Type of government: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Amman
Administrative divisions: 8 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
Zarqa', Irbid, Ma'an
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 HUSSEIN Bin Talal Al Hashimi (since 2 May 1953)
is a constitutional monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Karim al-KABARITI (since 4
February 1996) was appointed by the king
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the king
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma) House of Notables (Majlis al-A'ayan): consists of a 40-member body appointed by the king from designated categories of public figures House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (80 total) IAF 16, Jordanian National Alliance Party 4, Al-Yaqazah Party 2, Al-Watan Party 2, Al-'Ahd Party 2, Jordanian Arab Democratic Party 2, Al-Mustaqbal Party 1, Jordanian Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 1, Jordanian Democratic Progressive Party 1, Jordanian People's Democratic Party-Hashd 1, Jordanian Socialist Democratic Party 1, independents 47 note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the king several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held