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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.ps; note - same as West Bank

Internet users [time series]

356,000 (includes West Bank) (2008) country comparison to the world: 117

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services international: country code - 970 (2004)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

348,000 (includes West Bank) (2008) country comparison to the world: 110

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1.153 million (includes West Bank) (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (2008)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

olives, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers, beef, dairy products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.149 billion expenditures: $2.31 billion note: includes West Bank (2006)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

7.19% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 110 7.73% (31 December 2006)

Debt - external [time series]

$1.3 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

High population density, limited land access, and strict internal and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA) - even more degraded than in the West Bank. The beginning of the second intifada in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered some medium-term opportunities for economic growth, but Israeli-imposed crossings closures, which became more restrictive after HAMAS violently took over the territory in June 2007, have resulted in widespread private sector layoffs and shortages of most goods. The status of the crossings, which are closed to all but the most basic goods, has not changed following Israel's military offensive into the Gaza Strip in early 2009.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

230,000 kWh (2005) country comparison to the world: 213

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)

Electricity - production [time series]

140,000 kWh (2005) country comparison to the world: 212

Exchange rates [time series]

new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)

Exports [time series]

$339 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 171

Exports - commodities [time series]

citrus, flowers, textiles

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$6.641 billion (2008 est.) (2008 est.)

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

$11.95 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $5.034 billion (2006 est.) $5.327 billion (2005 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 8% industry: 13% services: 79% (includes West Bank) (2007 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$2,900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $1,100 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184 -8% (2006 est.) 4.9% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$2.84 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 142 $2.44 billion (2005)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, consumer goods, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005) country comparison to the world: 95

Industries [time series]

textiles, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

11.5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 165 3.6% (2006) note: includes West Bank

Labor force [time series]

267,000 (2006) country comparison to the world: 161

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 12% industry: 5% services: 83% (June 2008)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

NA bbl

Population below poverty line [time series]

80% (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$1.367 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $368.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$NA (31 December 2008) $1.574 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$5.251 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 68 $1.206 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

41.3% (June 2008) country comparison to the world: 189 34.8% (2006)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 360 sq km country comparison to the world: 205 land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Coastline [time series]

40 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Geographic coordinates [time series]

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Geography - note [time series]

strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history

Irrigated land [time series]

155 sq km; (note - includes West Bank) (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 29% permanent crops: 21% other: 50% (2002)

Location [time series]

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Natural hazards [time series]

droughts

Natural resources [time series]

arable land, natural gas

Terrain [time series]

flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Government

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Introduction

Background [time series]

The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of Presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement. Late November 2007 through June 2008 witnessed a substantial increase in Israeli-Palestinian violence. An Egyptian-brokered truce in June 2008 between Israel and HAMAS brought about a five-month pause in hostilities, but spiraling end-of-year violence culminated with massive Israeli air assaults on HAMAS installations in late December followed by Israeli ground attacks in early January 2009. Israel in mid January unilaterally stopped the attacks and HAMAS responded by suspending rocket and mortar fire. The fighting resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,100 to 1,400 Palestinians and left tens of thousands of people homeless. International donors pledged $4.5 billion in aid to rebuild the Gaza Strip, but by mid-May 2009 only a small fraction of the aid had been delivered.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 337,670 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 312,003 females age 16-49: 297,380 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 19,147 female: 18,200 (2009 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Palestinian Authority security forces have operated only in the West Bank, not in the Gaza Strip, since Hamas seized power in June 2007; law and order and other security functions are performed by Hamas security organizations (2008)

Military expenditures [time series]

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 44.4% (male 353,489/female 334,770) 15-64 years: 53% (male 420,618/female 402,297) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 16,483/female 24,202) (2009 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

36.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Death rate [time series]

3.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

Ethnic groups [time series]

Palestinian Arab

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 114 male: 19.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages [time series]

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.42 years country comparison to the world: 107 male: 71.82 years female: 75.12 years (2009 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 17.4 years male: 17.2 years female: 17.5 years (2009 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: NA adjective: NA

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Population [time series]

1,551,859 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Population growth rate [time series]

3.349% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Religions [time series]

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.03 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 72% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 1.017 million (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 230

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports [time series]

1 (2009)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Gaza

Roadways [time series]

note: see entry for West Bank