From: Rich Gauszka 

refugee Iraqis now one tenth of Jordan's population?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/03/06/iraq.refugees/index.html?eref=rss_top
stories

The United Nations estimates 700,000 Iraqis have fled to Jordan -- more
than one-tenth the entire kingdom's population. As many as 1 million more
Iraqis are estimated to have sought refuge in Syria, about 120,000 are in
Egypt and 40,000 in Lebanon, according to the United Nations. (Watch Iraqis
tell their stories )

Inside Iraq, another 1 million to 2 million people have been forced out of
their homes as a result of the violence, according to the United Nations.
About 26 million people live in Iraq.

nside Iraq, another 1 million to 2 million people have been forced out of
their homes as a result of the violence, according to the United Nations.
About 26 million people live in Iraq.

"It's been a simmering crisis for quite a while, and it's just coming
to everybody's realization," said Robert Breen, the representative in
Amman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Further compounding the situation, Jordan and Syria recently tightened
their border crossings, making it more difficult for Iraqis to escape,
leaving long lines of people at the border hoping to get out. Other
neighboring nations, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and Iran, have been even
more strict about letting Iraqis in. (See where Iraqis are fleeing)

'Strain' on economy

To enter Jordan, Iraqi refugees have to be more than 40 years old or
younger than 20, have enough money to support themselves inside the kingdom
and have a new passport -- passports that Iraqis say are difficult to come
by, according to the United Nations.

Many of those fleeing are doctors, lawyers and engineers, all top flight
professionals looking for work or for visas to move on to other countries.

"It does stretch the country. It is a strain on our natural
resources," said Nasser Judeh, a Jordanian government spokesman.
"Our economy is already strained. We have problems with
unemployment."

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