Palestine Statistics

Official Name:

Gaza Strip & the West Bank

Unofficial Name:

Palestine

Location:

Gaza Strip - Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
West Bank - Middle East, west of Jordan

Capital:

Administrative capital - Ramalla
Spiritual capital - Eastern Jerusalem

Population

Total - 4,253,249
Gaza Strip - 1,428,757 (July 2006 est.)
West Bank - 2,460,492 note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)

Life Expectancy

Total population: 72.62 years

Male: 71.85 years

Female: 74.25 years (2006 est.)

Language

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

Religion

Gaza Strip - Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%
West Bank - Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Economy

Gaza Strip - 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 intifadah 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, which have not yet been realized due to Israeli military activities in the Gaza Strip in 2006, continued crossings closures, and the international community’s financial embargo of the PA after HAMAS took office in March 2006

The West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in economic conditions since the second intifadah began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government’s financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank and externally - stymied growth. Israel’s and the international community’s financial embargo of the PA since HAMAS took office in March 2006 has interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of PA salaries

Currency

new Israeli shekel (ILS)

GDP per Capita

$1,500 (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

45.7% including Gaza Strip (2005)

Agricultural Products

olives, citrus, vegetables, beef, dairy products

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

Exports

citrus,fruit, flowers, limestone, olives, textiles, vegetables

Imports

food, consumer goods, construction materials,

International Dialling Code

+970

Internet suffix

.ps

Facts and figures supplied by the CIA World Factbook:

CIA world factbook for Gaza Strip
CIA world factbook for West Bank

Last updated on the 17/05/2007

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