Map of Gaza Strip | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The Gaza Strip fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; Israel captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began, and in 2001 negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West bank and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


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

Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 360 km²
Land: 360 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 72 km
Border countries: (2) Egypt 13 km; , Israel 59 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: see entry for Israel
Note: effective 3 January 2009, the Gaza maritime area is closed to all maritime traffic and is under blockade imposed by Israeli Navy until further notice

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

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

Elevation
Highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah) 105 m
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

Natural resources: arable land, natural gas

Land use

Irrigated land: 240 km²; note - includes the West Bank (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 181.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 32 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 162 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Total renewable water resources: 837 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Natural hazards: droughts

Geography
Note: strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip; the Gaza Strip settlements were evacuated in 2005


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Population
Distribution: population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north: 1,957,062 (July 2021 est.)
Growth rate: 2.05% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 30% (2011 est.)
Below poverty line note: data exclude the West Bank

Nationality
Noun: NA
Adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Major language samples:

Religions: Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian <1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.53% (male 418,751/female 397,013)
15-24 years: 21.67% (male 210,240/female 205,385)
25-54 years: 29.47% (male 275,976/female 289,277)
55-64 years: 3.66% (male 36,409/female 33,731)
65 years and over: 2.68% (male 27,248/female 24,191) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 71.2
Youth dependency ratio: 65.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.5
Potential support ratio: 18.2 (2020 est.) data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Median age
Total: 18 years
Male: 17.7 years
Female: 18.4 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.05% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 28.1 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 2.94 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.65 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north

Urbanization
Urban population: 77% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation; desertification; water pollution from chemicals and pesticides; salination of fresh water; improper sewage treatment; water-borne disease; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Air pollutants
Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.23 megatons (2016 est.)
Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 27 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.6 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 16.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 14.32 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.14 years
Male: 73.38 years
Female: 77 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.54 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 57.3% (2019/20)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 97.1% of population
Improved rural: 97.1% of population
Improved total: 96.8% of population
Unimproved urban: 2.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 2.9% of population
Unimproved total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Current health expenditure: NA

Physicians density: 2.77 physicians/1000 population (2018)

Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1000 population (2019)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 99.3% of population
Improved total: 99.8% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0.7% of population
Unimproved total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)
Note: note includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.1% (2019/20)
Note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Education expenditures: 5.3% of GDP (2018)
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.5%
Male: 98.8%
Female: 96.2% (2020)
Note: estimates are for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 14 years (2020)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 42.1%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 36.6%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 70% (2020 est.)
Rate ages 15-24 note: includes the West Bank


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Gaza Strip
Local long form: none
Local short form: Qita' Ghazzah
Etymology: named for the largest city in the region, Gaza, whose settlement can be traced back to at least the 15th century B.C. (as 'Ghazzat')

Government type

Capital

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity: see entry for the West Bank

Real gdp growth rate: -15.2% (2014 est.)
Note: excludes the West Bank

Real gdp per capita: $6,220 (2019 est.)

$6,318 (2018 est.)

$6,402 (2017 est.)

see entry for the the West Bank

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 88.6% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 26.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 18.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -55.6% (2017 est.)
Note: data exclude the West Bank

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 21.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 75% (2017 est.)
Note: data exclude the West Bank

Agriculture products: tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds

Industries: textiles, food processing, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: 2.2% (2017 est.)
Note: see entry for the West Bank

Labor force: 1.24 million (2017 est.)
Note: excludes the West Bank
By occupation agriculture: 5.2%
By occupation industry: 10%
By occupation services: 84.8% (2015 est.)
By occupation note: data exclude the West Bank

Unemployment rate: 27.9% (2017 est.)
Note: data exclude the West Bank

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 42.1%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 36.6%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 70% (2020 est.)
Rate ages 15-24 note: includes the West Bank

Population below poverty line: 30% (2011 est.)
Note: data exclude the West Bank

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 33.7 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: see entry for the West Bank

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.2% (2017 est.)
Note: excludes the West Bank

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$1.444 billion (2017 est.)
Note: excludes the West Bank

Exports: $1.955 billion (2017 est.)

$1.827 billion (2016 est.)
Commodities: strawberries, carnations, vegetables, fish (small and irregular shipments, as permitted to transit the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing)

Imports: $8.59 billion (2018 est.)

$7.852 billion (2017 est.)

see entry for the West Bank
Commodities: food, consumer goods, fuel

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $446.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$583 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Debt external: see entry for the West Bank

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: see entry for the West Bank


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2018)
Access note: data for Gaza Strip and West Bank combined
Production: 51,000 kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption: 202,000 kWh (2009 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2011 est.)
Imports: 193,000 kWh (2011 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 472,293 (includes the West Bank); (July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (includes the West Bank); (July 2016 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4,135,363 (includes the West Bank)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 76 (includes the West Bank) (2017 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 1 TV station and about 10 radio stations; satellite TV accessible

Internet
Country code: .psnote - same as the West Bank
Users total: 2.673 million (includes the West Bank)
Users percent of population: 57.4% (July 2016 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 320,500
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2016 est.)
Note: includes West Bank


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Military expenditures: not available

Military and security forces: HAMAS does not have a conventional military in the Gaza Strip but maintains security forces in addition to its military wing, the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the military wing reports to the HAMAS Political Bureau; there are several other militant groups operating in the Gaza Strip, most notably the Al-Quds Brigades of Palestine Islamic Jihad, which are usually but not always beholden to HAMAS's authority (2021)

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups: Army of Islam; Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Sinai Province; Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; PFLP-General Command; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports
Total: 1 (2013)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2019)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Note: see entry for the West Bank

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Gaza


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Disputes international: the status of the Gaza Strip is a final status issue to be resolved through negotiations; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from Gaza Strip in September 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 1,476,706 (Palestinian refugees) (2020)
IDPs: 131,000 (includes persons displaced within the Gaza Strip due to the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since June 2014 and other Palestinian IDPs in the Gaza Strip and West Bank who fled as long ago as 1967, although confirmed cumulative data do not go back beyond 2006) (2020)

Illicit drugs