The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Jordan Government

Country name:

conventional long form:  Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

conventional short form:  Jordan

local long form:  Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah

local short form:  Al Urdun

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.

Executive branch:           

Chief of state:  King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999)

head of government:  Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000)

cabinet:  Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the King.

Legislative branch:  bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate (a 40-member body appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (80 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

Judicial branch:  Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

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, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, 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

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.

Source:  The World Factbook 2001