Background: The Gaza Strip has been occupied by israel since 1967.

Land boundaries: 62 km total; Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline: 40 km

Maritime claims: Israeli occupied with status to be determined

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

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

Natural resources: negligible

Land use: 13% arable land, 32% permanent crops, 0% meadows and pastures, 0% forest and woodland, 55% other

Geography
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.

Population: 615,575 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990; in addition, there are 2,500 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip

Nationality: NA

Ethnic groups: 99.8% Palestinian Arab and other, 0.2% Jewish

Languages: Arabic, Israeli settlers speak Hebrew, English widely understood

Religions: 99% Muslim (predominantly Sunni), 0.7% Christian, 0.3% Jewish

Birth rate: 47 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 7 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Environment
Current issues: desertification

Infant mortality rate: 55 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 66 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1990)

Literacy: NA%

Country name: conventional long form: none

Legislative branch: NA

Economy overview: Nearly half of the labor force of the Gaza Strip is employed across the border by Israeli industrial, construction, and agricultural enterprises, with worker transfer funds accounting for 40% of GNP in 1989. The once dominant agricultural sector now contributes only 13% to GNP, about the same as that of the construction sector, and industry accounts for 7%. Gaza depends upon Israel for 90% of its imports and as a market for 80% of its exports. Unrest in the territory in 1988-89 (intifadah) has raised unemployment and substantially lowered the incomes of the population.

Agriculture products: olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef, dairy products

Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Note: (excluding Israeli Jewish settlers)
By occupation small industry commerce and business: 32.0%
By occupation construction: 24.4%
By occupation service and other: 25.5%
By occupation agriculture: 18.1% (1984)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $36.6 million; expenditures $32.0 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1986)

Fiscal year: 1 April-March 31

Exports: $88 million
Commodities: citrus
Partners: Israel, Egypt (1989 est.)

Imports: $260 million
Commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials
Partners: Israel, Egypt (1989 est.)

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1--1.9450 (January 1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987), 1.4878 (1986), 1.1788 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: power supplied by Israel

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: NA

Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway less than 1,220 m

Disputes international: Israeli occupied with status to be determined