industrial zones have lost their jobs. International aidof $2 billion to Gaza Strip and the West Bank in 2004 prevented the
complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the
government's financial operations. Meanwhile unemployment has
continued at half the labor force. ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves
open more political options that could affect the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$768 million (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)
Labor force:
725,000 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 19%, services 66% (2004)
Unemployment rate:
50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
81% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
note - these budget data include West Bank (2003)
Agriculture - products:
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, 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:
NA
Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)
Exports:
$205 million f.o.b., includes West Bank (2002)
Exports - commodities:
citrus, flowers
Exports - partners:
Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Imports:
$1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank (2002)
Imports - commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners:
Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Debt - external:
$108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$2 billion (includes West Bank) (2004 est.)
Currency (code):
new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Currency code:
ILS
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003),
4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Gaza Strip
Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 320,000 (cellular subscribers in both Gaza Strip and West Bank) (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
system
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)
Televisions:
NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)
Internet country code:
.ps
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (1999)
Internet users:
60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)
Transportation Gaza Strip
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network
Ports and harbors:
Gaza
Airports:
