 For
most of its history since independence from British administration
in 1946, Jordan
was ruled by King Hussein (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he
successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers
(US, USSR,
and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian
population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he
resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political
liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel.
King Abdallah II - the eldest son of King Hussein and Princess
Muna - assumed the throne following his father's death in February
1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established
his domestic priorities, including an aggressive economic reform
program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in January
2000, and signed free trade agreements with the United States in
2000, and with the European Free Trade Association in 2001. |
Borders:
|
Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi
Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
|
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