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; 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 ABDULLAH II (since 7 February 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Fayez TARAWNEH (since 20 August
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
with the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Majlis
al-'Umma consists of the Senate (a 40-member body appointed by the
monarch 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)
elections: House of Representatives—last held 4 November 1997 (next
to be held NA November 2001)
election results: House of Representatives—percent of vote by
party—NA; seats by party—National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land
Party 1, independents 75, other 2
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989 the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation