Part 897

Infant mortality rate: 27.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.11 years male: 70.43 years female: 73.88 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.06 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : NA adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions: Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Literacy: NA

@West Bank:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank

Data code: WE

Economy

Economy - overview: Economic progress in the West Bank has been hampered by tight Israeli security restrictions. Industries using advanced technology or requiring sizable investment have been discouraged by a lack of local capital and restrictive Israeli policies. Capital investment consists largely of residential housing, not productive assets that would enable local Palestinian firms to compete with Israeli industry. GDP has been substantially supplemented by remittances of workers employed in Israel. Such transfers from the Persian Gulf states dropped after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. In the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis, many Palestinians have returned to the West Bank, increasing unemployment, and export revenues have dropped because of the decline of markets in Jordan and the Gulf states. An estimated 147,000 people were in refugee camps in 1996.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -1% to -2% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 25% services: 42% (1995 est., includes Gaza Strip)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 11% (1995 est.)

Labor force: NA by occupation: construction 28.2%, agriculture 21.8%, industry 14.5%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 12.6%, other services 22.9% (1991) note: excluding Israeli settlers

Unemployment rate: 35% to 40% (1996 est.)

Budget: revenues: $684 million expenditures: $779 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996) note : includes Gaza Strip

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 the settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: NA kW note: most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nabulus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants

Electricity - production: NA kWh note: most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nabulus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Exports: total value: $235 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) (includes Gaza Strip) commodities : olives, fruit, vegetables partners: Jordan, Israel