25,250 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, includes someforeign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Latvia 2,United States 2 (2002 est.)
Airports: 35 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: 1 914 to 1,523 m: Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2001)
Military Jamaica
Military branches: Jamaica Defense Force (including Ground Forces,Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 747,043 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 523,550 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 27,729 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $30 million (FY95/96 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues Jamaica
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Jan Mayen
Introduction Jan Mayen
Background: This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth.
Geography Jan Mayen
Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and theNorwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland
Geographic coordinates: 71 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Arctic Region
Area: total: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 373 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 124.1 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 4 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog
Terrain: volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point:Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: barren volcanic island with some moss and grass
People Jan Mayen
Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
Government Jan Mayen
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:Jan Mayen
Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service
Legal system: the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Flag description: the flag of Norway is used
Economy Jan Mayen
Economy - overview: Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island.
Communications Jan Mayen
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)
Transportation Jan Mayen
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Military Jan Mayen
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway
Transnational Issues Jan Mayen
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Jordan
Introduction
Jordan
Background: For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-1999). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities.
Geography Jordan
Location: Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 92,300 sq km water: 329 sq km land: 91,971 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,635 km border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 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; GreatRift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: JabalRam 1,734 m
Natural resources: phosphates, potash, shale oil
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% other: 96% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear TestBan, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none ofthe selected agreements
Geography - note: strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank
People Jordan
Population: 5,307,470 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.6% (male 991,370; female 949,247) 15-64 years: 60% (male 1,698,568; female 1,485,261) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 90,186; female 92,838) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.89% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 24.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 80.3 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 3.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Jordanian(s) adjective: Jordanian
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
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 Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
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.)
Government Jordan
Country name: conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local short form: Al Urdun local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah former: Transjordan
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Amman
Administrative divisions: 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
Independence: 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Constitution: 8 January 1952
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980) head of Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000) cabinet: elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Aayan), a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (November 2001 election postponed, next to be held NA) note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Political parties and leaders: Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Abd al latif al-ARABIYAT, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]; Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president]
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF,CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: AmbassadorMarwan Jamil MUASHER chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington,DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110 telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr. embassy: AE 09892-0200 telephone: [962] (6) 5920101 FAX: [962] (6) 5920121
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations
Economy Jordan
Economy - overview: Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has signed on to an IMF agreement, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO, an association agreement with the EU, and a free trade accord with US. These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 26% services: 70.3% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 30% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 36.4 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 1.26 million note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: services 82.5%, industry 12.5%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.9 billion expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: phosphate mining, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 6.932 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.44% hydro: 0.56% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 7.092 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 650 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry
Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners: India, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, EU, US, Indonesia, UAE,Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Ethiopia
Imports: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods
Imports - partners: Iraq, Germany, US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, UK, Italy,Turkey, Malaysia, Syria, China
Debt - external: $7.9 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $850 million (1996 est.)
Currency: Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Currency code: JOD
Exchange rates: Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present ) note: since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Jordan
Telephones - main lines in use: 403,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 11,500 (1995)
Telephone system: general assessment: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios: 1.66 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 500,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .jo
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)
Internet users: 210,000 (2001)
Transportation Jordan
Railways: total: 677 km narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge (2001)
Highways: total: 8,000 km paved: 8,000 km unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use
Ports and harbors: Al 'Aqabah
Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,206 GRT/53,401 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, container 1, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Airports: 18 (2001)