The Middle East

The kingdom has both a private and a public education system, with high rate of female student in all levels of education. In 2010/11 roughly 1.5m students attended government schools, while private enrolment that year stood at about 380,000. Efforts are also being made to increase the use of technology in classrooms, with the government now requiring all public schools to provide computer access...

European countries pose a promising market for farmers, as the Jordanian climate is ideal for cultivation of out-of-season produce. The government has made resource conservation a priority and major projects are under way to improve network reliability. A number of initiatives have been implemented recently to increase the reliability of water sources, including a project to pump water from a...

Life expectancy within the kingdom is above the regional average, with a medical insurance safety net available for citizens. Medical care is provided by public, private and aid operators. Advanced procedures and improving care standards are drawing health tourists to the kingdom, and Amman has become a growing medical manufacturing base, with free zones offering an attractive location for...

Subscriber numbers among the four mobile operators have continued to grow in recent years. Operating costs have risen somewhat and profits have fallen, due mostly to heightened competition. The outlook for this sector remains positive – the kingdom’s telecoms industry is progressing toward a more IT-oriented future, as data demand grows and network operators ramp up their mobile broadband and...

A major airport expansion, along with the addition of new international air routes, is expected to boost tourism and ease bottlenecks in the near term. Niche markets like medical tourism and ecotourism are offering promising avenues for sector expansion. The industry resumed brisk revenue growth in 2012, marking its continued recovery from the regional slowdown. The meetings, incentives,...

While most economic activity in Jordan is concentrated in Amman, the southern city of Aqaba is playing an increasingly significant role. The population of the city is expected to increase by 130% to 250,000 by 2020, making expansion of Aqaba’s infrastructure to improve air and maritime links within and beyond the region a key objective. A mix of development projects is under way to widen the city...