Palestine
Physical. Palestine is made up of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The
Gaza Strip is located on the southwestern tip of Israel along the Mediterranean
Sea. The West Bank is located in the eastern part of Israel. The West Bank
covers an area slightly smaller than Delaware and the Gaza Strip is about twice
the size of Washington, DC. The climate is temperate with warm to hot summers
and mild winters. Terrain in the West Bank is mostly a rugged dissected upland,
some vegetation in the west, and barren in the east. The Gaza Strip is a flat to
rolling land with a sand and dune-covered coastal plain. Limited natural
resources include arable land and natural gas.
People. About 3.5 million Palestinian Arabs live in the combined areas of
the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In addition there are over 400,000 Jewish settlers
in the same area. Gaza is over 99% Palestinian Arab, while the West Bank is 83%
Palestinian Arab. Concern is rising over Jewish immigration to the West Bank.
Arabic is the most widely used language, though English is widely understood.
Hebrew is also spoken.
Government. Palestine continues to struggle with Israel over the
formation of an autonomous Palestinian state. Currently governed by the
Palestine National Authority (PNA) the January 2005 elections for a president
(following the death of Arafat in November 2004) resulted in the election of
Mahmud Abbas. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had been seen as the
embodiment of the Palestinian national movement. However the role and
responsibilities of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) have increased
since elections in 1996, in some ways at the expense of the PLO.
Current Israeli Prime Minister Sharon is in the process of working on the return
of the Gaza Strip to Palestine. But the return of the West Bank and East
Jerusalem are still in contention. The Intifada began in 2000 with Israeli Prime
Minister Sharon’s visit to the Dome of the Rock, a holy Muslim site. It
continues and has become a civil war. Israel’s initiative to build a wall around
and within parts of Palestinian territory has nearly bankrupted the economies of
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Economy. The Gaza Strip/West Bank economy is theoretically under
Palestinian control, pending final resolution with Israel over the establishment
of a Palestinian state. In the interim, it has been adversely affected by
Intifada II and Israeli counter-measures, which include destruction of homes,
border closures and periodic bans on Palestinian workers in Israel. Prior to
these measures, there was an economic recovery. The resumption of violence in
2001-2002 resulted in even more repressive counter-measures including the
killing of militants, destruction of businesses and homes and complete closure
of borders to Palestinians. The construction of the wall separating Gaza and the
West Bank from Israeli territory brought their economies close to bankruptcy in
2003-2004.
Areas of Concern. Until sovereignty can be gained for Palestine, all other
concerns will remain in the background. Infrastructure and the economy need to
be rebuilt if the Intifada can be resolved. Environmental concerns include
salinization of fresh water supply along with periodic droughts, soil
degradation and sewage treatment.
Palestine statistics
Geography
Area: Gaza Strip - 216 square miles;
West Bank – 3,516 square miles
Capital: Gaza
Environmental concerns: desertification, salinization
of freshwater supply; sewage treatment; soil degradation; periodic droughts
Geographical features: flat to rolling coastal plain with sand cover and dunes
in Gaza with rugged dissected uplands in the West Bank
Climate: temperate with mild winters and warm to hot summers
People.
In Gaza there are 1,231,000 people; Palestinian Arab (99.4%); Jewish (0.6%). In
the West Bank there are 2,237,194 people plus over 400,000 Jewish settlers;
Palestinian Arab (83%); Jewish (17%)
Annual growth rate: Gaza 3.95%; West Bank 3.3%
Major languages are Arabic and Hebrew while English is widely understood
Religions: Gaza – Muslim (99.4%); Jewish (0.6%). West Bank Muslim (75%); Jewish
(17%); Christian (8%)
Health and social issues
Life expectancy: Gaza - Men, 70
years; women, 72.5 years. West Bank - Men, 71 years; women, 74.5 years
Infant mortality: Gaza - 24.7 deaths per 1000 live births; West Bank 20.68
deaths per 1000 live births
Communication and transportation
Not available for Palestine
Government
In general, the current Palestinian
situation is constantly changing and progressing towards the establishment of a
state and the building of a Palestinian democracy.
Mahmud
Abbas is the current president.
2 major political parties
Current disputes include final status resolution with Israel on the
establishment of a Palestinian state; resolution of
Intifada II and Israeli counter-measures; resolution of the building of
the wall separating Gaza and the West Bank from Israeli territory
Economy
Currency: Israel shekels
Per capita GDP prior to latest Intifada and
counter-measures: Gaza - $625; West Bank - $800
GDP prior to latest Intifada and counter-measures:
Gaza - $ 750 million; West Bank – 1.7 billion
GDP growth rate prior to latest Intifada and
counter-measures: Gaza –35%; West Bank -22%
Inflation rate prior to latest Intifada and
counter-measures: 1% (including the West Bank)
Labor force prior to latest Intifada and
counter-measures: 50% unemployed in the West Bank with an overall (Gaza and West
Bank) unemployment rate of 26%
Resources and industry
Natural resources: arable land;
natural gas
Agriculture: olives; citrus; vegetables; dairy products
Industry: small family businesses producing textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings,
mother-of-pearl souvenir items
Exports: $603 million
Imports: $1.9 billion
Suggested web sites
www.palestine-un.org