GAZA STRIP Note: The war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Sinai, and the Golan Heights. As stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by President Reagan's 1 September 1982 peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, their relationship with their neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties. Camp David further specifies that these negotiations will resolve the respective boundaries. Pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip has yet to be determined. In the view of the US, the term West Bank describes all of the area west of the Jordan under Jordanian administration before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. With respect to negotiations envisaged in the framework agreement, however, it is US policy that a distinction must be made between Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank because of the city's special status and circumstances. Therefore, a negotiated solution for the final status of Jerusalem could be different in character from that of the rest of the West Bank. GEOGRAPHY Total area: 380km2; land area: 380 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 62 km total; Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km Coastline: 40 km Maritime claims: Israeli occupied with status to be determined Disputes: 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: arable land 13%, permanent crops 32%, meadows and pastures 0%, forest and woodland 0%, other 55% Environment: desertification Note: there are 18 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip PEOPLE Population: 642,253 (July 1991), growth rate 3.2% (1991); in addition, there are 2,500 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip (1990 est.) Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 41 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 67 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 6.9 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: NA Ethnic divisions: Palestinian Arab and other 99.8%, Jewish 0.2% Religion: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.3% Language: Arabic, Israeli settlers speak Hebrew, English widely understood Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) Labor force: (excluding Israeli Jewish settlers) small industry, commerce and business 32.0%, construction 24.4%, service and other 25.5%, and agriculture 18.1% (1984) Organized labor: NA GOVERNMENT Long-form name: none 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. ECONOMY Overview: Nearly half 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 46% of GNP in 1990. 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 1988-91 (intifadah) has raised unemployment and substantially lowered the incomes of the population. Furthermore, the Persian Gulf crisis dealt a severe blow to the Gaza Strip in 1990 and on into 1991. Worker remittances from the Gulf states have plunged, unemployment has increased, and export revenues have fallen dramatically. The risk of malnutrition is a real possibility in 1991. GNP: $270 million, per capita $430; real growth rate - 25% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $36.6 million; expenditures $32.0 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1986) Exports: $88 million; commodities--citrus; partners--Israel, Egypt (1989 est.) Imports: $260 million; commodities--food, consumer goods, construction materials; partners--Israel, Egypt (1989 est.) External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: power supplied by Israel 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 Agriculture: olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef, dairy products Economic aid: none Currency: new Israeli shekel (plural--shekels); 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1--2.0120 (January 1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987), 1.4878 (1986), 1.1788 (1985) Fiscal year: 1 April-March 31 COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: one line, abandoned and in disrepair, but trackage remains Highways: small, poorly developed indigenous road network Ports: facilities for small boats to service Gaza Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway less than 1,220 m Telecommunications: stations--no AM, no FM, no TV DEFENSE FORCES Branches: NA Manpower availability: males 15-49, 136,311; NA fit for military service Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP