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AMMAN — The World Bank has reclassified Jordan as an upper-middle-income economy in its Fiscal Year 2027 income classifications, effective from 1 July 2026, following a revision of the Kingdom's national accounts that lifted its Gross National Income (GNI) per capita above the required threshold.
Jordan's GNI per capita, calculated using the World Bank's Atlas method, rose to US$5,260, exceeding the upper-middle-income threshold of US$4,636 by US$624. The figure marks an increase from US$4,430 in the previous classification.
According to the World Bank, the upgrade follows a rebasing exercise carried out by Jordan's Department of Statistics, which broadened the coverage of the national accounts through updated surveys, new data sources and improved statistical methods. The revision also incorporated economic activities that had not previously been captured in the official data.
The World Bank said that the statistical revisions, together with economic growth of 2.8 per cent in 2025, enabled Jordan to move into the upper-middle-income category.
For Fiscal Year 2027, the World Bank defines upper-middle-income economies as those with a GNI per capita of between US$4,636 and US$14,375, based on 2025 income data calculated using the Atlas methodology.
The bank emphasised that GNI per capita should not be interpreted as the average income earned by individuals. Rather, it is a statistical indicator used for analytical and classification purposes, based on GNI per capita calculated under the Atlas methodology.
Jordan is one of only five economies worldwide to move up an income category in this year's update, alongside the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Micronesia.
The World Bank updates its income classifications annually on 1 July through its Development Data Group, using GNI per capita estimates from the previous calendar year. The latest edition covers 218 economies, classifying them into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle and high income. The classifications remain in effect until the end of June 2027.
The income classifications are widely used by governments, researchers and international organisations to monitor economic development, compare economic performance across countries and determine eligibility for certain forms of concessional finance and development assistance.
GNI per capita is measured in US dollars using the Atlas methodology, which smooths the effects of short-term exchange rate fluctuations. The income thresholds are adjusted annually to reflect inflation, while economic and population growth, revisions to national accounts and improvements in statistical data can also affect a country's classification.
