ARCHIVE // PS // 2021

West Bank

2021 Edition — disputed

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2021 CSV Excel Print All Years
Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 371,299 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2017 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Broadcast media [time series]
the Palestinian Authority operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; about 20 private TV and 40 radio stations; both Jordanian TV and satellite TV are accessible
Internet country code [time series]
.psnote - same as Gaza Strip
Internet users [time series]
total: 2.673 million (includes Gaza Strip) percent of population: 57.4% (July 2016 est.)
Telecommunication systems [time series]
general assessment: continuing political and economic instability has impeded liberalization of the telecommunications industry (2018) domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed-line services; two Palestinian cellular providers, JAWWAL and WATANIYA MOBILE, launched 3G mobile networks in the West Bank in January 2018 after Israel lifted its ban; fixed-line 9 per 100 and mobile-cellular 76 per 100 (includes Gaza Strip) (2019) international: country code 970 or 972; 1 international switch in Ramallah note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 472,293 (includes Gaza Strip) (2017 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (includes Gaza Strip) (2016 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 4,135,363 (includes Gaza Strip) (2017 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 76 (includes Gaza Strip) (2017 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products [time series]
tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds
Budget [time series]
revenues: 1.314 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 1.278 billion (2017 est.) note: includes Palestinian Authority expenditures in the Gaza Strip
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
0.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Current account balance [time series]
-$1.444 billion (2017 est.) -$1.348 billion (2016 est.)
Debt - external [time series]
$1.662 billion (31 March 2016 est.) $1.467 billion (31 March 2015 est.) note: data include the Gaza Strip
Economic overview [time series]
In 2017, the economic outlook in the West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Territories – remained fragile, as security concerns and political friction slowed economic growth. Unemployment in the West Bank remained high at 19.0% in the third quarter of 2017, only slightly better than 19.6% at the same point the previous year, while the labor force participation rate remained flat, year-on-year. Longstanding Israeli restrictions on imports, exports, and movement of goods and people continue to disrupt labor and trade flows and the territory’s industrial capacity, and constrain private sector development. The PA’s budget benefited from an effort to improve tax collection, coupled with lower spending in 2017, but the PA for the foreseeable future will continue to rely heavily on donor aid for its budgetary needs and infrastructure development.
Exchange rates [time series]
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.606 (2017 est.) 3.841 (2016 est.) 3.841 (2015 est.) 3.8869 (2014 est.) 3.5779 (2013 est.)
Exports [time series]
$2.65 billion note: data are in current year dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2019 est.) $2.6 billion note: data are in current year dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2018 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
Exports - commodities [time series]
stone, olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$9.828 billion (2014 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 91.3% (2017 est.) government consumption: 26.7% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 20% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -61% (2017 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 2.9% (2017 est.) industry: 19.5% (2017 est.) services: 77.6% (2017 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income [time series]
33.7 (2016 est.) 38.7 (2007 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 28.2% (2009 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Imports [time series]
$9.15 billion note: data are in current year dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2019 est.) $9.02 billion note: data are in current year dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2018 est.) note: data include the Gaza Strip
Imports - commodities [time series]
food, consumer goods, construction materials, petroleum, chemicals
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
2.2% (2017 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Industries [time series]
small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
0.2% (2017 est.) -0.2% (2016 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
Labor force [time series]
1.24 million (2017 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 11.5% industry: 34.4% services: 54.1% (2013 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
Population below poverty line [time series]
18% (2011 est.)
Public debt [time series]
24.4% of GDP (2014 est.) 23.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) [time series]
$25.91 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2020 est.) $29.26 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2019 est.) $28.87 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2018 est.)
Real GDP growth rate [time series]
5.3% (2014 est.) 1% (2013 est.) 6% (2012 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
Real GDP per capita [time series]
$5,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2020 est.) $6,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2019 est.) $6,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars and includes Gaza Strip (2018 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$0 (31 December 2017 est.) $583 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
13.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
27.9% (2017 est.) 27% (2016 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 42.1% male: 36.6% female: 70% (2020 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Energy
Crude oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2018)
Electricity - consumption [time series]
6.489 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2016)
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
78% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
5.473 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
170,000 kW (2016 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Electricity - production [time series]
1.093 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2020) note: data for West Bank and Gaza Strip combined
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
24,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
19 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
22,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants [time series]
carbon dioxide emissions: 3.23 megatons (2016 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Climate [time series]
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Environment - current issues [time series]
adequacy of freshwater supply; sewage treatment
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 43.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 11% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 24.9% (2018 est.) forest: 1.5% (2018 est.) other: 55.2% (2018 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
Salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 sq km note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level
Revenue from forest resources [time series]
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources [time series]
837 million cubic meters (2017 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Total water withdrawal [time series]
municipal: 181.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 32 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 162 million cubic meters (2017 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 77% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Waste and recycling [time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2016 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 6,935 tons (2013 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 0.5% (2013 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 5,860 sq km land: 5,640 sq km water: 220 sq km 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
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than Delaware
Climate [time series]
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Coastline [time series]
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation [time series]
highest point: Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m
Geographic coordinates [time series]
32 00 N, 35 15 E
Geography - note [time series]
landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are about 380 Israeli civilian sites, including about 213 settlements and 132 small outpost communities in the West Bank and 35 sites in East Jerusalem (2017)
Irrigated land [time series]
240 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 478 km border countries (2): Israel 330 km, Jordan 148 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 43.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 11% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 24.9% (2018 est.) forest: 1.5% (2018 est.) other: 55.2% (2018 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Location [time series]
Middle East, west of Jordan, east of Israel
Major lakes (area sq km) [time series]
Salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 sq km note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level
Map references [time series]
Middle East
Maritime claims [time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards [time series]
droughts
Natural resources [time series]
arable land
Population distribution [time series]
Palestinian settlements are primarily located in the central to western half of the territory; Jewish settlements are found in pockets throughout, particularly in the northeast, north-central, and around Jerusalem
Terrain [time series]
mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the east
Government
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank etymology: name refers to the location of the region - occupied and administered by Jordan after 1948 - that fell on the far side (west bank) of the Jordan River in relation to Jordan proper; the designation was retained following the 1967 Six-Day War and the subsequent changes in government
Introduction
Background [time series]
Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the West Bank has been dominated by many different peoples throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The West Bank fell to British forces during World War I, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the West Bank was captured by Transjordan (later renamed Jordan), which annexed the West Bank in 1950; it was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank as well as the Gaza Strip. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began, and in 2001 negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start direct negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the area. Roughly 60% of the West Bank, remains under Israeli civil and military control. In early 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) election. Attempts to form a unity government between Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed, leading to violent clashed between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent siezure of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in June 2007. Since 2007, the PA has administered parts of the West Bank under its control, mainly the major Palestinian population centers and areas immediately surrounding them. Fatah and HAMAS have made several attempts at reconciliation, but the factions have been unable to implement agreements including the latest agreement signed in October 2017. In December 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court dissolved the PLC. In 2019, PA President ABBAS renewed his calls for PLC elections.
Military and Security
Military and security forces [time series]
per the Oslo Accords, the PA is not permitted a conventional military but maintains security and police forces; PA security personnel have operated almost exclusively in the West Bank since HAMAS seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007; PA forces include National Security Forces, Presidential Guard, Civil Police, Civil Defense, Preventive Security Organization, the General Intelligence Organization, and the Military Intelligence Organization (2021) note(s) - the National Security Forces conduct gendarmerie-style security operations in circumstances that exceed the capabilities of the civil police; it is the largest branch of the Palestinian Authority security service and acts as the Palestinian army; the Presidential Guard protects facilities and provides dignitary protection; the Preventive Security Organization is responsible for internal intelligence gathering and investigations related to internal security cases, including political dissent
Military and security service personnel strengths [time series]
the Palestinian Authority Security Forces have approximately 30,000 active personnel (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions [time series]
the security services are armed mostly with small arms and light weapons, although since 2007, they have received limited amounts of heavier equipment from Jordan (armored personnel carriers) and Russia (armored personnel carriers and transport helicopters) (2021)
Military expenditures [time series]
not available
Military service age and obligation [time series]
not available
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 35.31% (male 525,645/female 498,458) 15-24 years: 20.75% (male 307,420/female 294,469) 25-54 years: 35.19% (male 516,758/female 503,626) 55-64 years: 5.12% (male 76,615/female 72,006) 65 years and over: 3.62% (male 48,387/female 56,650) (2020 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
24.8 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
2.1% (2019/20) note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
57.3% (2019/20) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Current health expenditure (Current Health Expenditure) [time series]
NA
Death rate [time series]
3.43 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 71.2 youth dependency ratio: 65.7 elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 potential support ratio: 18.2 (2020 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: 97.1% of population rural: 97.1% of population total: 96.8% of population unimproved: urban: 2.9% of population rural: 2.9% of population total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
5.3% of GDP (2018) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Ethnic groups [time series]
Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 15.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Languages [time series]
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 76.12 years male: 74.02 years female: 78.36 years (2021 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.5% male: 98.8% female: 96.2% (2020) note: estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank
Maternal mortality ratio [time series]
27 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Median age [time series]
total: 21.9 years male: 21.7 years female: 22.2 years (2020 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: NA adjective: NA
Net migration rate [time series]
-4.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
1.45 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Population [time series]
2,949,246 (July 2021 est.) note: approximately 432,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank (2019); approximately 227,100 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2019)
Population distribution [time series]
Palestinian settlements are primarily located in the central to western half of the territory; Jewish settlements are found in pockets throughout, particularly in the northeast, north-central, and around Jerusalem
Population growth rate [time series]
1.72% (2021 est.)
Religions [time series]
Muslim 80-85% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 99.3% of population total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0.7% of population total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.) note: note includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 14 years (2020) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.02 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 42.1% male: 36.6% female: 70% (2020 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 77% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s) [time series]
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Kahane Chai; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
the current status of the West Bank is subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from Gaza and four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 871,537 (Palestinian refugees) (2020) IDPs: 131,000 (includes persons displaced within the Gaza strip due to the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since June 2014 and other Palestinian IDPs in the Gaza Strip and West Bank who fled as long ago as 1967, although confirmed cumulative data do not go back beyond 2006) (2020) data represent Gaza Strip and West Bank
Transportation
Airports [time series]
total: 2 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2013)
Heliports [time series]
1 (2013)
Roadways [time series]
total: 4,686 km (2010) paved: 4,686 km (2010) note: includes Gaza Strip