Overview:
In 1990 roughly 40% of Gaza Strip workers were employed across the border by
Israeli industrial, construction, and agricultural enterprises, with worker
remittances accounting for about one-third of GNP. The construction,
agricultural, and industrial sectors account for about 15%, 12%, and 8% of
GNP, respectively. Gaza depends upon Israel for some 90% of its external
trade. Unrest in the territory in 1988-92 (intifadah) has raised
unemployment and substantially lowered the standard of living of Gazans. The
Persian Gulf crisis and its aftershocks also have dealt severe blows to Gaza
since August 1990. Worker remittances from the Gulf states have plunged,
unemployment has increased, and exports have fallen dramatically. The area's
economic outlook remains bleak.
GNP:
exchange rate conversion - $380 million, per capita $590; real growth rate -
30% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (1990 est.)
Budget:
revenues $33.8 million; expenditures $33.3 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY88)
Exports:
$30 million (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities:
citrus
partners:
Israel, Egypt
Imports:
$255 million (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials
partners:
Israel, Egypt
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate 10% (1989); accounts for about 8% of GNP
Electricity:
power supplied by Israel
Industries:
generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap, olive-wood
carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some
small-scale modern industries in an industrial center
Agriculture:
accounts for about 12% of GNP; olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables,
beef, dairy products
Economic aid:
NA
Currency:
new Israeli shekel (plural - shekels); 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new
agorot
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.2984 (January 1992), 2.2792 (1991),
2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987)
Fiscal year:
previously 1 April - 31 March; FY91 was 1 April - 3l December, and since 1
January 1992 the fiscal year has conformed to the calendar year
:Gaza Strip Communications
Railroads:
one line, abandoned and in disrepair, some trackage remains
Highways:
small, poorly developed indigenous road network
Ports:
facilities for small boats to service the city of Gaza
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runway less than 1,220 m
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - no AM, no FM, no TV
:Gaza Strip Defense Forces
Branches:
NA
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 136,311; NA fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
:Georgia Geography
Total area:
69,700 km2
Land area:
69,700 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
1,461 km; Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
Coastline:
310 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
NA nm
Continental Shelf:
NA meter depth
Exclusive economic zone:
NA nm
Exclusive fishing zone:
NA nm
Territorial sea:
NA nm, Georgian claims unknown; 12 nm in 1973 USSR-Turkish Protocol
concerning the sea boundary between the two states in the Black Sea
Disputes:
none
Climate:
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Terrain:
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser
Caucasus Mountains in the south; Colchis lowland opens to the Black Sea in
the west; Kura River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood
plains, foothills of Colchis lowland
Natural resources:
forest lands, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ores, copper, minor coal
and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and
citrus growth
Land use:
NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest
and woodland; NA% other; includes 200,000 hectares irrigated
Environment:
air pollution, particularly in Rustavi; heavy pollution of Kura River, Black
Sea
:Georgia People
Population:
5,570,978 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)
Birth rate:
17 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
9 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
34 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
67 years male, 75 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.2 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Georgian(s); adjective - Georgian
Ethnic divisions:
Georgian 68.8%, Armenian 9.0%, Russian Azari 5.1%, Ossetian 3.2%, Abkhaz
1.7%, other 4.8%
Religions:
Russian Orthodox 10%, Georgian Orthodox 65%, Armenian Orthodox 8%, Muslim
11%, unknown 6%
Languages:
Georgian (official language) 71%, Russian 9%, other 20% - Armenian 7%,
Azerbaijani 6%
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write
Labor force:
2,834,000; agriculture 29.1% (1988), government NA%, industry 17.8%, other
53.1%
Organized labor:
NA
:Georgia Government