Statistical information Gaza Strip 1996

Gaza Strip in the World

Gaza Strip - Introduction 1996

top of page

Background: the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Permanent status negotiations began on 5 May 1996.

Gaza Strip - Geography 1996

top of page

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 360 km²
Land: 360 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: Total 62 km, Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: Israeli occupied with interim status subject to Israeli/Palestinian negotiations_final status to be determined

Climate: Temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain: Flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources: Negligible

Land use

Land use
Arable land: 13%
Permanent crops: 32%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 55%

Irrigated land: 115 km² (1992 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography

Gaza Strip - People 1996

top of page

Population:

923,940 (July 1996 est.)
813,322 (July 1995 est.)

Note: in addition, there are 5,000 Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip (August 1995 est.)
Growth rate:

6.79% (1996 est.)
4.55% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: NA
Adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%
Jewish 0.6%

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers),English (widely understood)

Religions:

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%
Christian 0.7%
Jewish 0.6%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years:

52% (male 244,026; female 231,976) (July 1996 est.)
52% (male 215,158; female 205,192) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 years:

46% (male 210,706; female 210,764) (July 1996 est.)
45% (male 183,886; female 185,748) (July 1995 est.)

65 years and over:

2% (male 11,553; female 14,915) (July 1996 est.)
3% (male 10,232; female 13,106) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

6.79% (1996 est.)
4.55% (1995 est.)

Birth rate:

50.67 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
50.24 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate:

4.4 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
4.75 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate:

21.65 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: desertification
Current issues Natural hazards: NA
International agreements: NA
International agreements note: There are 24 Jewish settlements and civilian land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 1994 est.)

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
All ages:

1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:27.5 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
30.6 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.98 years (1996 est.), 71.09 years (1995 est.)
Male: 70.69 years (1996 est.), 69.56 years (1995 est.)
Female: 73.34 years (1996 est.), 72.69 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

7.79 children born/woman (1996 est.)
7.74 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: definition:NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

Gaza Strip - Government 1996

top of page

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Gaza Strip
Local long form: none
Local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Government type

Capital

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday: 1 january (1965; Founding of the PLO)

Constitution

Legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch

Legislative branch

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description

: The PLO flag. Three equal horizontal bands of black (top), white and green. On the host side there is a red triangle.

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage

Gaza Strip - Economy 1996

top of page

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 supplementing GDP by roughly 50%. Gaza has depended upon Israel for nearly 90% of its external trade. Aggravating the impact of Israeli military administration, unrest in the territory from 1988 to 1993 (intifadah) raised unemployment and lowered the standard of living of Gazans. The Persian Gulf crisis and its aftershocks also 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 has brought a new set of adjustment problems. The stringent border restrictions have held back economic growth in 1995 and 1996.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3%-4% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita:

purchasing power parity_ $1,200 (1995 est.)
$2,400 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Olives, citrus and other fruits; vegetables; beef and dairy products

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