Good to know
Good to Know
- Amman's official metro population is 4.9–5 million, but the real long-term foreign resident population (including unregistered digital nomads, expats on tourist visas, and others outside formal statistics) is estimated at 50,000+ in the city itself, with Jordan-wide non-citizens reaching ~3.9 million (34% of national total)—mostly Syrian and Palestinian.
- The city is highly polarized between wealthy Western neighborhoods (Abdoun, Sweifieh, Weibdeh, Jabal Amman) where most expats and international organizations concentrate, and poorer Eastern districts. Official statistics capture permanent residents; the actual expat/digital nomad population is largely invisible to census data.
- Amman dubbed 'Silicon Wadi' hosts 600+ tech companies and ~300 startups, ranking 10th globally for IT startups. Fintech, edtech, healthtech, and gaming are major sectors. Strong accelerator ecosystem (Oasis 500, iPARK, Flat6Labs, AHLI FINTECH) attracts regional and international entrepreneurs.
- No formal digital nomad or remote-worker visa exists in Jordan; working remotely while on a tourist visa is tolerated but legally gray, making Amman less straightforward than neighboring countries for long-term remote work visa status.
- Refugee populations (especially Syrian, Palestinian, and Iraqi) are a significant demographic reality; refugees concentrate in Amman (33% of registered UNHCR refugees) alongside the expat professional community, creating a diverse but economically stratified city.
Notable Nationalities
Rank By Registered Population
Syrian
- Percentage Jordan Wide
- 13.3
- Note
- Largest refugee/migrant population; concentrated heavily in Amman and Irbid
Palestinian
- Percentage Jordan Wide
- 6.7
- Note
- Many registered as Jordanian citizens since 1988; additional unregistered Palestinians hold travel documents only
Egyptian
- Percentage Jordan Wide
- 6.7
- Note
- Labor migrants and professionals
Iraqi
- Percentage Jordan Wide
- 1.4
- Note
- Significant influx post-2003 Iraq war; some Christian and Yazidi refugees
Armenian
- Note
- Approximately 5,000 residing in Jordan, predominantly in Amman; descendants of 1915 genocide survivors
Druze
- Note
- Approximately 32,000 in Jordan; concentrated in rural/mountainous areas west and north of Amman, not primarily urban Amman
- Percentage Jordan Wide
- 2.6
- Nationality
- Other (including Circassians, Sudanese, Libyans, Yemenis, Filipino and Sri Lankan migrant workers)
- Note
- Growing populations of Asian migrant workers (Philippines, Sri Lanka) in recent years
Foreign Born Percentage
- Jordan Wide Non Jordanian Citizens
- 34
- Note
- Includes all non-Jordanian nationals residing in Jordan, both registered and unregistered. Amman's foreign-born percentage is higher than the national average due to concentration of international organizations, embassies, and employment opportunities.
Business And Tech Presence
- Overview
- Amman is the entrepreneurial and technology hub of the MENA region, known as 'Silicon Wadi'.
- Job Creation
- 98% of newly registered companies in Jordan are SMEs and startups; these generate over 50% of private-sector GDP and create 60% of new jobs.
- Global Ranking
- Ranked 10th best destination globally to start an IT company; ranked 76th most popular location worldwide to establish a startup
- Regional Ranking
- Ranked 3rd regionally (MENA) in ICT sector; 66th–69th globally in startup ecosystem ranking (2024–2025)
- Tech Company Count
- Over 600 technology companies, approximately 300 of which are startups
- International Presence
- Growing digital nomad community, though overall community remains small relative to other Middle Eastern tech hubs. Amman is not considered a primary remote work hub; most foreign visitors are either on one-week vacations or six-month Arabic programs rather than long-term remote workers.
- Arabic Content Creation
- Amman accounts for approximately 75% of all Arabic internet content creation globally
- Startup Support Ecosystem
- Major accelerators and incubators include Oasis 500 (169 portfolio companies, $200M+ combined value), iPARK (300+ supported startups), Flat6Labs, AHLI FINTECH, Shamal Start/FabLab Irbid, and AB Accelerator. Non-Jordanians comprise 20% of entrepreneurs at Oasis 500.
Key Sectors
- Fintech (e.g., Bayanat, AHLI FINTECH, Unifonic)
- EdTech (e.g., Jo Academy, Abwaab)
- Healthtech (e.g., Altibbi)
- Digital publishing (e.g., Abjjad)
- Mobile gaming (e.g., Tamatem)
- E-commerce (e.g., MakanE)
- Cybersecurity (e.g., HimayaTech)
- 3D/VR technology (e.g., Simlab Soft)
- IoT/Smart cities (e.g., Nestrom)
- Accessibility tech (e.g., Qalam)
Official Registered Population
- Figure Metro Area 2024
- 4900000
- Figure Metro Area 2026 Estimate
- 5000000
- Note
- Figures vary across sources (2.25–5 million metro depending on boundary definition); higher figures reflect expanded metropolitan boundaries including outlying municipalities.
Foreign And Long Term Resident Population
- Basis
- Jordan-wide estimate from Visual Capitalist/Khaberni (2023); Amman-specific figure from Expat Focus and Expatriate community sources (2024–2026). Note: official registration significantly undercounts unregistered long-stayers, tourist-visa residents, and digital nomads who do not hold formal work permits or residency visas.
- Estimate Amman City
- over 50,000 estimated foreign residents (expats, digital nomads, long-stayers not in official registration)
- Estimate Jordan Wide Non Citizens
- approximately 3.9 million non-Jordanian nationals (34% of Jordan's 11.6 million total), including registered refugees, migrant workers, and long-term residents
- Note
- Amman concentrates most of the country's skilled jobs, international schools, embassies, and expatriate community. No formal digital nomad visa exists in Jordan; remote work remains a gray-area tolerated but unregulated activity.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Amman
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.