Gaza Strip

Broadcast media

1 TV station and about 10 radio stations (2008)

Internet country code

.ps; note - same as West Bank

Internet users

1.379 million (includes West Bank) (2009) country comparison to the world: 88

Telephone system

general assessment: Gaza continues to repair the damage to its telecommunications infrastructure caused by fighting in 2009 domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWWAL company provides cellular services international: country code - 970 (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

337,000 (includes West Bank) (2010) country comparison to the world: 112

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.405 million (includes West Bank) (2010) country comparison to the world: 131

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

see entry for West Bank

Commercial bank prime lending rate

see entry for West Bank

Current account balance

-$690.7 million (2010 est.)

Debt - external

see entry for West Bank

Economy - overview

Israeli security controls imposed since the end of the second intifada have degraded economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, the smaller of the two areas comprising the Palestinian territories. Israeli-imposed border closures, which became more restrictive after HAMAS seized control of the territory in June 2007, have resulted in high unemployment, elevated poverty rates, and sharp contraction of the private sector that had relied primarily on export markets. The population is reliant on government spending - by both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and HAMAS's de facto government - and humanitarian assistance. Changes to Israeli restrictions on imports in 2010 resulted in a rebound in some economic activity, but regular exports from Gaza still are not permitted. Recent indicators of strong growth belie the economic reality that standard-of-living measures remain below levels seen in the mid-1990s.

Exchange rates

new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.903 (2012 est.) 3.5781 (2011 est.) 3.739 (2010 est.) 3.9323 (2009) 3.56 (2008)

Exports

see entry for West Bank

Exports - commodities

strawberries, carnations, vegetables; small and irregular shipments, as permitted to transit the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

see entry for West Bank

GDP - composition by sector

see entry for West Bank

GDP - per capita (PPP)

see entry for West Bank

GDP - real growth rate

see entry for West Bank

Imports

see entry for West Bank

Imports - commodities

food, consumer goods note: Israel permits basic commercial imports through the Kerem Shalom crossing, but many "dual use" goods, such as construction materials and electronics, are smuggled through tunnels beneath Gaza's border with Egypt

Industrial production growth rate

see entry for West Bank

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.5% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 2.9% (2011 est.) note: includes West Bank

Labor force

348,200 (2010) country comparison to the world: 161

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 5.1% industry: 15.6% services: 79.3% (2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

38% (2010 est.)

Stock of broad money

$6.674 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $6.674 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$914.9 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 $851.1 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Unemployment rate

40% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 40% (2009 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - consumption

202,000 kWh (2009) country comparison to the world: 217

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - imports

193,000 kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Electricity - production

51,000 kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 218

Area

total: 360 sq km country comparison to the world: 206 land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Coastline

40 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

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

Geographic coordinates

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Geography - note

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

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

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

see entry for Israel note: effective 3 January 2009 the Gaza maritime area is closed to all maritime traffic and is under blockade imposed by Israeli Navy until further notice

Natural hazards

droughts

Natural resources

arable land, natural gas

Terrain

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

Country name

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

Background

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 many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000. 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. 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 of 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 still controls maritime, airspace, and other access to the Gaza Strip; Israel also enforces a restricted zone along the border inside Gaza. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). 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, leading to the imposition of economic sanctions on the Palestinian government for its refusal to renounce violence, recognize Israel, and adhere to the previous agreements. Violent clashes between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007 resulted in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. In February 2007, ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau chief Khalid MISHAL 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 2007, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS that same month dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. Late November 2007 through June 2008 witnessed a substantial increase in violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in the HAMAS-controlled Gaza Strip. 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 led to an Israeli air campaign and ground invasion into the Gaza Strip from December 2008 to January 2009 that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,100 to 1,400 Palestinians and left tens of thousands homeless. Fatah and HAMAS in May 2011, under the auspices of Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation negotiations, agreed to reunify the Palestinian territories, but the factions have struggled to implement details on governing and security structures despite the signing of subsequent agreements in February and May 2012. In November 2012, an Israeli airstrike killed a top commander in HAMAS's military wing, initiating an eight-day Israeli aerial campaign in Gaza. Israel cited increased rocket attacks from Palestinian militants into Israel as the reason for initiating the campaign. Egypt brokered a cease-fire between Israel and HAMAS on 21 November 2012. The status quo remains with HAMAS in control of the Gaza Strip and ABBAS and the Fatah-dominated PA governing the West Bank.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 385,961 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 335,820 females age 16-49: 319,847 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 18,805 female: 17,903 (2010 est.)

Military branches

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

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.8% (male 384,494/ female 363,818) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 469,528/ female 448,182) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 17,939/ female 26,296) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

34.3 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Death rate

3.22 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Palestinian Arab

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 16.55 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 104 male: 17.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.16 years country comparison to the world: 110 male: 72.48 years female: 75.95 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

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

Maternal mortality rate

64 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 95

Median age

total: 17.9 years male: 17.7 years female: 18.1 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: NA adjective: NA

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Population

1,710,257 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Population growth rate

3.108% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Religions

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

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

Sex ratio

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 (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.57 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Urbanization

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

Disputes - international

the current status of Gaza Strip is subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement with permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from Gaza Strip in August 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 1.167 million (Palestinian refugees (UNRWA)) (2012) IDPs: 160,000 (persons displaced within the Palestinian Territories since 1967; largely from Israeli military operations in 2008-9) (2011)

Airports

1 (2012) country comparison to the world: 230

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2012)

Heliports

1 (2012)

Ports and terminals

Gaza

Roadways

note: see entry for West Bank