West Bank

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 371,299 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2017 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip

Broadcast media

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

.psnote - same as Gaza Strip

Internet users

total: 2.673 million (includes Gaza Strip) percent of population: 57.4% (July 2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems

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

total subscriptions: 472,293 (includes Gaza Strip) (2017 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (includes Gaza Strip) (2016 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 4,135,363 (includes Gaza Strip) (2017 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 76 (includes Gaza Strip) (2017 est.)

Agricultural products

tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds

Budget

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 (-)

0.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.444 billion (2017 est.) -$1.348 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$1.662 billion (31 March 2016 est.) $1.467 billion (31 March 2015 est.) note: data include the Gaza Strip

Economic overview

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

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

$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

stone, olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.828 billion (2014 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip

GDP - composition, by end use

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

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

33.7 (2016 est.) 38.7 (2007 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 28.2% (2009 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip

Imports

$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

food, consumer goods, construction materials, petroleum, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate

2.2% (2017 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip

Industries

small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.2% (2017 est.) -0.2% (2016 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip

Labor force

1.24 million (2017 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 11.5% industry: 34.4% services: 54.1% (2013 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip

Population below poverty line

18% (2011 est.)

Public debt

24.4% of GDP (2014 est.) 23.8% of GDP (2013 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$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

5.3% (2014 est.) 1% (2013 est.) 6% (2012 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip

Real GDP per capita

$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

$0 (31 December 2017 est.) $583 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

13.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

27.9% (2017 est.) 27% (2016 est.) note: excludes Gaza Strip

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 42.1% male: 36.6% female: 70% (2020 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018)

Electricity - consumption

6.489 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

78% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

22% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

5.473 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

170,000 kW (2016 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip

Electricity - production

1.093 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2020) note: data for West Bank and Gaza Strip combined

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

24,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

19 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

22,740 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions: 3.23 megatons (2016 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

adequacy of freshwater supply; sewage treatment

Land use

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)

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

forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

837 million cubic meters (2017 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Total water withdrawal

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

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

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.

Area

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

slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point: Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m

Geographic coordinates

32 00 N, 35 15 E

Geography - note

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

240 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 478 km border countries (2): Israel 330 km, Jordan 148 km

Land use

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

Middle East, west of Jordan, east of Israel

Major lakes (area sq km)

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

Middle East

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

droughts

Natural resources

arable land

Population distribution

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

mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the east

Country name

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

Background

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 forces

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

the Palestinian Authority Security Forces have approximately 30,000 active personnel (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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

not available

Military service age and obligation

not available

Age structure

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

24.8 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.1% (2019/20) note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Contraceptive prevalence rate

57.3% (2019/20) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

3.43 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

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

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 expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2018) note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Ethnic groups

Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Infant mortality rate

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

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

total population: 76.12 years male: 74.02 years female: 78.36 years (2021 est.)

Literacy

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

27 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Median age

total: 21.9 years male: 21.7 years female: 22.2 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

noun: NA adjective: NA

Net migration rate

-4.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Physicians density

1.45 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

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

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

1.72% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim 80-85% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

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)

total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 14 years (2020) note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Sex ratio

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

3.02 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 42.1% male: 36.6% female: 70% (2020 est.) note: includes Gaza Strip

Urbanization

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

Terrorist group(s)

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

Disputes - international

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

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

Airports

total: 2 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Roadways

total: 4,686 km (2010) paved: 4,686 km (2010) note: includes Gaza Strip