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Middle East :: Gaza Strip

- ## Introduction :: GAZA STRIP

- Background:
  Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., Gaza has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. Gaza fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; it was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1994 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip stalled in 2001, after which the area witnessed a violent intifada or uprising.
  In early 2003, the "Quartet" of the US, EU, UN, and Russia, presented a roadmap to a final peace settlement by 2005, calling for two states. Following PA President Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004 and the subsequent election of Mahmud ABBAS (head of the Fatah political faction) as the PA president in 2005, Israel and the Palestinians agreed to move the peace process forward. Israel by late 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but continues to control the Gaza Strip’s land and maritime borders and airspace. In early 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Attempts to form a unity government between Fatah and HAMAS failed and violent clashes between their respective supporters ensued, culminating in HAMAS's violent seizure of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in June 2007. Israel and Egypt since HAMAS’s takeover have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Since then, Fatah and HAMAS have reached a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to implement them. In April 2014, the two factions signed an agreement and two months later President ABBAS formed an interim government of independent technocrats, none of whom were affiliated with HAMAS. The factions, however, continue to disagree over how to implement the deal and HAMAS remains in de facto control of the Gaza Strip.
  In July 2014, HAMAS and other Gaza-based militant groups engaged in a 51-day conflict with Israel—the third conflict since HAMAS’s takeover in 2007—culminating in late August with an open-ended truce that continues to hold despite the absence of a negotiated cease-fire and occasional violations by both sides. Reconstruction efforts since the end of the conflict have been hampered by Israeli restrictions on goods entering the Gaza Strip and inadequate donor aid. The UN in 2015 published a study assessing that the Gaza Strip could become uninhabitable by 2020 absent a substantial easing on border restrictions.

- ## Geography :: GAZA STRIP

- Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
  Geographic coordinates:
  31 25 N, 34 20 E
  Map references:
  Middle East
  Area:
  total: 360 sq km
  land: 360 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 206
  Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
  Land boundaries:
  total: 72 km
  border countries (2): Egypt 13 km, Israel 59 km
  Coastline:
  40 km
  Maritime claims:
  see entry for Israel
  note: effective 3 January 2009, the Gaza maritime area is closed to all maritime traffic and is under blockade imposed by Israeli Navy until further notice
  Climate:
  temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
  Terrain:
  flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah) 105 m
  Natural resources:
  arable land, natural gas
  Irrigated land:
  240 sq km; note - includes West Bank (2003)
  Natural hazards:
  droughts
  Environment - current issues:
  desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination of underground water resources
  Geography - note:
  strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip; the Gaza Strip settlements were evacuated in 2005 (2014)

- ## People and Society :: GAZA STRIP

- Nationality:
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA
  Ethnic groups:
  Palestinian Arab
  Languages:
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
  Religions:
  Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian <1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0%
  note: dismantlement of Israeli settlements was completed in September 2005; Gaza has had no Jewish population since then (2012 est.)
  religious affiliation:
  Population:
  1,869,055 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 152
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.75% (male 410,599/female 388,473)
  15-24 years: 20.34% (male 194,798/female 185,295)
  25-54 years: 30.66% (male 293,556/female 279,471)
  55-64 years: 3.59% (male 33,843/female 33,198)
  65 years and over: 2.67% (male 20,667/female 29,155) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 76%
  youth dependency ratio: 70.8%
  elderly dependency ratio: 5.2%
  potential support ratio: 19.2%
  note: data represents Gaza and the West Bank (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 18.4 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 18.6 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  2.81% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Birth rate:
  31.11 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
  Death rate:
  3.04 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 221
  Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 96
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 75.3% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 2.81% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
  note: data represents Gaza Strip and West Bank
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Maternal mortality rate:
  45 deaths/100,000 live births
  note: data represents Gaza Strip and West Bank (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 94
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 105
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.87 years
  male: 73.11 years
  female: 76.74 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 110
  Total fertility rate:
  4.08 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 35
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  52.5% (includes Gaza Strip and West Bank) (2010)
  Physicians density:
  2.1 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
  Hospital bed density:
  1.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 50.7% of population
  rural: 81.5% of population
  total: 58.4% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 49.3% of population
  rural: 18.5% of population
  total: 41.6% of population
  note: includes Gaza and the West Bank (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 93% of population
  rural: 90.2% of population
  total: 92.3% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 7% of population
  rural: 9.8% of population
  total: 7.7% of population
  note: includes Gaza and the West Bank (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.5%
  male: 98.4%
  female: 94.5%
  note: estimates are for Gaza and West Bank (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 13 years
  male: 12 years
  female: 14 years
  note: data represents Gaza and West Bank (2013)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 41%
  male: 37%
  female: 64.7%
  note: includes West Bank (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 14

- ## Government :: GAZA STRIP

- Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Gaza Strip
  local long form: none
  local short form: Qita' Ghazzah
  etymology: named after the largest city in the region, Gaza, whose settlement can be traced back to at least the 15th century B.C. (as "Ghazzat")

- ## Economy :: GAZA STRIP

- Economy - overview:
  Israeli security controls imposed since the end of the second intifada have degraded economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, the smaller of the two areas comprising the Palestinian territories. Israeli-imposed border closures, which became more restrictive after HAMAS seized control of the territory in June 2007, have resulted in high unemployment, elevated poverty rates, and a sharp contraction of the private sector that had relied primarily on export markets. Egyptian authorities began a crackdown on Gaza’s extensive tunnel-based smuggling network in 2013, creating fuel, construction material, and consumer goods shortages in the territory. Israel’s military operation in Gaza from July to August 2014 - the latest in a series of periodic conflicts between Israel and Gaza-based Palestinian militants -destroyed one-fifth of the territory’s industrial infrastructure, displaced more than 100,000 people, and left 30% of households without access to potable water. Since the conflict, Israel has allowed limited Gaza exports and relaxed some restrictions on construction material imports to assist reconstruction efforts, but the Palestinian Authority will depend on donor and humanitarian aid to finance the $4billion needed to rebuild.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  see entry for West Bank
  GDP - real growth rate:
  -15% (2014 est.)
  6% (2013 est.)
  7% (2012 est.)
  note: data exclude West Bank
  country comparison to the world: 223
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  see entry for West Bank
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  data exclude West Bank (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  5.7%
  16.9%
  77.4%
  note: data exclude West Bank (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  olives, fruit, vegetables, flowers; beef, dairy products
  Industries:
  textiles, food processing, furniture
  Industrial production growth rate:
  see entry for West Bank
  Labor force:
  1.255 million (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 8.4%
  industry: 12.3%
  services: 79.3%
  note: data exclude West Bank (2013 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  45.1% (2014 est.)
  29.5% (2013 est.)
  note: data exclude West Bank
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Population below poverty line:
  39%
  note: data exclude West Bank (2011 est.)
  Budget:
  see entry for West Bank
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  see entry for West Bank
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  see entry for West Bank
  Stock of narrow money:
  see entry for West Bank
  Stock of broad money:
  $2.356 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $2.16 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 149
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $1.147 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $1.168 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 153
  Current account balance:
  (2014 est.)
  Exports:
  (2013 est.)
  Exports - commodities:
  strawberries, carnations, vegetables, fish (small and irregular shipments, as permitted to transit the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing)
  Imports:
  see entry for West Bank
  Imports - commodities:
  food, consumer goods, fuel
  Debt - external:
  see entry for West Bank
  Exchange rates:
  see entry for West Bank

- ## Energy :: GAZA STRIP

- Electricity - production:
  51,000 kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 220
  Electricity - consumption:
  202,000 kWh (2009)
  country comparison to the world: 218
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 149
  Electricity - imports:
  193,000 kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 111
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144

- ## Communications :: GAZA STRIP

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  403,118 (includes West Bank) (2014 est.)
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 3,197,550 (includes West Bank)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (includes West Bank) (2014 est.)
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: Gaza continues to repair the damage to its telecommunications infrastructure caused by fighting in 2009
  domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed-line services; the Palestinian JAWWAL company provides cellular services
  international: country code - 970 (2009)
  Broadcast media:
  1 TV station and about 10 radio stations; satellite TV accessible (2008)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)
  Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2008)
  Internet country code:
  .ps; note - same as West Bank
  Internet users:
  total: 1,379,000 (includes West Bank)
  percent of population: 34.4% (includes West Bank) (2009)

- ## Transportation :: GAZA STRIP

- Airports:
  1 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 219
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
  Heliports:
  1 (2013)
  Roadways:
  note: see entry for West Bank
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Gaza

- ## Military :: GAZA STRIP

- Military branches:
  HAMAS does not have a conventional military in the Gaza Strip but maintains security forces in addition to its military wing, the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the military wing reports to the Hamas Political Bureau leadership, which remains scattered throughout the region since relocating from its Damascus headquarters in early 2012 (2015)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 385,961 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 335,820
  females age 16-49: 319,847 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 18,805
  female: 17,903 (2010 est.)

- ## Transnational Issues :: GAZA STRIP

- Disputes - international:
  the status of the Gaza Strip is a final status issue to be resolved through negotiations; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from Gaza Strip in August 2005
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 1,258,559 (Palestinian refugees) (2014)
  IDPs: at least 263,500 (includes persons displaced within the Gaza strip due to the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since June 2014 and other Palestinian IDPs in the Gaza Strip and West Bank who fled as long ago as 1967, although confirmed cumulative data do not go back beyond 2006) (2015)

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