Jordan has a population of approximately 11.5 million people as of 2025, making it the 82nd most populous country in the world. This figure reflects one of the most refugee-shaped populations on Earth, where roughly a third of all residents arrived as displaced people from neighboring conflicts rather than being born to long-settled Jordanian families.
How Many People Live in Jordan?
With about 11,500,000 residents, Jordan sits in the middle of the global population rankings despite occupying a relatively small and largely arid territory. The country spans roughly 89,000 km² between Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Israel, with only a tiny outlet to the Red Sea at Aqaba. That gives Jordan a population density of around 129 people per km², though this average is misleading: the eastern and southern deserts are nearly empty, while the northwestern highlands around Amman are extremely crowded.
What makes Jordan's headcount remarkable is how recently it grew. In 1970 the country had just 2 million inhabitants. Reaching 11.5 million in roughly half a century represents a near-sixfold increase, far faster than natural birth rates alone could explain. To understand modern Jordan, you have to understand migration.
A Population Built by Refugees
Jordan hosts more refugees per capita than almost any nation in the world, and successive waves of displacement have repeatedly reset its demographics. Three movements stand out:
- Palestinians (since 1948): Around 2.3 million registered Palestinian refugees live in Jordan, many of them now full citizens. By most estimates, about 55% of the population is of Palestinian origin, making it the single largest demographic group.
- Iraqis (since 2003): Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fled to Jordan after the 2003 war, concentrating in Amman and reshaping parts of the capital's economy.
- Syrians (since 2011): Roughly 1.3 million Syrians, including those in the vast Zaatari camp, arrived after the Syrian civil war began, adding enormous strain on water, schools and jobs.
Because so much of Jordan's growth has been driven by these external shocks, demographics are a politically sensitive subject. The balance between citizens of East Bank origin and those of Palestinian descent shapes everything from electoral districts to public-sector employment.
Population Growth and Trends
Jordan's population is currently growing at an annual rate of about 0.83%, a moderate pace by global standards and a sharp slowdown from the explosive surges of earlier decades. When entire refugee populations arrived in a single year, growth could spike into double digits; today the rhythm is far steadier.
The citizen fertility rate has fallen to roughly 2.7 children per woman, down from much higher levels a generation ago, reflecting rising education and urbanization. Even so, Jordan remains a young country. The median age is only about 24 years, meaning a large share of the population is still entering school or the workforce, which keeps pressure on the economy to create jobs faster than positions open up.
Where Jordanians Live: The Largest Cities
Jordan is overwhelmingly urban, and population is concentrated in a handful of cities in the wetter northwest. The three largest are Amman, Zarqa and Irbid.
Amman, the capital, anchors a metropolitan area of roughly 4.5 million people, close to 40% of the entire nation. A century ago it was a sleepy town of about 20,000; today it sprawls across 19 hills and functions as the political, financial and cultural heart of the country. Zarqa, with around 1.5 million residents, has effectively merged into Amman's orbit as a dense industrial satellite to the northeast. Irbid, home to about 500,000 people in the far north, serves as a major university hub and the gateway toward Syria. Beyond these, cities like Aqaba on the Red Sea and the salt town of As-Salt round out the urban map.
Language, Religion and Society
The official language of Jordan is Arabic, and the everyday Jordanian dialect carries Levantine and Bedouin influences. English is widely taught and commonly used in business and higher education. Around 95% of the population is Sunni Muslim, with a long-established Christian minority of roughly 4% and smaller communities of other faiths.
Governed as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the Hashemite royal family, Jordan has prioritized education and stability. Literacy stands above 98%, among the highest in the Middle East, and the country produces a steady stream of graduates, doctors and engineers whose skills are exported across the wider Arab world. For more context on the country's geography, economy and history, see our jordan country guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Jordan in 2025?
Jordan's population in 2025 is estimated at about 11.5 million people, ranking it as the 82nd most populous country in the world.
What is the largest city in Jordan?
Amman, the capital, is by far the largest city, with a metropolitan population of roughly 4.5 million, nearly 40% of the national total.
How many refugees live in Jordan?
Estimates suggest around a third of Jordan's residents are refugees, including roughly 2.3 million registered Palestinians and about 1.3 million Syrians.
Is Jordan's population growing?
Yes, but slowly. The population grows at about 0.83% per year, a major slowdown from the rapid surges of past decades, with a citizen fertility rate near 2.7.