Population:
731,296 (July 1994 est.)
note:
in addition, there are 4,500 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip (1994
est.)
Population growth rate:
3.53% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
45.01 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
5.45 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
36.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
67.78 years
male:
66.47 years
female:
69.16 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.39 children born/woman (1994 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:
construction 33.4%, agriculture 20.0%, commerce, restaurants, and
hotels 14.9%, industry 10.0%, other services 21.7% (1991)
note:
excluding Jewish settlers
@Gaza Strip, Government
Note:
Under the Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arragements ("the DOP"), Israel agreed to transfer
certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, and
subsequently to an elected Palestinian Council, as part of interim
self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A
transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho
has taken place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement
on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area. The DOP provides that Israel
will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external
security and for internal security and public order of settlements and
Israelis. Final status is to be determined through direct negotiations
within five years.
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 1991 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 18%, 16%, and 12% of GNP, respectively. Gaza depends upon
Israel for nearly 90% of its external trade. Aggravating the impact of
Israeli military administration, unrest in the territory since 1988
(intifadah) has raised unemployment and lowered the standard of living
of Gazans. The Persian Gulf crisis and its aftershocks also have dealt
blows to Gaza since August 1990. Worker remittances from the Gulf
states have dropped, unemployment has increased, and exports have
fallen. The withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip in May 1994
brings a new set of adjustment problems.
National product:
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $840 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
1% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,275 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
20% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$33.6 million
expenditures:
$34.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90)
Exports:
$75 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
citrus
partners:
Israel, Egypt
Imports:
$370 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials
partners:
Israel, Egypt
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate 11% (1991 est.); accounts for about 12% 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 16% 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 - 2.9760 (February 1994), 2.8301
(1993), 2.4591 (1992), 2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
@Gaza Strip, Communications
Railroads: one line, abandoned and in disrepair, some trackage remains Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA note: small, poorly developed road network Ports: facilities for small boats to service the city of Gaza Airports: total: 1 usable: 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
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Georgia