Western Asia · National Demographic Profile
Jordan Demographics: Refugees, Fertility and Urban Population Growth
Jordan’s resident population reached 11,937,000 at the end of 2025. Growth remains positive, fertility has fallen to 2.6 births per woman, and 90.3% of residents live in localities classified as urban. Refugee registration systems add another layer to the profile because UNHCR and UNRWA measure different populations under different mandates.
Main data providers: Department of Statistics of Jordan, UNHCR and UNRWA. Fertility estimates use the 2023 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey.
Core Demographic Indicators
Population Growth Remains Positive as the Pace Eases
The official end-year estimate rose from 4.264 million in 1995 to 11.937 million in 2025. The population added 203,000 residents between 2024 and 2025, equal to a derived increase of 1.7%. The selected series does not separate natural change from migration, so changes between years should not be assigned to one component without additional data.
| Year | Population | Measure Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 4,264,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2000 | 4,857,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2005 | 5,758,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2010 | 6,698,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2015 | 9,559,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2020 | 10,806,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2021 | 11,057,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2022 | 11,302,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2023 | 11,516,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2024 | 11,734,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
| 2025 | 11,937,000 | End-year estimate | Department of Statistics of Jordan |
End-Year Resident Population, 1995–2025
Selected points from the official end-year estimate series
Data provider: Department of Statistics of Jordan. Values are end-year estimates.
Where the Series Accelerates
- The selected estimate rises by 2.861 million between 2010 and 2015.
- Annual additions narrowed from 251,000 in 2021 to 203,000 in 2025.
- The series records the total resident population and does not identify the separate contribution of births, deaths and migration.
Births Continue to Exceed Deaths
Registered vital events show positive natural change in every year from 2020 through 2024. The balance narrowed to 147,112 in 2024 as registered births declined to 177,432 while registered deaths were 30,320.
| Year | Registered Births | Registered Deaths | Natural Change | Measure Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 186,087 | 33,073 | +153,014 | Registered events; derived balance |
| 2021 | 197,397 | 39,333 | +158,064 | Registered events; derived balance |
| 2022 | 192,266 | 30,823 | +161,443 | Registered events; derived balance |
| 2023 | 182,610 | 29,121 | +153,489 | Registered events; derived balance |
| 2024 | 177,432 | 30,320 | +147,112 | Registered events; derived balance |
Natural change is not total population change. The births-minus-deaths balance does not include immigration, emigration, late registration or revisions to the resident population estimate.
Refugee Counts Depend on the Registration System
UNHCR recorded 393,271 refugees and asylum-seekers in Jordan on 30 June 2026. Syrians accounted for 370,179 people, or 94.1% of that registration stock. UNHCR also reports that about four in five registered refugees live outside camps and that close to half are children.
UNHCR-Registered Refugees by Country of Origin
Registration stock in Jordan on 30 June 2026
Data provider: UNHCR. The chart does not include UNRWA-registered Palestine refugees.
UNRWA Registration Measures a Different Population
UNRWA reports more than 2.39 million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan. About 18% live in the ten recognized Palestine refugee camps. Most, but not all, hold full Jordanian citizenship. This registration category is not interchangeable with UNHCR registration, foreign citizenship or the number of residents of Palestinian origin.
Do not add the registration totals to the national population estimate. People registered with UNHCR or UNRWA generally reside within Jordan and are already included in the resident population when they meet the statistical residence definition.
Differences Between Refugee Measures
- UNHCR’s 393,271 figure is dated 30 June 2026 and covers refugees and asylum-seekers under its mandate.
- UNRWA’s figure covers registered Palestine refugees under a separate mandate and registration system.
- Neither figure represents all foreign residents, all displaced people or a population total that can be added to Jordan’s official resident estimate.
Fertility Fell Before Population Growth Slowed
The Jordan Population and Family Health Survey series shows a decline in the total fertility rate from 5.6 births per woman in 1990 to 2.6 in 2023. The steepest fall occurred before 2002. Fertility then moved within a narrower range before declining again after 2012.
Total Fertility Rate Across JPFHS Surveys
Births per woman during the three years preceding each survey
Data provider: Jordan Population and Family Health Survey series. Survey estimates refer to the three-year period before each survey.
| Survey | Total Fertility Rate | Reference Period | Measure Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 JPFHS | 5.6 | Three years before survey | Survey estimate |
| 1997 JPFHS | 4.4 | Three years before survey | Survey estimate |
| 2002 JPFHS | 3.7 | Three years before survey | Survey estimate |
| 2007 JPFHS | 3.6 | Three years before survey | Survey estimate |
| 2009 JPFHS | 3.8 | Three years before survey | Survey estimate |
| 2012 JPFHS | 3.5 | Three years before survey | Survey estimate |
| 2017–18 JPFHS | 2.7 | Three years before survey | Survey estimate |
| 2023 JPFHS | 2.6 | Approximately 2020–2023 | Survey estimate |
Fertility Varies Across Governorates and Population Groups
The 2023 survey estimated governorate fertility from 1.9 births per woman in Aqaba to 3.1 in Ajloun and Mafraq. Urban and rural estimates were 2.6 and 2.8. The same survey estimated 2.5 births per woman among Jordanian women and 4.1 among Syrian women; the Syrian estimate was 3.9 outside camps and 4.9 inside camps.
| Governorate | Total Fertility Rate | Survey | Reference Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amman | 2.4 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Balqa | 2.0 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Zarqa | 3.0 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Madaba | 2.2 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Irbid | 2.9 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Mafraq | 3.1 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Jarash | 3.0 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Ajloun | 3.1 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Karak | 2.3 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Tafiela | 2.4 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Ma’an | 2.4 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
| Aqaba | 1.9 | JPFHS 2023 | Three years before survey |
The fertility estimates are not annual civil-registration rates. They are survey estimates based on births during the three years before the 2023 interviews. Subgroup values should be read with their survey definitions and sampling context.
A Large Child Population Sustains Demographic Momentum
Children aged 0–14 accounted for 4,081,950 residents at the end of 2025, equal to 34.2% of the population. The working-age group aged 15–64 held 62.1%, while 3.7% were aged 65 or older. A large number of people entering reproductive ages can keep the number of births elevated even after the average number of births per woman declines.
| Age Group | Population | Share | Year | Measure Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–14 | 4,081,950 | 34.2% | 2025 | Derived from official five-year age groups |
| 15–64 | 7,412,935 | 62.1% | 2025 | Derived from official five-year age groups |
| 65+ | 442,115 | 3.7% | 2025 | Official age group |
Detailed Age-Sex Structure
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | Sex Ratio | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 697,570 | 661,845 | 1,359,415 | 105.4 | 2025 |
| 5–9 | 746,430 | 712,150 | 1,458,580 | 104.8 | 2025 |
| 10–14 | 650,630 | 613,325 | 1,263,955 | 106.1 | 2025 |
| 15–19 | 624,865 | 563,050 | 1,187,915 | 111.0 | 2025 |
| 20–24 | 649,430 | 535,390 | 1,184,820 | 121.3 | 2025 |
| 25–29 | 574,020 | 465,555 | 1,039,575 | 123.3 | 2025 |
| 30–34 | 496,525 | 425,355 | 921,880 | 116.7 | 2025 |
| 35–39 | 444,160 | 376,140 | 820,300 | 118.1 | 2025 |
| 40–44 | 383,070 | 322,475 | 705,545 | 118.8 | 2025 |
| 45–49 | 324,340 | 269,440 | 593,780 | 120.4 | 2025 |
| 50–54 | 235,285 | 204,865 | 440,150 | 114.8 | 2025 |
| 55–59 | 160,545 | 147,780 | 308,325 | 108.6 | 2025 |
| 60–64 | 108,900 | 101,745 | 210,645 | 107.0 | 2025 |
| 65+ | 224,130 | 217,985 | 442,115 | 102.8 | 2025 |
Age-Sex Distribution at the End of 2025
Estimated resident population by age group and sex
Data provider: Department of Statistics of Jordan. Male values are encoded as negative numbers only to draw the left side of the pyramid.
Where the Sex Balance Shifts
- The national sex ratio was 112.5 males per 100 females at the end of 2025.
- The ratio peaks at 123.3 in the 25–29 age group.
- The ratio narrows to 102.8 at ages 65 and older.
Three Governorates Hold Nearly Three-Quarters of the Population
Amman, Irbid and Zarqa contained 8,919,600 residents at the end of 2025, equal to 74.7% of the national total. Amman alone held 41.9%. The official urban definition classifies localities with at least 5,000 residents as urban, based on the definition used in the 2015 census.
| Governorate | Population | National Share | Urban Population | Urban Share | Density per km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amman | 5,004,600 | 41.9% | 4,865,300 | 97.2% | 660.3 |
| Balqa | 614,000 | 5.1% | 504,100 | 82.1% | 548.0 |
| Zarqa | 1,704,500 | 14.3% | 1,642,500 | 96.4% | 358.0 |
| Madaba | 236,200 | 2.0% | 184,800 | 78.2% | 251.4 |
| Irbid | 2,210,500 | 18.5% | 2,041,400 | 92.4% | 1,406.4 |
| Mafraq | 686,800 | 5.8% | 478,400 | 69.7% | 25.9 |
| Jarash | 296,000 | 2.5% | 227,800 | 77.0% | 722.3 |
| Ajloun | 219,900 | 1.8% | 184,500 | 83.9% | 524.0 |
| Karak | 395,400 | 3.3% | 233,800 | 59.1% | 113.1 |
| Tafiela | 120,300 | 1.0% | 93,800 | 78.0% | 54.4 |
| Ma’an | 197,900 | 1.7% | 107,000 | 54.1% | 6.0 |
| Aqaba | 250,900 | 2.1% | 221,300 | 88.2% | 36.3 |
Population by Governorate at the End of 2025
Official resident population estimates
Data provider: Department of Statistics of Jordan. Amman refers to the governorate, not only the municipal core.
Where Population Is Concentrated
- Amman, Irbid and Zarqa together account for 74.7% of the national population.
- Irbid has the highest governorate density at 1,406.4 residents per km².
- Ma’an has the lowest density at 6.0 residents per km² and an urban share of 54.1%.
Data Sources and Methodology
The page uses official end-year population estimates for the national total, age-sex structure, governorates and urban-rural distribution. Fertility values come from repeated household surveys and refer to the three years before each survey. Refugee figures are registration stocks rather than census counts. Derived values include annual population change, broad age shares, governorate urban shares and natural change calculated as registered births minus registered deaths.
| Source | Release or Data Year | Used for | Measure Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Statistics of Jordan, Population Estimates | End-2025 | Population total, historical estimates, age-sex structure, urban-rural distribution, governorates and density | Official end-year resident estimate |
| Department of Statistics of Jordan, Statistical Yearbook 2024 | 2020–2024 | Registered births, registered deaths and derived natural change | Registered vital events |
| Jordan Population and Family Health Survey | 1990–2023 survey series | National fertility trend, residence differences, governorate fertility and nationality groups | Survey estimate |
| UNHCR Jordan Operational Data Portal | 30 June 2026 | Registered refugees and asylum-seekers by country of origin and settlement context | Administrative registration stock |
| UNRWA Jordan | Current agency profile | Registered Palestine refugees and camp share | Agency registration stock |
Methodological Safety Note: Jordan’s end-year resident estimate, registered vital events, household-survey fertility rates, UNHCR registration and UNRWA registration measure different populations or periods. Refugee registration totals must not be added to the national resident population. The 2.6 fertility rate is a survey estimate for the three years before the 2023 survey, while the 2025 population figure is an end-year estimate. Urban shares follow Jordan’s national definition of an urban locality. Values labelled as derived were calculated from the published official counts and rounded to one decimal place where appropriate.