*Gaza Strip, People
Population:
705,834 (July 1993 est.)
note:
in addition, there are 4,000 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip (1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.56% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
45.66 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
5.71 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
38.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
67.26 years
male:
66.01 years
female:
68.57 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.51 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
NA
adjective:
NA
Ethnic divisions:
Palestinian Arab and other 99.8%, Jewish 0.2%
Religions:
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.3%
Languages:
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers), English (widely understood)
Literacy:
total population:
NA%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
NA
by occupation:
small industry, commerce and business 32.0%, construction 24.4%, service and
other 25.5%, agriculture 18.1% (1984)
note:
excluding Israeli Jewish settlers
*Gaza Strip, Government
Note:
The Gaza Strip is currently governed by Israeli military authorities and
Israeli civil administration. It is US policy that the final status of the
Gaza Strip will be determined by negotiations among the concerned parties.
These negotiations will determine how this area is to be governed.
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Gaza Strip
local long form:
none
local short form:
Qita Ghazzah
Digraph:
GZ
*Gaza Strip, Economy
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 1988-93 (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.
National product:
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $380 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
-30% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
$590 (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:
1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.6480 (November 1992), 2.4591 (1992),
2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
*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:
total:
1
useable:
1
with permanent-surface runways:
0
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
0
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - no AM, no FM, no TV
*Gaza Strip, Defense Forces
Branches:
NA
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 136,311; fit for military service NA (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP