Part 359

Airports: total: 40 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 29 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 900,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.2 million (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 86 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 1.025 million (1990 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 939,237 males fit for military service: 761,048 males reach military age (17) annually: 35,904 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $618 million, 1.3% of GDP (1994)

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@Israel ------

(also see separate Gaza Strip and West Bank entries)

Note: The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement between them. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace.

Map ---

Location: 31 30 N, 34 45 E -- Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Flag ----

Description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Geography ---------

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area: total area: 20,770 sq km land area: 20,330 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,006 km border countries: Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline: 273 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm