West Bank and Gaza Strip

President: Mahmoud Abbas (2005)

Prime Minister: Ismail Haniya (2006)

Land area: West Bank: 2,178 sq mi (5,641 sq km); total area: West Bank: 2,263 sq mi (5,860 sq km); Gaza Strip: 139 sq mi (360 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): West Bank: 2,460,492, Gaza Strip: 1,428,757 (growth rate: West Bank: 3.1%, Gaza Strip: 3.7%); birth rate: West Bank: 31.7/1000, Gaza Strip: 39.5/1000; infant mortality rate: West Bank: 19.1/1,000, Gaza Strip: 22.4/1000; life expectancy: West Bank: 73.3, Gaza Strip: 72.0; density per sq mi: West Bank: 1,130, Gaza Strip: 10,279. NOTE: figures above include approximately 8,000 Israeli settlers who evacuated the Gaza Strip in Aug. 2005.

Capital: Undetermined

Large cities (2003 est.): Gaza, 1,331,600 (metro. area), 407,600 (city proper), Hebron, 137,000; Nablus, 115,400

Monetary units: New Israeli shekels, Jordanian dinars, U.S. dollars

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew, English

Ethnicity/race: West Bank: Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%; Gaza Strip: Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions: West Bank: Islam 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%; Gaza Strip: Islam 98.7% (predominantly Sunni), Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%.

Economic summary: Gaza Strip: GDP/PPP (2003 est.): $768 million; $600 per capita. Real growth rate: 4.5%. Inflation: 3% (includes West Bank) (2004). Unemployment: 19.9% (includes West Bank) (Jan.–Sept. 2005). Arable land: 29%. Agriculture: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products. Labor force: 278,000 (April–June 2005); agriculture 11.9%, industry 18%, services 70.1% (April–June 2005). Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers. Natural resources: arable land, natural gas. Exports: $270 million f.o.b (2003, includes West Bank): citrus, flowers, textiles (Gaza Strip); olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone (West Bank). Imports: $1.9 billion (c.i.f., 2002, includes West Bank): food, consumer goods, construction materials. Major trading partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank. West Bank: GDP/PPP (2003 est.): $1.8 billion; $1,100 per capita. Real growth rate: 6.2% (2004 est.). Arable land: 16.9%. Agriculture: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products. Labor force: 614,000 (April–June 2005); agriculture 18.4%, industry 24%, services 57.6% (April–June 2005). Natural resource: arable land. Major trading partners: Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997); mobile cellular: Gaza Strip: n.a.; West Bank: n.a. Radio broadcast stations: Gaza Strip: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0; West Bank: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000). Radios: Gaza Strip: n.a.; West Bank: n.a.; note: most Palestinian households have radios (1999). Television broadcast stations: Gaza Strip: 2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997); West Bank: n.a. Televisions: Gaza Strip: n.a.; West Bank: n.a.; note: most Palestinian households have televisions (1999). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Gaza Strip: 3; West Bank: 8 (1999). Internet users: 60,000 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (2001).

Transportation: Railways: Gaza Strip: total: n.a.; note: one line, abandoned and in disrepair, little trackage remains; West Bank: 0 km. Highways: Gaza Strip: total: n.a.; paved: n.a.; unpaved: n.a.; note: small, poorly developed road network; West Bank: total: 4,500 km; paved: 2,700 km; unpaved: 1,800 km (1997 est.); note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements. Ports and harbors: Gaza Strip: Gaza; West Bank: none. Airports: Gaza Strip: 2 (2001); West Bank: 3 (2002).

International disputes: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement—permanent status to be determined through further negotiation.


 

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