Part 898

Imports: total value: $1.55 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) (includes Gaza Strip) commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials partners : Jordan, Israel

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot; 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 3.41 (May 1997), 3.2882 (1996), 3.0113 (1995), 3.0111 (1994), 2.8301 (1993), 2.4591 (1992); Jordanian dinars (JD) per US$1 - 0.7090 (January 1997), 0.7090 (1996), 0.7005 (1995), 0.6987 (1994), 0.6928 (1993), 0.6797 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

@West Bank:Communications

Telephones: NA note: 3.1% of Palestinian households have telephones

Telephone system: domestic: NA international : NA note: Israeli company BEZEK is responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: NA; note - 82% of Palestinian households have radios (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 note: 1 broadcast station is planned for Jericho

Televisions: NA; note - 54% of Palestinian households have televisions (1992 est.)

@West Bank:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small road network; Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 2 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: NA

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA

Military manpower - fit for military service: males : NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation ______________________________________________________________________

WESTERN SAHARA