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.

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total 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

Natural resources: negligible

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

Irrigated land: 115 km² (1992 est.)

Geography
Note: Under the Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("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.

Population: 813,322 (July 1995 est.)
Note: in addition, there are 4,800 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip (August 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 52% (female 205,192; male 215,158)
15-64 years: 45% (female 185,748; male 183,886)
65 years and over: 3% (female 13,106; male 10,232) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.55% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 50.24 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 4.75 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Environment
Current issues: desertification
Current issues natural hazards: NA
Current issues international agreements: NA

Infant mortality rate: 30.6 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.09 years
Male: 69.56 years
Female: 72.69 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.74 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Literacy: NA%

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

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 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.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $2,400 (1993 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 11% (1991 est.)

Labor force: NA
By occupation construction: 33.4%
By occupation agriculture: 20.0%
By occupation commerce restaurants and hotels: 14.9%
By occupation industry: 10.0%
By occupation other services: 21.7% (1991)
Note: excluding Jewish settlers

Unemployment rate: 45% (1994 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $33.6 million
Expenditures: $34.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY89/90)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Exports: $83 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodoties: citrus
Partners: Israel, Egypt

Imports: $365 million (c.i.f., 1992)
Commodoties: food, consumer goods, construction materials
Partners: Israel, Egypt

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 3.0270 (December 1994), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591 (1992), 2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990)

Telephone system: NA; note - 10% of Palestinian households have telephones (1992 est.)
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: NA

Military expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

Airports: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

Disputes international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with interim status subject to Israeli/Palestinian negotiations - final status to be determined