In 1960, the urbanization rate was 42% of Jordan's population. This percentage increased rapidly to reach approximately 80% of the total population in the year 2000. This rapid growth of urbanization and immigration from rural areas to urban areas has led to a change in the family structure and in women's roles, it also put more pressure on the family and it's ability to perform it's roles and functions.
- Family size: rural and urban areas
The Jordanian family is characterised with its large family size. The Household Expenditures and Income survey, for the years 2002- 2003, showed that family household size was 6.2 individual, which differs from rural areas (6.5) to urban areas. Also it differs from one city to another, the largest was in Ma'an (6.8) and the smallest was in Amman (5.8). Household encompassing 9 members or more was 18% of the total , and it increased in rural areas to reach about 27% of household living in rural areas comparing to 16% of households in urban areas.
The age of marriage has increased for both females and males. The 2001 official statistics for the year 2001 showed that the average marriage age was 29.8 for males and 26.5 for females.
According to The Department of Statistics, the crude activity rates reached 23.6%, this percentage varies between males (39.6%) and females (7.1% ).
The percentage for unemployment reached 14.5%. However, it's higher for females (20.8%), than males(13.4%). The official statistics demonstrate that an increase of unemployment rate between the population falling in the ages ranging between 15-34 years old. It's the highest among the ages between 20-24 (41.2%), and 25-39 (33.3%) then the youth category 15-19 (16.5%). The statistics of the Household Income and Expenditures survey for the year 2002/2003 showed that the percentage of the poor in Jordan reached 14.2% of population in the year 2004, and 4% were chronically poor.
- Family Disintegration and Adolescent marriage
The annual average number for registered for girls of 15-19 years old has reached approximately 14,000 marriage per year, and the percentage of divorce among them reached 10%.
- School dropout and working children
A UNICEF study showed that 34% of youth has started to work earlier than the age15, and some before the age of 6. The percentage dropout from schools between children who are under 16 years old was 0.8%. The important factors for school dropout were school failure, poverty, and unemployment.
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