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Sunni Islam is the dominant religion inJordan. Muslims make up about 97.2% of the country's population.[1][2] A few of them areShiites. Many Shia in Jordan are refugees fromSyria,Lebanon, andIraq.[3]
The country also boasts one of theoldest Christian communities in the world, coexisting with the rest of the population. They made up about 4.2% of the population when the country had 5 million inhabitants in 2005.[4] down from 20% in the 1930s, due to several reasons, mainly due to high rates of Muslim immigration into the country. More than half areEastern Orthodox. The rest are Latin or Greek Rite Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, and Protestants. Jordanian Christians in a country of almost 10 million are thought to number 239,003 individuals including those of Palestinian origin, Syrian and Iraqi Christians in the country.[5]
In 2022 Muslims made up about 97.2% of the country's population;[6] there were almost 750,000 refugees and other displaced persons registered in the country, mainly Sunni Muslims from Syria.
In the same year,Christians made up 2.1% of the country's population.[6]
In 2020, there were approximately 14,000Druze in the country, and 1,000 people following theBaháʼí Faith;[7] there were reported to be no Jewish citizens.
In 2022, it was noted that the country has a small number ofBuddhists,Hindus,Zoroastrians andYazidis.[6]
The percentages vary slightly in different cities and regions, for instance the south of Jordan and cities likeZarqa have the highest percentage of Muslims, whileAmman,Irbid,Madaba,Salt, andKarak have larger Christian communities than the national average, and the towns ofFuheis,Al Husn,As-Simakiyah andAjloun have either majority Christian or much greater than national average. Several villages have mixed Christian/Muslim populations, like Kufranja and Raimoun in the north.
Anglicans/Episcopalians in Jordan are under the oversight of theAnglican Bishop in Jerusalem. TheChurch of the Redeemer is the largest congregation by membership of any church in the entireEpiscopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Other Episcopal churches are in Ashrafiyya, Salt, Zarqa,Marka refugee camp, Irbid, Al Husn andAqaba.
In general,Muslims andChristians live together with no major problems regarding differences and discrimination.[citation needed] However, the smallest minorities, consisting of small Shia, Druze andBaháʼí Faith contingents, experience some degree of religious discrimination from the government.[8]
Thestate religion isIslam, but theconstitution provides for the freedom to practise one's religion in accordance with the customs that are observed in the Kingdom, unless they violate public order or morality.
Some issues, however, such asreligious conversion, are controversial. Although conversion to Islam is relatively free of legal complications, those wishing to leave Islam are not recognised as such and are still considered legally Muslims and face immense societal pressure. Among the restrictions against religious minorities are:
In June 2006, the government published theInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in the government'sOfficial Gazette. Article 18 of that Covenant provides freedom of religion.
In 2023, the country was scored 2 out of 4 for religious freedom.[10]
Baháʼís[11] and other unrecognised religious minorities face several restrictions.[12]
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