Statistical information Gaza Strip 2024
Gaza Strip in the World
Gaza Strip - Introduction 2024
top of pageBackground:
The Gaza Strip has been under the de facto governing authority of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) since 2007 and has faced years of conflict, poverty, and humanitarian crises. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip area 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 in response to perceived Israeli provocations, and in 2001, negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel in 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip’s land borders, maritime territorial waters, cyberspace, telecommunications, and airspace. In 2006, HAMAS won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. Since HAMAS's takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Fatah and HAMAS have since negotiated a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to enact them.
Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip and the Israel Defense Forces periodically exchange projectiles and air strikes, respectively, threatening broader conflict. In 2021, HAMAS launched rockets into Israel, sparking an 11-day conflict that also involved other Gaza-based militant groups. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process negotiated ceasefires, averting a broader conflict. Since 2018, HAMAS has coordinated demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel security fence. HAMAS has also stood by while other militant groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad, fought brief conflicts with Israel, most recently in August 2022 and May 2023.
On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants inside the Gaza Strip launched a combined unguided rocket and ground attack into Israel. The attack began with a barrage of more than 3,000 rockets fired toward Israel from Gaza, and included thousands of terrorists infiltrating Israel by land, sea, and air via paragliders. Militants attacked military bases, clashed with security forces mostly in southern Israel, and simultaneously infiltrated civilian communities. During the attack, terrorists carried out massacres and murdered civilians, including torture, acts of abuse and rape, a massacre at the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, as well as kidnapping approximately 240 civilians, including men, women, children, and soldiers. These attacks were followed soon after by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) air strikes inside Gaza. The next day, Israeli Prime Minister NETANYAHU formally declared war on Gaza. The IDF on 28 October launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza that is ongoing as of April 2024.
In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began in response to perceived Israeli provocations, and in 2001, negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel in 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip’s land borders, maritime territorial waters, cyberspace, telecommunications, and airspace. In 2006, HAMAS won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. Since HAMAS's takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Fatah and HAMAS have since negotiated a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to enact them.
Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip and the Israel Defense Forces periodically exchange projectiles and air strikes, respectively, threatening broader conflict. In 2021, HAMAS launched rockets into Israel, sparking an 11-day conflict that also involved other Gaza-based militant groups. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process negotiated ceasefires, averting a broader conflict. Since 2018, HAMAS has coordinated demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel security fence. HAMAS has also stood by while other militant groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad, fought brief conflicts with Israel, most recently in August 2022 and May 2023.
On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants inside the Gaza Strip launched a combined unguided rocket and ground attack into Israel. The attack began with a barrage of more than 3,000 rockets fired toward Israel from Gaza, and included thousands of terrorists infiltrating Israel by land, sea, and air via paragliders. Militants attacked military bases, clashed with security forces mostly in southern Israel, and simultaneously infiltrated civilian communities. During the attack, terrorists carried out massacres and murdered civilians, including torture, acts of abuse and rape, a massacre at the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, as well as kidnapping approximately 240 civilians, including men, women, children, and soldiers. These attacks were followed soon after by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) air strikes inside Gaza. The next day, Israeli Prime Minister NETANYAHU formally declared war on Gaza. The IDF on 28 October launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza that is ongoing as of April 2024.
Gaza Strip - Geography 2024
top of pageLocation: 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
Country comparison total: 72 km
Country comparison border countries: (2) Egypt 13 km; Israel 59 km
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
Land use
Irrigated land: (2013) 151 km²
Note: includes the West Bank
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: 840 million m³ (2020 est.)
Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Natural hazards: droughts
Geography
Note: once a strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes that has experienced an incredibly turbulent history
Gaza Strip - People 2024
top of pagePopulation
Distribution: population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north
Total: 2,141,643
Male: 1,086,340
Female: 1,055,303 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 2.02% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 29.2% (2016 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Nationality
Noun: NA
Adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Major-language samples: دليل جيوس العالمي، المصدر الذي لا غنى عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian <1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0% (2012 est.)
Note: Israel dismantled its settlements in September 2005; Gaza has had no Jewish population since then
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
0-14 years: 38.8% (male 427,450/female 404,288)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 627,235/female 620,903)
65 years and over: 2.9% (2024 est.) (male 31,655/female 30,112)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 74.3
Youth dependency ratio: 68.2
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1
Potential support ratio: 16.5 (2021 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Median age
Total: 19.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 19.3 years
Female: 19.8 years
Population growth rate: 2.02% (2024 est.)
Birth rate: 26.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Death rate: 2.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Population distribution: population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north
Urbanization
Urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Major urban areas
Population: 778,000 Gaza (2023)
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
Particulate matter emissions: 30.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
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: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio: 20 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 73.7 years
Female: 77.4 years
Total fertility rate: 3.26 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 57.3% (2019/20)
Note: includes Gaza Strip and West Bank
Drinking water source
Improved urban: 98.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 1% of population
Unimproved total: 1.1% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 1.1% of population
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)
Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 99.9% of population
Improved rural: 98.6% of population
Improved total: 99.6% of population
Unimproved urban: 0.1% of population
Unimproved rural: 1.4% of population
Unimproved total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Hiv/Aids
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 est.)
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 (2021)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 36% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 31.6% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 56.7% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Gaza Strip - Government 2024
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Gaza, Gaza Strip
Local long form: none
Local short form: Qita' Ghazzah
Etymology: named for the largest city in the enclave, 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
Gaza Strip - Economy 2024
top of pageEconomy overview
Real gdp purchasing power parity: $27.418 billion (2023 est.); $29.016 billion (2022 est.); $27.878 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Real gdp growth rate: -5.51% (2023 est.); 4.08% (2022 est.); 7.01% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Real gdp per capita: $5,300 (2023 est.); $5,800 (2022 est.); $5,700 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 101.6% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 20.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.8% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 19.6% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -66.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5.7% (2022 est.)
Industry: 17.4% (2022 est.)
Services: 58.3% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agriculture products: tomatoes, milk, cucumbers/gherkins, olives, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, pumpkins/squash, grapes, chicken (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries: textiles, food processing, furniture
Industrial production growth rate: -8.57% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Labor force: 1.389 million (2022 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 24.42% (2022 est.); 26.39% (2021 est.); 25.9% (2020 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 36% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 31.6% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 56.7% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line: 29.2% (2016 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget
Revenues: $3.803 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $5.002 billion (2020 est.)
Note: see entry for the West Bank
Taxes and other revenues: 21.47% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Public debt
Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Fiscal year
Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.87% (2023 est.); 3.74% (2022 est.); 1.24% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
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: -$2.037 billion (2022 est.); -$1.778 billion (2021 est.); -$1.903 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Exports: $3.533 billion (2022 est.); $3.14 billion (2021 est.); $2.385 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Partners: Israel 81%, Jordan 10%, UAE 2%, US 1%, Turkey 1% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Commodities: building stone, scrap iron, plastic products, furniture, seats (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Imports: $12.257 billion (2022 est.); $10.094 billion (2021 est.); $8.065 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Partners: Israel 57%, Turkey 6%, Egypt 6%, Jordan 4%, China 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Commodities: refined petroleum, electricity, animal food, cars, cement (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.323 billion (2023 est.); $896.9 million (2022 est.); $872.541 million (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: see entry for the West Bank
Gaza Strip - Energy 2024
top of pageElectricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Access note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Installed generating capacity: 352,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 6.746 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 6.7 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 880.312 million kWh (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Generation sources fossil fuels: 77.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 22.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Coal
Exports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.942 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 3.942 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Energy consumption per capita: 15.201 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip - Communication 2024
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 458,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4.388 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 78 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Gaza Strip - Military 2024
top of pageMilitary expenditures: not available
Military and security forces: HAMAS maintains security forces inside Gaza in addition to its military wing, the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the military wing ostensibly reports to the HAMAS Political Bureau but operates with considerable autonomy; there are several other militant groups operating in the Gaza Strip, most notably the Al-Quds Brigades of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which are usually but not always beholden to HAMAS's authority (2024)
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 - Sinai Province (ISIS-SP); Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ); Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command
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 the Terrorism reference guide
Gaza Strip - Transportation 2024
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Note: see entry for the West Bank
Waterways
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Gaza Strip - Transnational issues 2024
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 1.6 million (Palestinian refugees) (2022)
Idps: 1.7 million or approximately 75% of the population (as of 26 January 2024, since HAMAS's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023); 1.6 million (includes persons displaced within the Gaza Strip due to the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict between June 2014 and 7 October 2023 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) (2022)
Illicit drugs