Jordan
Asia · Western Asia
Stable and safe by regional standards; ancient Petra, a gateway to the Middle East.
Backpacker
Ideal destination
Retiree
Ideal destination
At a Glance
📈Jordan's Human Development Index
0.736
High human development#98 of 191 countries worldwide, #24 of 43 in Asia.
Higher than 49% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Jordan
Jordan is a Middle Eastern country of ancient ruins, desert landscapes, and warm Bedouin hospitality that has made it one of the region's most visitor-friendly destinations. Petra, carved into rose-red sandstone, is one of the great archaeological wonders of the world, and the Wadi Rum desert offers a landscape of silence and scale that feels otherworldly. The food, the tea, and the welcome in Jordanian homes are things most visitors remember long after they leave.
- Hosts more refugees per capita than almost any country in the world.
- Petra was carved directly into red sandstone cliffs — no foundations, no mortar.
- More than half the population is under 25, yet unemployment is structurally high.
Quick Facts
Capital
Amman
Language
Arabic
Currency
د.ا JOD
Area
88,794 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
196Mbps
Mobile
44Mbps
GDP / Capita
$5K
PPP / Capita
$13K
Inflation
1.8%
Unemployment
16.5%
Innovation (GII)
29.7
GNI / Capita
$5K
Tax Revenue
15.5%
FDI Inflows
2.8%
Education Spend
3.2%
Cost of Living
39.4
Price Level Index
52nd pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.622 → 0.736 (+0.114)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
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💬Quick answers
What is Jordan's Human Development Index?
Jordan's Human Development Index is 0.736 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #98 of 191 countries.
Is Jordan safe?
Jordan scores 1.91 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #67 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Jordan?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Jordan at 39.4 (New York = 100); that is #63 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Jordan?
Life expectancy at birth in Jordan is 78.0 yrs (World Bank), ranked #55 of 195 countries.
What is the quality of life in Jordan?
Numbeo's quality-of-life index scores Jordan at 125.6, ranked #57 of 87 countries with data. It composites purchasing power, safety, healthcare, cost of living, commute and pollution from resident surveys, so it reflects what residents report rather than what an economy produces.