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Country Resource - Jordan
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Jordan

JO
  • Population.............................................................................11,174,024 (2024 est.)
  • Population growth rate ..........................................................................0.78% (2024 est.)
  • Birth rate.............................................................22.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
  • Death rate..........................................................3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
  • Net migration rate......................................-10.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
  • Ethnic groups*...............................................Jordanian 69.3%, Syrian 13.3%, Palestinian 6.7%, Egyptian 6.7%, Iraqi 1.4%, other 2.6% (2015 est.)

* Data represent population by self-identified nationality in national census

CIA World Factbook

Profile
August 31, 2010

Jordan: A Refugee Haven

In addition to Palestinians, Jordan also hosts forced migrants from Iraq, especially since the 2003 U.S. invasion, as well as Lebanon. Géraldine Chatelard of the Institut français du Proche-Orient examines Jordan's large refugee population, emigration and remittances, labor migration to Jordan, and the government's migration-management policies in this updated profile.

Recent Activity

People ride bicycles in the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan.
Feature
June 5, 2025
The Fragile Yet Unmistakable Long-Term Integration of Syrian Refugees in Jordan

As Syria enters a new era with the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad, the question of return of millions of Syrians who sought refuge internationally looms large. In Jordan, which has been a key host for Syrian refugees, limited numbers of Syrians have chosen to return to date. Instead, what has quietly taken shape is a fragile form of long-term integration. This article examines Jordan's response to the protracted Syrian displacement over time and prospects for the future.

An immigrant from Iraq living in Michigan.
Spotlight
June 12, 2024
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States

Immigration to the United States from the Middle East and North Africa is longstanding and multifaceted. Compared to other immigrants, those from the Middle East and North Africa are more likely to be proficient in English, have graduated college, and be a U.S. citizen. This article provides an overview of this population, more than one-quarter of which lives in the greater New York, Detroit, or Los Angeles areas.

A woman and child walk in the Somali region of Ethiopia.
Feature
November 16, 2023
Climate Migration 101: An Explainer

Is climate change a major driver of migration and displacement? From where are people leaving, and where are they going? This informative primer, a Climate Migration 101 of sorts, provides answers to basic questions about climate change and migration, starting with how and where climate change triggers human movement.

A Palestinian woman in Bani Naeem, in the West Bank.
Feature
May 3, 2023
Generations of Palestinian Refugees Face Protracted Displacement and Dispossession

Palestinians constitute the world’s longest protracted refugee situation and largest stateless community. Yet their plight has often been eclipsed by more recent displacement crises and dismissed as unsolvable. Other factors have contributed to Palestinian refugees’ situation, including the near impossibility of obtaining citizenship in many host countries and precarious funding for support, as this article explains.

Mother and daughter from Middle Eastern background
Spotlight
January 13, 2022
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States

Migration from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to the United States doubled between 2000 and 2019, yet these immigrants represented less than 3 percent of the overall U.S. foreign-born population as of 2019. MENA immigrants are more likely than other immigrants to be English proficient, have a college degree, and work in management, business, science, and arts occupations.

Feature
November 1, 2013
Responding to the Syrian Refugee Crisis: A Conversation with T. Alexander Aleinikoff, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees

United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees T. Alexander Aleinikoff talks to MPI about the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis and the role of UNHCR in assisting countries that have taken in large numbers of Syrian refugees. One looming concern: how will UNHCR and other actors change their refugee crisis-response models and mechanisms to adapt to this and future emergencies?

Profile
August 31, 2010
Jordan: A Refugee Haven

In addition to Palestinians, Jordan also hosts forced migrants from Iraq, especially since the 2003 U.S. invasion, as well as Lebanon. Géraldine Chatelard of the Institut français du Proche-Orient examines Jordan's large refugee population, emigration and remittances, labor migration to Jordan, and the government's migration-management policies in this updated profile.

Feature
September 27, 2007
Where to Now? Decreasing Options for Displaced Iraqis

Over 2 million Iraqis are internally displaced and hundreds of thousands have fled to neighboring countries. Andrew Harper reports on the latest developments, including Syria's decision to impose visa requirements.

Feature
April 1, 2005
Domestic Workers: Little Protection for the Underpaid
An ILO study of Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates highlights the special risks of domestic work for women. Gloria Moreno-Fontes Chammartin discusses the findings and implications.
Cover image for Diverging Paths
Reports
March 2024

Diverging Paths: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Migration in the Middle East and North Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on mobility in the Middle East and North Africa were immediate and wide-reaching. These include the world’s largest and most sustained repatriation efforts for stranded migrants, halted and reversed irregular journeys, and a reckoning with some countries’ reliance on foreign labor. This report examines how these impacts varied across countries in this highly diverse region, as well as the uneven recovery.

coverthumb_bridge fimer ground
Reports
March 2021

A Bridge to Firmer Ground: Learning from International Experiences to Support Pathways to Solutions in the Syrian Refugee Context

Ten years into Syria's conflict, Syrians remain the largest refugee population worldwide. As they face limited prospects for resettlement or safe return, how can host countries and donors promote resilience for refugees and host communities alike? This report offers examples of creative policy solutions in the areas of protection, social protection, education, livelihoods, and health care from displacement contexts in 16 countries.

Pages from Covers Sirin Rogers
Reports
October 2015

The Educational and Mental Health Needs of Syrian Refugee Children

Approximately 40 percent of the 4 million-plus Syrians who have fled the country are under age 12, most encountering disruptions and barriers to their education in countries of first asylum. This report examines the experiences of Syrian refugee children, their educational and mental health needs,and possible responses that governments should consider in resettling this vulnerable population.

Cover runningcircles
Reports
July 2011

Running in Circles: Progress and Challenges in Regulating Recruitment of Filipino and Sri Lankan Labor Migrants to Jordan

Migrants from the Philippines and Sri Lanka have taken on a growing role in filling labor shortages in Jordan, leading to significant challenges surrounding the recruitment of these foreign workers. Based on interviews with government officials in sending and receiving countries and focus groups with migrants, the report analyzes the role of private recruitment agencies and points to oversight gaps.

cover arabic runningincirclesjordan
Reports
July 2011

Running in Circles: Progress and Challenges in Regulating Recruitment of Filipino and Sri Lankan Labor Migrants to Jordan (In Arabic)

الأردنية ودعم اقتصاده. وابتدأت العَمالة غير العربية الآتية من آسيا بالزيادة في السنوات الأخيرة في الأردن، وبالأخص من سريلانكا والفِليبّين.

إن التحديات التي تحيط بإستِقدام العَمالة الأجنبية معقدة والحلول بعيدة عن البساطة.  تعي كل من سريلانكا والأردن  والفِليبين أن مكاتب الإستِقدام الخاصة تلعب دوراً هاماً في تيسير وتحريك هجرة العَمالة. ويدركون كذلك أن عدم تنظيم عمل هذه القطاع وتلك المكاتب، يؤدي إلى الإساءة للعمال ورفع الأسعار على أرباب العَمل.
Coverthumb MPI StrengtheningRefugeeProtection
Policy Briefs
February 2019

Strengthening Refugee Protection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Development actors are well positioned to help close the gap in refugee protection system capacity that exists between high-income countries and those that have fewer resources. With 85 percent of the world's refugees in low- or middle-income countries that lack the means to support them fully, strengthening protection systems would benefit from new thinking and tapping the expertise of well-placed actors to assure a more comprehensive approach.

cover_regulatingrecruitment
Policy Briefs
August 2012

Regulating Private Recruitment in the Asia-Middle East Labour Migration Corridor

This issue brief examines Asian labor migration to the Middle East—a region distinguished by its major dependence on migrant workers, the overwhelming majority from Asia. The author focuses on the role of private recruiting agencies as key facilitators of temporary labor migration and perpetrators of exploitative practices.