Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a small country with few natural resources, but it has played a pivotal role in the struggle for power in the Middle East.

Jordan's significance results partly from its strategic location at the crossroads of what most Christians, Jews and Muslims call the Holy Land. It is a key ally of the US and, together with Egypt, one of only two Arab nations to have made peace with Israel.

The desert kingdom emerged out of the post-World War I division of the Middle East by Britain and France.

The population at that time was largely made up of tribes which had taken part in the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Today, those original inhabitants - known as East Bank Jordanians - are outnumbered by the descendants of Palestinian refugees from Israel and the West Bank. The first ruler of Jordan, the Hashemite Abdullah I, was born in Mecca and played a leading role in the Great Arab Revolt.

The death in February 1999 of King Hussein, who ruled for 46 years, left Jordan still struggling for economic and social survival, as well as regional peace.

His son, Abdullah II, who succeeded him to the throne, faces the task of maintaining stability while accommodating calls for reform. A blueprint for long-term political, economic and social change - known as the National Agenda - has yet to be implemented.

Jordan's reputation as one of the region's safest countries was dealt a blow in late 2005 when dozens of people were killed in suicide bomb attacks on hotels in the capital. Iraq-based Islamic militants claimed responsibility. The king said Jordan had been targeted because of its location and its stances.

Unlike many of the states in the region Jordan has no oil of its own. Its resources are limited to phosphates and agricultural produce. The economy depends largely on services, tourism and foreign aid, for which the US is the main provider. Jordan prides itself on its health service, one of the best in the region.

Full name: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Population: 6.5 million (UN, 2010) Capital: Amman Area: 89,342 sq km (34,492 sq miles) Major language: Arabic Major religion: Islam Life expectancy: 72 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Jordan dinar = 1,000 fils Main exports: Phosphates, fertilisers, agricultural products GNI per capita: US $3,740 (World Bank, 2009) Internet domain: .jo International dialling code: +962

Head of state: King Abdullah II

King Abdullah II, Jordan's monarch since 1999, has extensive powers: he appoints governments, approves legislation and is able to dissolve parliament.

Over the past few years, he has been facing growing demands for political reform, and following the popular uprising in Tunisia which led to the flight of the president in January 2011, King Abdullah dismissed his government and appointed a new prime minister to oversee the introduction of political change.

Previously he had backed a 10-year programme for political, social and economic reform and supported a plan for elected local councils. Conservative legislators were apprehensive about the proposals.

Balancing diplomatic interests with domestic demands has been tricky for King Abdullah. The country's peace agreement with Israel and its close ties with the US are unpopular with many Jordanians.

In the wake of the November 2005 suicide bombings in Amman, the king declared that security and stability were top priorities and called for a strategy to deal with the "changed circumstances".

Abdullah is the eldest son of the late King Hussein and his British-born second wife, Toni. The couple divorced in 1972. Born in 1962 and educated in Britain and the US, he was named as crown prince shortly after his birth. The king transferred the title to his own brother, Hassan, in 1965, only to return it to Abdullah in 1999.

He is married to a Palestinian - an asset since most Jordanians are of Palestinian origin - and enjoys car racing, water sports and collecting antique weapons. He is a career soldier and once led Jordan's special forces.

The Jordanian media have traditionally been under tight state control.

"Veneration for the monarchy, religion, but also state institutions and the men who head them are all 'red lines' that journalists must not cross," said Reporters Without Borders in its 2010 country report.

Jordan Media City - one of the first such ventures in the region - aims to attract media investments and operates as a regional hub for satellite TV broadcasts.

The BBC Arabic Service and France's Monte Carlo Doualiya are available on FM in Amman and in northern Jordan. Private, music-based FM radio stations have sprung up.

Around 1.7 million Jordanians had internet access by June 2010 (InternetWorldStats). In early 2010, a court ruling subjecting the internet to the existing Press and Publications Law prompted protests from journalists.

Jordan's Queen Rania has used YouTube as a vehicle for public diplomacy since 2007. She is also active on Twitter.

The press

Television

Jordan Radio and Television - state-run, operates main network Channel One, sports network Channel Two, film network Channel Three and Jordan Satellite Channel

Radio

News agencies/internet

Petra - state-run, operated by Information Ministry Ammon News - private agency, English-language pages Ain News - private, news website

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