Country Profile of Jordan
Main statistical agency
Main statistical agency name
Department of Statistics (DOS)
Amman-Jordan
Web address
www.dos.gov.jo
Position in the government
The Director General of Statistics, who is at the top of the administrative pyramid, reports to the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation.
Organizational structure and finance
Director General oversees 5 departments, each headed by a director:
Dir. of Agricultural & Environmental Statistics
Dir. of Economic Surveys
Dir. of Economic Statistics
Dir. of Household Surveys
Dir. of Population & Social Statistics
A detailed organization chart is found on the website.
Multi-annual or annual work program
The work program is published on the website: "Time Table for Preparing and Publishing of Statistical Results,
Indicators and Publications,2009". It includes the following categories:
Advance Release Calendar - DOS
Economic Surveys
Agricultural Surveys and Statistics
Economic Statistics
Environmental Statistics
Household Surveys
Social and population statistics
General DOS Publications
Main duties
The Article No. 4 of the Statistics' Provisional Law No.8 of 2003 specifies the Department's duties as follows :
A. Collect,compile,store,analyze and publish official statistics including the findings of the surveys performed in the demographic,economic,agricultural,environmental and cultural domains.Data covers other conditions of the society as well,outlying concerns and circumstances,and complying with the definitions ,classifications,standards,methods and technologies employed internationally in order to obtain such data.
B. Conduct a general census every ten years at most,at a date set by the Cabinet ,based on recommendation by the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in the following areas:(1)population and housings;(2)agriculture;(3)industry;(4)establishments;and(5)any other field ,subject to a decision by the Cabinet at the recommendation by the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation.
C. Coordinate and organize the statistical work jointly with various government departments in order to develop the government's statistical records in line with pertinent international methods and standards,thus ensuring timely and efficient fulfillment of the needs of data users .
Brief history and other relevant background information
Brief history and other relevant background information
The Department of Statistics (DoS) was established in the late 1949 and assumed its activities in accordance with the Statistics Law No. 24 for the year 1950 which identified its responsibilities and duties. The DoS began its field and office work with a humble number of employees. During that period, basic statistical data covering the socio – economic aspects in the Kingdom had been produced. One of the most remarkable statistical activities conducted by the DoS was the first Housing Units Census in 1952, then the National Accounts Estimates in addition to the Statistical Yearbook.
While in the Sixties, the DoS conducted the first Population and Housing Units Census in 1961, in addition to the first Multi-Purpose Households Survey. It also issued many publications for the first time such as the Agricultural Statistics and the External Trade Bulletins. It also carried out the Households Expenditure Survey and constructed the Consumer Price Indices. The collected data were used to formulate the seven years socio–economic development program in Jordan (1964–1971).
In the seventies, the DoS focused its efforts on carrying out agricultural, industrial, labour forces, population and housing units censuses in addition to sample surveys which covered households, demographic, social and economic topics. The DoS also implemented the National Fertility Survey for the first time.
The decade of the eighties witnessed the comprehensive coverage policy of the economic phenomena by conducting various Agricultural Surveys, the Disabled Survey, the Internal Migration and Returnees Survey. This decade was characterized by improving various economic statistics in accordance with the rules, standards and recommendations issued by the UN and other international organizations. New surveys were also added to the DoS activities such as the Constructions, Services and Commercial Establishments Survey.
The last decade of the previous century witnessed a big leap in information technology to facilitate the process of extracting the statistical data and employing it in policy making, decision taking and carrying out specialized studies in various fields. During the same period, extensive efforts were made in forging links of cooperation and coordination with all national institutions which collect and use statistical data. It allowed to save time, efforts, and money. The DoS also assigned special importance on the process of statistical analysis since it believes in the futility of mere abstract figures.
During the first years of this millennium, the DoS has focused its efforts on enhancement of statistical capacity, including the infrastructures and human resources. It assigned special importance on enhancing statistical awareness among the public which is positively reflected on the quality of statistical products. It also worked on strengthening contacts with data users through employing all available means of communications for maintaining links of trust with them.
Legal basis
Legal basis
The Statistics Act No. 24 of 1950 was replaced by a contemporary one, namely, "The Provisional Statistics Law No 8,for 2003", coming into force as of Feb.16,2003. The reason behind the change was the modern requirements of the statistical work.
Other producers of official statistics
Other producers of official statistics
Additional producers of official statistics are the following agencies: Private Centers of Studies and Researchs, in addition to other statistical units at the governmental institutions.
Statistical advisory bodies
Statistical advisory bodies
The new statistics law covers issues of the establishment of the statistical advisory body, but it has not yet been created.
Data collection
Most recent population census
The Population and Housings Census 2004.
Access to administrative data
The Department coordinates its activities with all governmental data producers and has access to administrative data.
Data confidentiality
Article No 11 of the Statistical law prohibits disclosure of individual data; moreover, all individual data in the electronic data base is password-protected.
Data dissemination
Release calendar (existence, when and how published)
DOS issues a release calendar corresponding to the publications calendar.
Main publications
The Department of Statistics regularly issues the following publications:
o Statistical Yearbook.
o Jordan in Figures.
Employment and Unemployment Survey.
o Employment and Unemployment Survey.
o Agricultural Statistics.
o Environmental Statistics Survey.
o External Trade Statistics.
o Prices and Cost of Living Report.
o Wholesale and Retail Trade Survey.
o Transport, Storage and Communications Survey.
o Services Survey.
o Industrial Survey.
o Construction Statistics.
Languages of main publications
Arabic and English
How are data disseminated (Paper, CD Rom, Website, online databases, databanks)?
Statistical data produced is published for all data users without exception through using all above means of data dissemination.
Availability of microdata for research purposes
Researchers have access to DOS anonymous microdata which is protected from disclosure of individual data.
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