Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

 
Central Intelligence Agency
The Work of a Nation. The Center of Intelligence
CIA - The World Factbook The World Factbook Home
CIA - The World Factbook
Middle East :: West Bank
page last updated on April 21, 2010
Location of West Bank
Click flag or map to enlarge Opens in New Window
 
Map of West Bank
Click map to enlarge Opens in New Window
No Photos available for West Bank
 
no photos available of West Bank
Expand All | collapse All
Introduction ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel still controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. Violent clashes between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007 resulted in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. In February 2007, ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June 2007, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal, and despite multiple rounds of Egyptian-brokered reconciliation negotiations, the two groups have failed to bridge their differences. The status quo remains with HAMAS in control of the Gaza Strip and ABBAS and the Fatah-dominated PA governing the West Bank. FAYYAD and his PA government continue to implement a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS has said he will not resume negotiations with current Prime Minister NETANYAHU until Israel halts all settlement activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Back to Top
Geography ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Middle East, west of Jordan
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
32 00 N, 35 15 E
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 5,860 sq km
country comparison to the world: 171
land: 5,640 sq km
water: 220 sq km
note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
slightly smaller than Delaware
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 404 km
border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 km (landlocked)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (landlocked)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Current Weather
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
arable land
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
arable land: 16.9%
permanent crops: 18.97%
other: 64.13% (2001)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
droughts
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank and 29 sites in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)
Back to Top
People ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
2,514,845
country comparison to the world: 140
note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0-14 years: 36.5% (male 471,472/female 447,502)
15-64 years: 59.8% (male 770,496/female 732,787)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 38,452/female 54,136) (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 20.9 years
male: 20.7 years
female: 21.1 years (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
2.13% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
24.91 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
3.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
urban population: 72% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 15.41 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 122
male: 17.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total population: 74.78 years
country comparison to the world: 91
male: 72.76 years
female: 76.92 years (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
3.12 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
noun: NA
adjective: NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.4%
male: 96.7%
female: 88% (2004 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Back to Top
Government ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank
Back to Top
Economy ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Authority (PA) - experienced a limited revival of economic activity in 2009 as a result of inflows of donor assistance, the PA's implementation of economic reforms, improved security, and the easing of movement and access restrictions by the Israeli Government. Nevertheless, overall standard-of-living measures remain below those seen prior to the start of the second intifada in 2000. The almost decade-long downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure policies - a steady increase in Israeli-imposed movement and access restrictions across the West Bank in response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor flows, manufacturing, and commerce, both external and internal. Since 2008, the PA under President Mahmoud ABBAS and Prime Minister Salam FAYYAD have implemented a largely successful campaign of institutional reforms and economic development that has contributed to increased economic performance, supported by more than $3 billion in direct foreign donor assistance to the PA's budget since 2007. An easing of some Israeli restrictions on West Bank movement and access in 2008 and 2009 also contributed to an uptick in retail and entertainment activity in larger cities. The biggest impediments to growth remain lack of access to land and resources in Israeli-controlled areas, import and export restrictions, and a high-cost capital structure. Absent private sector-driven growth, the PA will continue to rely on donor aid for its budgetary needs.
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$12.79 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
$11.95 billion (2008)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$6.641 billion (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
7% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
2.3% (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$2,900 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
agriculture: 5%
industry: 14%
services: 81% (includes Gaza Strip) (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
694,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 149
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
agriculture: 12%
industry: 23%
services: 65% (June 2008)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
19% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
17.7% (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
46% (2007 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
revenues: $1.63 billion
expenditures: $3.08 billion
note: includes Gaza Strip (2009)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
9.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
11.5% (2008)
note: data include Gaza Strip
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
7.19% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 118
7.73% (31 December 2006)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.574 billion (31 December 2007)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$5.251 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 76
$3.048 billion (31 December 2007)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$1.367 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 106
$368.2 million (31 December 2007)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$NA (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 93
$2.475 billion (31 December 2007)
$2.729 billion (31 December 2006)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
olives, citrus fruit, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
country comparison to the world: 48
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
500 million kWh
country comparison to the world: 160
note: most imported electricity is from Israel; Jerusalem District 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 (2007 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
3.265 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 kWh (2008)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
2.8 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
26,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
511 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
22,150 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA bbl
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$529 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 164
$339 million (2006)
note: includes Gaza Strip
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
stone, olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$3.772 billion (2008)
country comparison to the world: 123
$2.84 billion (2006)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
food, consumer goods, construction materials, petroleum, chemicals
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$1.3 billion (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.93 (2009), 3.56 (2008), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005)
Back to Top
Communications ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
360,400 (includes Gaza Strip) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 107
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
2.405 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 119
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
general assessment: continuing political and economic instability has impeded significant liberalization of the telecommunications industry
domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; PALTEL plans to establish a fiber-optic connection to Jordan to route domestic mobile calls; the Palestinian JAWWAL company and WATANIYA PALESTINE provide cellular services
international: country code - 970; 1 international switch in Ramallah (2009) (2009)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
AM 0, FM 27, shortwave 0 (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
31 (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
.ps; note - same as Gaza Strip
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
356,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 118
Back to Top
Transportation ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 204
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 5,147 km
country comparison to the world: 153
paved: 5,147 km
note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)
Back to Top
Military ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
males age 16-49: 562,570
females age 16-49: 531,532 (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
male: 30,547
female: 29,062 (2010 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Back to Top
Transnational Issues ::West Bank
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
refugees (country of origin): 722,000 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2007)
Back to Top
Expand All | collapse All
The online Factbook is updated bi-weekly. ISSN 1553-8133
For additional information on government leaders in selected foreign countries, go to World Leaders.