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King Abdullah |
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Head of state: King Abdullah
Born in 1962, Abdullah is the eldest son of the late King Hussein and his British-born second wife, Toni, who adopted Islam and remained Queen of Jordan until her divorce from the king in 1972.
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A former commander of the Jordanian special forces, Abdullah was sworn in as king upon his father's death in February 1999, despite the fact that the constitution stipulates that both parents of the king must be Arab and Muslim by birth. He is married to a Palestinian - a major political asset since the majority of Jordan's population is of Palestinian origin - and enjoys car racing, water sports and collecting ancient weapons. |
Country Profile: JordanThe Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a small country with limited natural resources, but for years it has played a pivotal role in the struggle for power in the Middle East. Jordan's significance results partly from its strategic location at the crossroads of what most Christians, Jews and Muslims call the Holy Land. The desert kingdom emerged out of the post-World War I division of the Middle East by Britain and France. |
