Ethnic divisions: 88% Palestinian Arab and other, 12% Jewish
Religion: 80% Muslim (predominantly Sunni), 12% Jewish, 8% Christian and other
Language: Arabic, Israeli settlers speak Hebrew, English widely understood
Literacy: NA%
Labor force: NA; excluding Israeli Jewish settlers—29.8% small industry, commerce, and business, 24.2% construction, 22.4% agriculture, 23.6% service and other (1984)
Organized labor: NA
- Government
Long-form name: none
Note: The West Bank is currently governed by Israeli military authorities
and Israeli civil administration. It is US policy that the final status of the
West Bank will be determined by negotiations among the concerned parties.
These negotiations will determine how the area is to be governed.
- Economy Overview: Economic progress in the West Bank has been hampered by Israeli military occupation and the effects of the Palestinian uprising. Industries using advanced technology or requiring sizable financial resources have been discouraged by a lack of financial resources and Israeli policy. Capital investment has largely gone into residential housing, not into productive assets that could compete with Israeli industry. A major share of GNP is derived from remittances of workers employed in Israel and neighboring Gulf states. Israeli reprisals against Palestinian unrest in the West Bank since 1987 have pushed unemployment up and lowered living standards.
GNP: $1.0 billion, per capita $1,000; real growth rate - 15% (1988 est.)