Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA; note - 82% of Palestinian households have radios (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

NA telephones; note - 8% of Palestinian households have telephones (1992 est.) local: NA intercity: NA international: NA note: Israeli company BEZEK is responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 0; note - 1 planned for Jericho televisions: NA; note - 54% of Palestinian households have televisions (1992 est.)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

NA

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP WESTERN SAHARA

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $43.4 million expenditures: $43.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY89/90)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot; 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

Economic aid [time series]

$NA

Electricity [time series]

capacity: NA kW production: NA kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh note: most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nabulus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants

Exchange rates [time series]

new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 3.0270 (December 1994), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591 (1992), 2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990); Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.6995 (January 1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993), 0.6797 (1992), 0.6808 (1991), 0.6636 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$217 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: olives, fruit, vegetables partners: Jordan, Israel

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Imports [time series]

$867 million (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials partners: Jordan, Israel

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 the settlements and industrial centers

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6.8% (1993)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $4 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,800 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Economic progress in the West Bank has been hampered by Israeli military administration and the effects of the Palestinian uprising (intifadah). Industries using advanced technology or requiring sizable investment have been discouraged by a lack of local capital and restrictive Israeli policies. Capital investment consists largely of residential housing, not productive assets that would enable local Palestinian firms to compete with Israeli industry. GDP has been substantially supplemented by remittances of workers employed in Israel and Persian Gulf states. Such transfers from the Gulf dropped after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. In the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis, many Palestinians have returned to the West Bank, increasing unemployment, and export revenues have dropped because of the decline of markets in Jordan and the Gulf states. Israeli measures to curtail the intifadah also have added to unemployment and lowered living standards. The area's economic situation has worsened since Israel's partial closure of the territories in 1993.

Unemployment rate [time series]

35% (1994 est.)

Area [time series]

total area: 5,860 sq km land area: 5,640 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Climate [time series]

temperate, temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with interim status subject to Israeli/Palestinian negotiations - final status to be determined

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

total 404 km, Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 32% forest and woodland: 1% other: 40%

Location [time series]

Middle East, west of Jordan

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

negligible

Note [time series]

landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 199 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank and 25 in East Jerusalem (August 1994 est.)

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east

Digraph [time series]

WE

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank

Note [time series]

Under the Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arragements ("the DOP"), Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, and subsequently to an elected Palestinian Council, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho has taken place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area. A transfer of powers and responsibilities in certain spheres for the rest of the West Bank has taken place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 29 August 1994 Agreement on Preparatory Transfer of Powers and Responsibilities. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israelis. Final status is to be determined through direct negotiations within five years.

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 46% (female 293,269; male 308,775) 15-64 years: 51% (female 335,193; male 337,722) 65 years and over: 3% (female 25,759; male 19,273) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

39.83 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.84 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

29.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: construction 28.2%, agriculture 21.8%, industry 14.5%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 12.6%, other services 22.9% (1991) note: excluding Jewish settlers

Languages [time series]

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers), English (widely understood)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.42 years male: 69.91 years female: 73 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: NA adjective: NA

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

1,319,991 (July 1995 est.) note: in addition, there are 122,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank and 149,000 in East Jerusalem (August 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.5% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.34 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA note: small road network; Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements

Ports [time series]

none

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km