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al-Hussein is the 43rd generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, assumed his constitutional powers as Monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Feb 7, 1999, the day his father passed away.
Born on Jan 30, 1962, His Majesty completed his studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK and completed the Advanced Study and Research Programme in International Affairs at Georgetown University in the US.
He is married to Kuwaiti-born, Jordan-bred Palestinian, Rania Al-Yassin, now Queen Rania. The royal couple have two sons, Prince Hussein and Prince Hashem, and two daughters, Princess Iman and Princess Salma.
Since his ascension to the throne, King Abdullah II has continued his late father's commitment to creating a strong and positive moderating role for Jordan within the Arab region and the world, and has worked towards the establishment of a just and lasting comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Jordan's economy has improved under King Abdullah II, and he has been credited with increasing foreign investment and providing the foundation for Aqaba's free trade zone. His Majesty is working on the advancement of civil liberties making Jordan one of the most progressive countries in the Middle East. His Majesty visited Thailand three times in 2004 and 2005.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan:Located in the Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia. The government is a constitutional monarchy. Currently Jordanian law largely bans public criticism of the king and his policies and provides for imprisonment for between one to three years and fines of up to 5,000 Jordanian dinars (about US$7,000) for infractions.
Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water or other natural resources. The country acceded to the World Trade Organisation in 2000, and began to participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. Jordan and Thailand established formal relations on Nov 20, 1966. The two countries have a good relationship. |
