The Middle East

Strong global demand for fertiliser on the back of high-er international food prices should mean big business for Jordan, which is a major producer and exporter of potash and phosphate rocks, key materials for fertilis-er production. While raw materials currently take up the bulk of exports, the country is also moving up the value chain by becoming...

In recent years lawmakers have found themselves in an increasingly difficult position, as regional unrest has contributed to both falling revenues and rising costs for government operations within the kingdom. “The country has faced challenges during the year from the disruption of the flow of natural gas, the ongo-ing conflict in Syria and an...

Exports to Europe have been growing steadily in value terms over the medium to long term, although the bulk of Jordanian agricultural exports go to Arab states and the conflict in Syria has hindered sales to Eastern Europe. Jordan benefits from a number of advantages in supplying the European market, such as being able to grow crops year-round in...

Like many rapidly developing countries, Jordan’s education sector is expected to see a surge in electronic learning in the coming years, a trend that can be attributed to a sharp increase in the use of smartphones and growing internet penetration. The Arab Advisors Group, a research consultancy based in Amman, estimates that roughly 42% of mobile...

In 1961, Jordan’s first automatic telephone service was introduced, with roughly 5000 lines in operation. Since then, the country has come a long way, becoming the second in the region to launch GSM services, after Qatar. Until the 1990s, the government was the sole telecoms operator in the country, after which time the authorities began to open the...