Demographics of Jordan
Encyclopedia
This article is about the demographic
features of the population
of Jordan
, including population density
, ethnicity
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
According to the OECD/World Bank population statistics population in Jordan increased from 1990 to 2008 with 2.7 million and 86 % growth in population compared to 39 % growth in Lebanon
, 56 % growth in Israel
, 67 % growth in Syria
and according to the U.S. Census 106 % growth in Palestinia
.
While native Jordan
ians are mostly descended from people of villagers and Bedouin
descent originating in the Arabian Peninsula
, more than half of the population originally descended from Palestine, which they immigrated from in the 1948 and 1967 wars. In addition, there's Jordanian minorities like the Circassians, Chechens, and Armenians. However, there are a number of other ethnicities present, including communities of Kurds, Assyrians
, and Mandeans of which some are refugees from the 2003 Iraqi war. According to UNRWA, there are 1,951,603 Palestinian refugees in Jordan as of June 2008, 31.5% of Jordan's population. There are also approximately one million Iraqis currently residing in the country. Also, hundreds of thousands of guest workers from Egypt
, Syria
, Indonesia, and South Asia
work as domestic and construction employees. Also, there are a few thousand residents of Lebanese origin who came to Jordan
when civil strife and war broke out in their native country. They primarily reside in Amman
.
The official language
is Arabic
, but English
is used widely in commerce
and government
. About 70% of Jordan's population is urban; less than 6% of the rural population is nomad
ic or semi-nomadic. Most people live where the rainfall supports agriculture
.
and redrawing of the borders of the Eastern Mediterranean
littoral. The ensuing decisions, most notably the Sykes–Picot Agreement, which created the British Mandate of Palestine. In September 1922, Transjordan
was formally identified as a subdivision of the Mandate Palestine after the League of Nations
approved the British Transjordan memorandum
which stated that the Mandate territories east of the River Jordan would be excluded from all the provisions dealing with Jewish settlement west of the Jordan River. Two other events in the history of Jordan affected its demographics, the outcomes of the 1948 and the 1967
conflicts with Israel.
(Sunni) 92%, Christian
6% (majority Greek Orthodox, with some Greek Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East
, Chaldean Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze
populations) (2001 est.)
Ethnically, The Circassians and Chechens form more than 3% of the population.
where most of the fighting took place. By 1956 of the 1.5 million population, 200,000 were residing in Amman. Following the 1948 war, and seizure of what later came to be known as the "West Bank" the citizens of Transjordan numbered about 1,185,000: 375,000 Transjordanians, 460,000 former residents of Mandate Palestine and 350,000 refugees from other former Mandate Palestine areas. Of the 100,000 estimated Transjordanians on the west bank about half had migrated elsewhere by early 1950s. In 2004 ethnic Arabs represented 93% of the population.
In the 2004 Census including: Assyrians and Syriacs 5%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%. non-Jordanians accounted for 349.933 (7%) of the population,
are ethnic Armenians
living within the current Kingdom of Jordan. There were an estimated 5,000 Armenians living within the country in 2009,. An estimated 4,500 of these are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church
, and predominantly speak the Western dialect of the Armenian language
. This population makes up the majority of non-Arab
Christians in the country.
and Zarqa
, and established their own villages Wadi Al Seer
, Naour
, and Suweleh.
The Adyghes Circassians played a major role in the history of Transjordan
era, and are famous for their loyalty to Abdullah I of Jordan
and his family, obtaining the Transjordan citizenship before many other Jordanian tribes in the law of citizenship that was issued in 1928, while other tribes obtained their citizenship in 1930 or later
Over the years various Adyghes have served in distinguished roles in the Kingdom of Jordan, including a prime minister (Sa`id al-Mufti
), ministers (commonly at least one minister should represent the Circassians in each cabinet), high ranking officers, etc. Due to their important role in the history of Jordan, Adyghe form the Hashemites Honor guard
at the Royal palaces, and represented Jordan in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2010, joining other Honor guards such as the The Airborne Ceremonial Unit.
The Circassians are Sunni Muslims estimated to number 120,000 persons, or 2% of Jordanian population, while accounting for 5% of Amman
's residents.
in the early 1990s, only about 5,000 to 7,000 remain there; as of early 2007, over 80% of Iraqi Mandaeans were refugees in Syria
and Jordan
as a result of the Iraq War.
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15–64 years:
1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.95 male(s)/female
total population:
1.1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
0–14 years:
32.2% (male 1,017,233/female 976,284)
15–64 years:
62.4% (male 2,110,293/female 1,840,531)
65 years and over:
4.1% (male 122,975/female 131,361) (2008 est.)
total population:
78.71 years
male:
76.19 years
female:
81.39 years (2008 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
91.3%
male:
95.9%
female:
86.3% (2003 est.)
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
features of the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, including population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, ethnicity
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
| Population in Jordan | |
|---|---|
| Year | Million |
| 1971 | 1.57 |
| 1980 | 2.18 |
| 1990 | 3.17 |
| 2000 | 4.80 |
| 2004 | 5.29 |
| 2008 | 5.91 |
| Source: OECD/World Bank | |
According to the OECD/World Bank population statistics population in Jordan increased from 1990 to 2008 with 2.7 million and 86 % growth in population compared to 39 % growth in Lebanon
Demographics of Lebanon
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Lebanon, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
, 56 % growth in Israel
Demographics of Israel
The State of Israel has a population of approximately 7,798,600 inhabitants as of September 2011. 75.3% of them are Jewish , 20.5% are Arabs , while the remaining 4.3% are defined as "others" The State of Israel has a population of approximately 7,798,600 inhabitants as of September 2011. 75.3% of...
, 67 % growth in Syria
Demographics of Syria
Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history...
and according to the U.S. Census 106 % growth in Palestinia
Demographics of the Palestinian territories
This article is about the demographic features of the population of the Palestinian territories, including ethnicity, education level, health of the populous, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
.
While native Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ians are mostly descended from people of villagers and Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
descent originating in the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
, more than half of the population originally descended from Palestine, which they immigrated from in the 1948 and 1967 wars. In addition, there's Jordanian minorities like the Circassians, Chechens, and Armenians. However, there are a number of other ethnicities present, including communities of Kurds, Assyrians
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, and Mandeans of which some are refugees from the 2003 Iraqi war. According to UNRWA, there are 1,951,603 Palestinian refugees in Jordan as of June 2008, 31.5% of Jordan's population. There are also approximately one million Iraqis currently residing in the country. Also, hundreds of thousands of guest workers from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Indonesia, and South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
work as domestic and construction employees. Also, there are a few thousand residents of Lebanese origin who came to Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
when civil strife and war broke out in their native country. They primarily reside in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
.
The official language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
is Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, but English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is used widely in commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
and government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. About 70% of Jordan's population is urban; less than 6% of the rural population is nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic or semi-nomadic. Most people live where the rainfall supports agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
.
Definition
The territory of Jordan can be defined by the history of its creation after the end of World War I, the League of NationsLeague of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
and redrawing of the borders of the Eastern Mediterranean
Eastern Mediterranean
The Eastern Mediterranean is a term that denotes the countries geographically to the east of the Mediterranean Sea. This region is also known as Greater Syria or the Levant....
littoral. The ensuing decisions, most notably the Sykes–Picot Agreement, which created the British Mandate of Palestine. In September 1922, Transjordan
Transjordan
The Emirate of Transjordan was a former Ottoman territory in the Southern Levant that was part of the British Mandate of Palestine...
was formally identified as a subdivision of the Mandate Palestine after the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
approved the British Transjordan memorandum
Transjordan memorandum
The Transjordan memorandum was a British memorandum passed by the Council of the League of Nations on September 16, 1922. The memorandum described how the British government planned to implement the article of the Mandate for Palestine which allowed exclusion of Transjordan from the provisions...
which stated that the Mandate territories east of the River Jordan would be excluded from all the provisions dealing with Jewish settlement west of the Jordan River. Two other events in the history of Jordan affected its demographics, the outcomes of the 1948 and the 1967
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
conflicts with Israel.
Ethnic and religious groups
MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
(Sunni) 92%, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
6% (majority Greek Orthodox, with some Greek Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
, Chaldean Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
populations) (2001 est.)
Ethnically, The Circassians and Chechens form more than 3% of the population.
Arabs
Most of the Arabic citizens in Jordan are villagers. The nature of their traditional nomadic culture reflected the population distribution in that although there were some 56,000 Bedouin Arabs at the turn of the 20th century on the plain east of Jordan, even after the First World War Amman was only a village of a few thousand residents, many recent immigrants from the coastal areas of the Ottoman SyriaOttoman Syria
Ottoman Syria is a European reference to the area that during European Renaissance from the late 15th to early 18th century was called the Levant within the early period of the Ottoman Empire, the Orient until the early 19th century, and Greater Syria until 1918...
where most of the fighting took place. By 1956 of the 1.5 million population, 200,000 were residing in Amman. Following the 1948 war, and seizure of what later came to be known as the "West Bank" the citizens of Transjordan numbered about 1,185,000: 375,000 Transjordanians, 460,000 former residents of Mandate Palestine and 350,000 refugees from other former Mandate Palestine areas. Of the 100,000 estimated Transjordanians on the west bank about half had migrated elsewhere by early 1950s. In 2004 ethnic Arabs represented 93% of the population.
In the 2004 Census including: Assyrians and Syriacs 5%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%. non-Jordanians accounted for 349.933 (7%) of the population,
Non-Arab citizens
Jordan's population includes at least one significant minority, and several that have resided in the country even before its creation.Assyrians
There is an Assyrian population in Jordan. Many Assyrians have arrived in Jordan since the invasion of Iraq, making up a large part of the Iraqi refuguees.Armenians
Armenians in JordanArmenians in Jordan
Armenians in Jordan are ethnic Armenians living within the current Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. There are an estimated 3,000 Armenians living within the country today. An estimated 2,500 of these are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and predominantly speak the Western dialect of the...
are ethnic Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
living within the current Kingdom of Jordan. There were an estimated 5,000 Armenians living within the country in 2009,. An estimated 4,500 of these are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
, and predominantly speak the Western dialect of the Armenian language
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
. This population makes up the majority of non-Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
Christians in the country.
Circassians
Circassians obtained Ottoman citizenships since 1887, immigrated to Jordan and they selected Amman despite it being a small village and a pile of ruins due to having been destroyed by several earthquakes. They settled in several villages such as JerashJerash
Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity, is the capital and largest city of Jerash Governorate , which is situated in the north of Jordan, north of the capital Amman towards Syria...
and Zarqa
Zarqa
Az-Zarqāʔ is a city in Jordan located to the northeast of Amman. With a population of more than one million 1000,000. It is the country's second largest city after Amman. Zarqa is the capital of Zarqa Governorate . Its name means "the blue one".- Overview :Zarqa is Jordan's industrial centre, home...
, and established their own villages Wadi Al Seer
Wadi Al Seer
Valley of the Orchads , is a municipality approximately Northwest of the Jordanian capital's centre, on the outskirts of Ammān.-Wadi'è Sér City:...
, Naour
Naour
Naour Na’our is region number 26 in Greater Amman Municipality , located at the west side of the Capital, with 26 neighborhoods or residential concentrations. The land space of Na’our amounts to 87 KM2, i.e.5,19% of the total landscape of GAM. Its population is 100,000 inhabitants, and it is...
, and Suweleh.
The Adyghes Circassians played a major role in the history of Transjordan
Transjordan
The Emirate of Transjordan was a former Ottoman territory in the Southern Levant that was part of the British Mandate of Palestine...
era, and are famous for their loyalty to Abdullah I of Jordan
Abdullah I of Jordan
Abdullah I bin al-Hussein, King of Jordan [‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Husayn] عبد الله الأول بن الحسين born in Mecca, Second Saudi State, was the second of three sons of Sherif Hussein bin Ali, Sharif and Emir of Mecca and his first wife Abdiyya bint Abdullah...
and his family, obtaining the Transjordan citizenship before many other Jordanian tribes in the law of citizenship that was issued in 1928, while other tribes obtained their citizenship in 1930 or later
Over the years various Adyghes have served in distinguished roles in the Kingdom of Jordan, including a prime minister (Sa`id al-Mufti
Sa`id al-Mufti
Said Pasha al- Mufti was a Jordanian political figure of Circassian origin. Said Pasha received Emir Abdullah with a few Jordanian Sheikhs, when he came to Jordan and was leading the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman rule....
), ministers (commonly at least one minister should represent the Circassians in each cabinet), high ranking officers, etc. Due to their important role in the history of Jordan, Adyghe form the Hashemites Honor guard
Honor guard
An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
at the Royal palaces, and represented Jordan in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2010, joining other Honor guards such as the The Airborne Ceremonial Unit.
The Circassians are Sunni Muslims estimated to number 120,000 persons, or 2% of Jordanian population, while accounting for 5% of Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
's residents.
Mandeans
Until recently most Mandaeans were Iraqi, but this religious minority fled the country in the face of this violence, and the Mandaean community in Iraq faces extinction. Out of the over 60,000 Mandaeans in IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in the early 1990s, only about 5,000 to 7,000 remain there; as of early 2007, over 80% of Iraqi Mandaeans were refugees in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
as a result of the Iraq War.
Education
The era of King Hussein saw increased school enrollment rates, which resulted in a rapid rise in the literacy rate in Jordan. At the beginning of his reign in 1952 the literacy rate was 33% and grew to 85% in 1996; according to the 2009 estimate, it is now 92.8% of the total population.Population demographic statistics
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.Gender ratio
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15–64 years:
1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.95 male(s)/female
total population:
1.1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Age Structure
0–14 years:
32.2% (male 1,017,233/female 976,284)
15–64 years:
62.4% (male 2,110,293/female 1,840,531)
65 years and over:
4.1% (male 122,975/female 131,361) (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:
78.71 years
male:
76.19 years
female:
81.39 years (2008 est.)
Languages
Arabic is the official language of Jordan English is widely understood among the educated and the upper and middle classes.Literacy
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
91.3%
male:
95.9%
female:
86.3% (2003 est.)