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Jordan: Environmental Overview
Setting an Example in the Middle East:
Jordan, referred to as the Cradle of Civilization, has a strong
devotion to the environment, as evidenced by the numerous
environmental conventions it belongs to, and by the notable
progress to reduce ODS and to protect biodiversity. However, because it
depends on neighboring countries for oil, it is affected by violence in the
Middle East. Jordan also has a limited water supply, which could pose
problems if the country does not use this resource more efficiently. This
problem is only exacerbated by the 1 million Iraqi refugees living in Jordan.
Demographics1:
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The population according to 2011 estimates is 6,508,271and is
growing at a rate of 0.984 %. The life expectancy for women is 81.45
years, compared with 78.73 for men.
The homogenous society is made up of 98% Arabs, with the remainder
divided evenly between Armenians and Circassians.
Sunni Muslim is the dominant religion, with 92% of the population.
Christians make up 6%. There is also a minority of Shi’a Muslims.
Arabic is the official language, though many of the middle and upper
classes are fluent in English as well.
14.2% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Education2:
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Amman at night
Source: http://www.gomideast.com
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Jordan boasts a high caliber
education system, as evidenced by
89.9 literacy rate.
There is a ten-year primary
education program, followed by
two years of secondary education,
either academic or vocational. If
students receive their tawjihi, the
Secondary Education Certificate,
“Jordan.” 2006 CIA World Fact Book, 15 March 2007, https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/jo.html.
“Jordan.” Wikipedia. 5 April 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan.
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they can then apply to university or community college.
Jordan’s secondary education program is accepted at top universities
across the world.
Private institutions also offer the opportunity to take the SATs or the
IBs. The Ministry of Education transfers these scores to the same point
system as the tawjihi. This process is controversial and seen by some
as unfairly benefiting non-tawjihi graduates.
There are ten public universities and seventeen private universities for
graduates to choose from. These universities follow the EnglishAmerican system of bachelor, master, and doctorate.
Jordan is the number one ranked country in the Arab world for its
contributions to scientific research, owing to the large number of
engineers it produces from its universities (there are over 200,000
Jordanians enrolled in engineering programs).
Geography\Natural Resources:
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Jordan is a country in the Middle East
and borders Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia,
Israel, and the West Bank. It also has
a 26km coastline along the Gulf of
Aqaba and the Dead Sea. The capital
city is Amman in the northwest, and
other major cities include Irbid and Az
The Dead Sea
Zarqa in the north. Jordan shares the
Source:
longest border with Israel and the
http://www.friendshiptours.com
West Bank.
Jordan has a land mass of 91,971 square kilometers, which is slightly
smaller than the state of Indiana.3
The country is mostly comprised of desert, and so the climate is dry
and hot, though the west does go through a rainy season from
November to March. Jordan is looking for more efficient use of water,
because it has a limited supply.4
Natural resources include phosphates, shale oil, and potash.
Jordan also relies on imports to meet its energy needs.5
CIA World Fact Book.
Wikipedia.
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Wikipedia.
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Agriculture:
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Less than 2% of the land is
used for permanent crops, so
agriculture does not play a
large role in the economy.6
The current environmental
issues facing Jordan include
limited natural fresh water
resources, deforestation, soil
erosion, and desertification.7
Relevant Environmental Laws
and Regulations:
UN Millennium Development
Goals
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/i
ndex.html
 In 2000, Jordan signed the UN
Millennium Development Goals.
The 20010 country report was positive about Jordan’s progress. It
emphasized Jordan’s long dedication to the environment. The Royal
Society for the Conservation of Energy NGO was founded in 1966, for
example. Jordan has also signed many of the international
environmental protection agreements. Both wooded areas and
protected land increased in size since 1990. Also, the amount of
ozone-depleting emission dropped from 835 to 251 tons.
 The report did outline some challenges facing Jordan, including
overlapping authority on
environmental issues and a
limited amount of financial
resources allocated to this
area. There has also been a
decline in the quality of
water, and the report warns
of a potential water
shortage in the next fifteen
years.8
Source:
http://www.un.org.jo/images/stories/The_Millenium.pdf
6
CIA World Fact Book.
CIA World Fact Book
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“Jordan Country Report.” The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. 2004.
http://www.un.org.jo/images/stories/The_Millenium.pdf
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Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol was a 1997 amendment
to the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change. It strengthens the original
document with the addition of mandatory
emission reductions of greenhouse gases. If a country fails to meet the
standards, it is subjected to a penalty, in the form of an increased
reduction for each ton over the limit.
Jordan signed the Protocol in 2003 and it officially came into force in
2005.
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Ozone Layer Protection
http://www.cites.org/
 This is yet another environmental agreement to reduce emissions of
ozone-depleting materials, which Jordan joined in 1978.
Convention on Biological Diversity
www.biodiv.org
 This convention promotes national strategies for the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity. It
Source: Jordan
encourages member states to protect
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ecosystems, animal life, and indigenous
knowledge. Jordan ratified this convention
in 1993.
 The 2011 Country Report also emphasizes
Jordan’s historical commitment to
environmental protection and cites the
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action
Plan as evidence that Jordan recognizes the
vital role biodiversity will have in its future sustainability.9
 On January 10th 2012, Jordan became the first Arab country to the
ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair
and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilizations to the
Convention on Biological Diversity.10
Acknowledgements:
Research and Data Development Provided by: Pranav Sethuraman, Research Assistant Under
the Supervision and Coordination of: Dr. Gerard Janco, President Eurasia Center/EBC
Tellawi, Dr. Abdel-Muti M., ed. “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity in Jordan.” Jordan
Biodiversity – First National Report. December 2001. http://www.biodiv.org/doc/world/jo/jo-nr-01-en.pdf
10
United Nations Deacade on Biodiversity: www.cbd.int/doc/press/2012/pr-2012-01-12-Jordan-en.pdf
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