1983 Edition

Agriculture

main cash crop — cotton; other crops — rice, onions, beans, citrus fruit, wheat, corn, barley; not self-sufficient in food

main products — citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef and dairy products, poultry products

Airfields

63 total, 52 usable; 24 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 10 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Area

1,001,449 km*; 96.5% desert, waste, or urban; 2.8% cultivated (of which about 70% is multiple crop); 0.7% inland water

Branches

executive power vested in President, who appoints Cabinet; People's Assembly is principal legislative body, with Shura Council having consultative role; independent judiciary administered by Minister of Justice

president has largely ceremonial functions, except for the authority to decide which political leader should try to form a ruling coalition following an election or the fall of a previous government; executive power vested in Cabinet; unicameral parliament (Knesset) of 1 20 members elected under a system of proportional representation; legislation provides fundamental laws in absence of a written constitution; two distinct court systems (secular and religious)

Israel Defense Forces; historically there have been no separate Israeli military services; ground, air, and naval components are part of Israel Defense Forces

Budget

public revenue $10.4 billion, expenditure $15.2 billion (1981)

Capital

Cairo

Jerusalem; not recognized by US, which maintains Embassy in Tel Aviv

Civil air

26 major transport aircraft

Coastline

2,450 km (1967) People

273 km (before 1967 war) People

26 km People

Communists

approximately 500 party members

RAKAH (predominantly Arab but with Jews in its leadership) has some 1,500 members; the Jewish Communist Party, MAKI, is now part of Moked, which is a far-left Zionist party included in SHELLI (Equality and Peace for Israel)

Elections

regular elections to People's Assembly every five years (most recent June 1979); two-thirds of Shura Council is elected for six-year term (first elections were in September 1980) with remaining members appointed by President; presidential election every six years (President Mubarak was elected in October 1981) Political parties and leaders: formation of political parties must be approved by government; National Democratic Party, led by Mubarak, is the dominant party; legal opposition parties are Socialist Liberal Party, Kamal Murad; Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim Shukri; National Progressive Unionist Grouping, Khalid Muhyi-al-Din; Umma Party, Ahmad al-Sabahi; and New Wafd Party, Fu'ad Siraj al-Din

held every four years unless required by dissolution of Knesset; last election held in June 1981; next scheduled for July Political parties and leaders: Likud coalition includes — Herut, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir; Liberal Party, Minister of Energy Yitzhak Modai; National Religious Party, Minister of Interior and Police Yosef Burg; Agudat Israel, Avraham Shapira; La 'am, Minister of Health Eliezer Shostak; TAMI, Aharon Abu-Hatzeira; Tehiya, Minister of Science and Development Yuval Ne'eman; MATZAD, Chaim Druckman; and two independents; Labor Alignment includes — Israel Labor Party, Shimon Peres, Yitzak Rabin; MAPAM, Victor Shemtov; and Citizens' Rights Movement, Shulamit Aloni; other oppostion parties include — RAKAH (Communist party), Meir Wilner; Shinui Party, Amnon Rubenstein

Electric power

6,757,800 kW capacity (1983); 29.599 billion kWh produced (1983), 645 kWh per capita

4,030,600 kW capacity (1983); 15.252 billion kWh produced (1983), 3,854 kWh per capita

Ethnic divisions

90% Eastern Hamitic stock; 10% Greek, Italian, Syro-Lebanese

85% Jewish, 15% non-Jewish (mostly Arab)

98% Arab, 1% Circassian, 1% Armenian

Exports

$4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1982); crude petroleum, raw cotton, cotton yarn and fabric

$5.6 billion (f.o.b., 1982); major items — polished diamonds, citrus and other fruits, textiles and clothing, processed foods, fertilizer and chemical products, electronics; tourism is important foreign exchange earner

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GNP

$30.8 billion (1982), $690 per capita; real growth of 6% in 1982

$22.2 billion (1982, in 1982 prices), $5,612 per capita; 1982 growth of real GNP -0.2%

Government leader

Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, President

Government leaders

Yitzhak SHAMIR, Prime Minister; Chaim HERZOG, President

Highways

4,459 km; majority is bituminous surfaced

Imports

$9.3 billion (c.i.f., 1982); foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fertilizers, woods

$8.8 billion (f.o.b., 1982); major items — military equipment, rough diamonds, oil, chemicals, machinery, iron and steel, cereals, textiles, vehicles, ships, and aircraft

Inland waterways

none

Labor force

13.4 million; 45-50% agriculture, 13% industry, 11% trade and finance, 26% services and other; shortage of skilled labor

29.8% public services; 22.7% industry, mining, and manufacturing; 12.8% commerce; 9.0% finance and business; 6.8% transport, storage, and communications; 6.2% construction and public works; 5.6% agriculture, forestry, and fishing; 6.1% personal and other services; 1.1% electricity and water (1982)

463,000

Land boundaries

approximately 2,580 km Water

1,036 km (before 1967 war) Water

1,770 km (1967) Water

Language

Arabic (official); English and French widely understood by educated classes

Hebrew official; Arabic used officially for Arab minority; English most commonly used foreign language

Arabic official; English widely understood among upper and middle classes

Legal system

based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; permanent constitution written in 1971; judicial review of limited nature in Supreme Court, also in Council of State, which oversees validity of administrative decisions; legal education at Cairo University; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

mixture of English common law and, in personal area, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; commercial matters regulated substantially by codes adopted since 1948; no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws of the Knesset (legislature) — relating to the Knesset, Israeli lands, the president, the government — and the Israel citizenship law; no judicial review of legislative acts; legal education at Hebrew University of Jerusalem; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

12 nm (plus 6 nm "necessary supervision zone")

6 nm

3 nm

Literacy

40%

88% Jews, 48% Arabs

about 70%

Major industries

textiles, food processing, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement

food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles and clothing, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, electrical equipment, miscellaneous machinery, potash mining, high-technology electronics

Major trade partners

US, EC countries

exports — US, UK, FRG, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy; imports— US, FRG, UK, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg

Member of

AAPSO, Af DB, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, IDA, IDE— Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, IPU, IRC, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, QIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WPC, WSG, WTO; Egypt suspended from Arab League and OAPEC in April 1979 Economy

FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, IDA, IDB— Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOOC, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, IWC — International Wheat Council, OAS (observer), UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO Economy

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 31 March 1984, $5.3 billion; 24% of central government budget

Military manpower

eligible 15-49, 1,909,000; of 962,000 males 15-49, 605,000 fit for military service; of 947,000 females 1549, 594,000 fit for military service; 36,000 males and 34,000 females reach military age (18) annually; both sexes liable for military

Monetary conversion rate

official rate 0.07 Egyptian pound=US$l; official "incentive" rate 0.84 Egyptian pound=US$l; parallel or "own" exchange market rate 1.15 Egyptian pounds=US$l (October 1983)

the Israeli pound was allowed to float on 31 October 1977; the shekel became the unit of account on 1 October 1980 (1 shekel=10 Israeli pounds); 24.27 shekels=US$l (average conversion rate for 1982)

National holiday

National Day, 23 July

National holidays

Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948; because the Jewish calendar is lunar, however, the holiday varies from year to year; all major Jewish religious holidays are also observed as national holidays

Nationality

noun — Egyptian(s); adjective — Egyptian or Arab Republic of Egypt

noun — Israeli(s); adjective — Israeli

noun — Jordanian(s); adjective — Jordanian

NOTE

the Arab territories occupied by Israel since the 1 967 war are not included in the data below; as stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by the President's 1 September 1982 peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, its relationship with its neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties; Camp David further specifies that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries; pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined (see West Bank and Gaza Strip "Factsheet"); on 25 April 1982 Israel relinquished control of the Sinai to Egypt; statistics for the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights are included in the Syria Factsheet. Land 20,720 km2, 40% pasture and meadow; 29% unsurveyed (mostly desert); 20% cultivated; 4% forest; 4% desert, waste, or urban; 3% inland water

the war between Israel and the Arab states in June 1967 ended with Israel in control of the West Bank; as stated in the 1978 Camp David Accords and reaffirmed by the President's 1 September 1982 peace initiative, the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, its relationship with its neighbors, and a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan are to be negotiated among the concerned parties; Camp David further specifies that these negotiations will resolve the location of the respective boundaries; pending the completion of this process, it is US policy that the final status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has yet to be determined (see West Bank and Gaza Strip "Factsheet"). Land 90,650 km2; 88% desert, waste, or urban; 11% agricultural; 1% forest

Official name

Arab Republic of Egypt

State of Israel

Hashemite Kingdom of

Organized labor

1 to 3 million Government

90% of labor force Government

about 10% of labor force Government

Other political or pressure groups

Islamic groups are illegal, but the largest one, the Muslim Brotherhood, is tolerated by the government; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

right wing Kach Movement led by Rabbi Meir Kahane; Black Panthers, a loosely organized youth group seeking more benefits for oriental Jews; Gush Emunim, Jewish rightwing nationalists pushing for freedom for Jews to settle anywhere on the West Bank; Peace Now critical of government's West Bank pol-

Pipelines

crude oil, 708 km; refined products, 290 km; natural gas, 89 km

Political subdivisions

26 governorates

six administrative districts

Population

47,049,000 (July 1984), average annual growth rate 2.7%

3,855,345, excluding East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers in occupied territories (July 1984), average annual growth rate 1.5%

2,689,000 (July 1984), average annual growth rate 3.8%

Ports

3 major (Haifa, Ashdod, Elat), 5 minor

Railroads

647 km 1.435-meter single track standard gauge; diesel operated

Religion

(official estimate) 94% Muslim (mostly Sunni), 6% Coptic Christian and other

85% Judaism, 11% Islam, 4% Christian and other

90-92% Sunni Muslim, 8-10% Christian

Suffrage

universal over age 18

universal over age 18

Telecommunications

most highly developed in the Middle East though not the largest; good system of coaxial cable and radio relay; 1,230,000 telephones (31.3 per 100 popl.); 1 1 AM, 24 FM stations, 54 TV stations; 2 submarine cables; 2 Atlantic Ocean satellite antennas; 1 Indian Ocean antenna under construction Defense Forces

Type

republic

republic

Voting strength

Knesset — Likud, 64 seats; Labor Alignment, 50 seats; RAKAH, 4 seats; Shinui Party, 2 seats