Airports [time series]

1 with permanent-surface runway less than 1,220 m

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

small, poorly developed indigenous road network

Ports [time series]

facilities for small boats to service Gaza

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

one line, abandoned and in disrepair, but trackage remains

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

stations--no AM, no FM, no TV

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

NA

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 136,311; NA fit for military service

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef, dairy products

Budget [time series]

revenues $36.6 million; expenditures $32.0 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1986)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

new Israeli shekel (plural--shekels); 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot

Economic aid [time series]

none

Electricity [time series]

power supplied by Israel

Exchange rates [time series]

new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1--2.0120 (January 1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987), 1.4878 (1986), 1.1788 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$88 million; commodities--citrus; partners--Israel, Egypt (1989 est.)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-March 31

GNP [time series]

$270 million, per capita $430; real growth rate - 25% (1990 est.)

Imports [time series]

$260 million; commodities--food, consumer goods, construction materials; partners--Israel, Egypt (1989 est.)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

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 an industrial center

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Nearly half the labor force of the Gaza Strip is employed across the border by Israeli industrial, construction, and agricultural enterprises, with worker transfer funds accounting for 46% of GNP in 1990. The once dominant agricultural sector now contributes only 13% to GNP, about the same as that of the construction sector, and industry accounts for 7%. Gaza depends upon Israel for 90% of its imports and as a market for 80% of its exports. Unrest in the territory in 1988-91 (intifadah) has raised unemployment and substantially lowered the incomes of the population. Furthermore, the Persian Gulf crisis dealt a severe blow to the Gaza Strip in 1990 and on into 1991. Worker remittances from the Gulf states have plunged, unemployment has increased, and export revenues have fallen dramatically. The risk of malnutrition is a real possibility in 1991.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Climate [time series]

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Coastline [time series]

40 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

Israeli occupied with status to be determined

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

desertification

Land boundaries [time series]

62 km total; Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 13%, permanent crops 32%, meadows and pastures 0%, forest and woodland 0%, other 55%

Maritime claims [time series]

Israeli occupied with status to be determined

Natural resources [time series]

negligible

Note [time series]

there are 18 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip

Terrain [time series]

flat to rolling, sand and dune covered coastal plain

Area (Total area) [time series]

380km2; land area: 380 km2

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

none

Note [time series]

The Gaza Strip is currently governed by Israeli military authorities and Israeli civil administration. It is US policy that the final status of the Gaza Strip will be determined by negotiations among the concerned parties. These negotiations will determine how this area is to be governed.

Birth rate [time series]

43 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Palestinian Arab and other 99.8%, Jewish 0.2%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

41 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

(excluding Israeli Jewish settlers) small industry, commerce and business 32.0%, construction 24.4%, service and other 25.5%, and agriculture 18.1% (1984)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Arabic, Israeli settlers speak Hebrew, English widely understood

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

65 years male, 67 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

Nationality [time series]

NA

Net migration rate [time series]

- 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

NA

Population [time series]

642,253 (July 1991), growth rate 3.2% (1991); in addition, there are 2,500 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip (1990 est.)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.3%

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.9 children born/woman (1991)