2018 Edition

Background

Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., Gaza has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. Gaza fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; it was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1994 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip stalled in 2001, after which the area witnessed a violent intifada or uprising.   Israel by late 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip’s land and maritime borders and airspace. In early 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Attempts to form a unity government between Fatah and HAMAS failed and violent clashes between their respective supporters ensued, culminating in HAMAS's violent seizure of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in June 2007. Since HAMAS’s takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Fatah and HAMAS have since reached a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to effect them; a reconciliation agreement signed in October 2017 remains unimplemented.   In July 2014, HAMAS and other Gaza-based militant groups engaged in a 51-day conflict with Israel — the third conflict since HAMAS’s takeover in 2007 — culminating in late August with an open-ended truce that continues to tenuously hold despite the absence of a negotiated cease-fire and periodic attacks. The UN in 2015 published a study assessing that the Gaza Strip could become uninhabitable by 2020 unless steps are taken to address Gaza’s economic and humanitarian situation. In September 2018, the UN reported that conditions were worse than when its experts made that prediction.

Area

land

360 sq km

total

360 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Coastline

40 km

Elevation

0 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea

note

105 highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah)

Environment Current Issues

soil degradation; desertification; water pollution from chemicals and pesticides; salination of fresh water; improper sewage treatment; water-borne disease; depletion and contamination of underground water resources

Geographic Coordinates

31 25 N, 34 20 E

Geography Note

strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip; the Gaza Strip settlements were evacuated in 2005

Irrigated Land

240 sq km; note - includes the West Bank (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (2)

Egypt 13 km, Israel 59 km

total

72 km

Location

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel

Map References

Middle East

Maritime Claims

note

see entry for Israel note: effective 3 January 2009, the Gaza maritime area is closed to all maritime traffic and is under blockade imposed by Israeli Navy until further notice

Natural Hazards

droughts

Natural Resources

arable land, natural gas

Population Distribution

population concentrated in major cities, particularly Gaza City in the north

Terrain

flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Age Structure

0-14 years

44.1% (male 415,746 /female 394,195)

15-24 years

21.34% (male 197,797 /female 194,112)

25-54 years

28.5% (male 256,103 /female 267,285)

55-64 years

3.48% (male 33,413 /female 30,592)

65 years and over

2.58% (male 24,863 /female 22,607) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

30.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

1.4% (2014)

note

estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

57.2% (includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank) (2014)

Death Rate

3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.2 (2015 est.)

note

data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

potential support ratio

19.1 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

75.8 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

70.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 50.7% of population

rural: 81.5% of population

total: 58.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 49.3% of population

rural: 18.5% of population

total: 41.6% of population (2015 est.)

note

includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Education Expenditures

5.7% of GDP (2016)

note

includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Ethnic Groups

Palestinian Arab

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Hiv Aids Deaths

NA

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

NA

Hospital Bed Density

1.32 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

14.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

17.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

16 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

76.2 years (2018 est.)

male

72.7 years (2018 est.)

total population

74.4 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2016 est.)

female

95.2% (2016 est.)

male

98.6% (2016 est.)

note

estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank

total population

96.9% (2016 est.)

Maternal Mortality Rate

45 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

note

data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Median Age

female

17.8 years (2018 est.)

male

17.1 years

total

17.4 years

Nationality

adjective

NA

noun

NA

Net Migration Rate

-5.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Physicians Density

2.2 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

1,836,713 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.25% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian <1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0% (2012 est.)

note

dismantlement of Israeli settlements was completed in September 2005; Gaza has had no Jewish population since then

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 93% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 90.2% of population (2015 est.)

total: 92.3% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 7% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 9.8% of population (2015 est.)

total: 7.7% of population (2015 est.)

note

note includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

14 years (2015)

male

12 years (2015)

note

data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

total

13 years (2015)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

1.1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.71 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

3.97 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

60.8% (2015 est.)

male

36.4% (2015 est.)

note

includes the West Bank

total

40.7% (2015 est.)

Urbanization

note

data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

rate of urbanization

3% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

76.2% of total population (2018)

Country Name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Gaza Strip

etymology

named for the largest city in the region, Gaza, whose settlement can be traced back to at least the 15th century B.C. (as "Ghazzat")

local long form

none

local short form

Qita' Ghazzah

Agriculture Products

olives, fruit, vegetables, flowers; beef, dairy products

Budget

note

see entry for the West Bank

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

note

see entry for the West Bank

Current Account Balance

-$1.444 billion (2017 est.)

-$1.348 billion (2016 est.)

note

excludes the West Bank

Debt External

note

see entry for the West Bank

Economy Overview

Movement and access restrictions, violent attacks, and the slow pace of post-conflict reconstruction continue to degrade economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, the smaller of the two areas comprising the Palestinian territories. Israeli controls became more restrictive after HAMAS seized control of the territory in June 2007. Under Hamas control, Gaza has suffered from rising unemployment, elevated poverty rates, and a sharp contraction of the private sector, which had relied primarily on export markets.Since April 2017, the Palestinian Authority has reduced payments for electricity supplied to Gaza and cut salaries for its employees there, exacerbating poor economic conditions. Since 2014, Egypt’s crackdown on the Gaza Strip’s extensive tunnel-based smuggling network has exacerbated fuel, construction material, and consumer goods shortages in the territory. Donor support for reconstruction following the 51-day conflict in 2014 between Israel and HAMAS and other Gaza-based militant groups has fallen short of post-conflict needs.

Exchange Rates

note

see entry for the West Bank

Exports

$1.955 billion (2017 est.)

$1.827 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

strawberries, carnations, vegetables, fish (small and irregular shipments, as permitted to transit the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

18.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

26.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

88.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-55.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

note

data exclude the West Bank

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

3% (2017 est.)

industry

21.1% (2017 est.)

note

data exclude the West Bank

services

75% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$2.938 billion (2014 est.) (2014 est.)

note

excludes the West Bank

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

note

see entry for the the West Bank

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

note

see entry for the West Bank

Gdp Real Growth Rate

-15.2% (2014 est.)

5.6% (2013 est.)

7% (2012 est.)

note

excludes the West Bank

Imports

$8.59 billion (2018 est.)

$7.852 billion (2017 est.)

note

see entry for the West Bank

Imports Commodities

food, consumer goods, fuel

Industrial Production Growth Rate

2.2% (2017 est.)

note

see entry for the West Bank

Industries

textiles, food processing, furniture

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

0.2% (2017 est.)

-0.2% (2016 est.)

note

excludes the West Bank

Labor Force

1.24 million (2017 est.)

note

excludes the West Bank

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

5.2%

industry

10%

note

data exclude the West Bank

services

84.8% (2015 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

30% (2011 est.)

note

data exclude the West Bank

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$446.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$583 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$2.901 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.538 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$2.041 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.712 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

note

see entry for the West Bank

Unemployment Rate

27.9% (2017 est.)

27% (2016 est.)

note

data exclude the West Bank

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

93% (2012)

electrification - total population

98% (2012)

electrification - urban areas

99% (2012)

note

data for Gaza Strip and West Bank combined

population without electricity

80,930 (2012)

Electricity Consumption

202,000 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity Imports

193,000 kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity Production

51,000 kWh (2011 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

note

includes West Bank

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2016 est.)

total

320,500 (2016 est.)

Broadcast Media

1 TV station and about 10 radio stations; satellite TV accessible (2008)

Internet Country Code

.psnote - same as the West Bank

Internet Users

percent of population

57.4% (July 2016 est.)

total

2.673 million (includes the West Bank) (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed-line services; the Palestinian JAWWAL company provides cellular services; a slow 2G network allows calls and limited data transmission (2018)

general assessment

Israel has final say in allocating frequencies in the Gaza Strip and does not permit anything beyond a 2G network (2018)

international

country code - 970 (2018)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9 (includes the West Bank); (July 2016 est.) (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

432,000 (includes the West Bank); (July 2016 est.) (July 2016 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

76 (includes the West Bank) (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

3,531,000 (includes the West Bank) (July 2016 est.)

Airports

1 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

over 3,047 m

1 (2017)

total

1 (2017)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Gaza

Roadways

note

see entry for the West Bank

Military Branches

HAMAS does not have a conventional military in the Gaza Strip but maintains security forces in addition to its military wing, the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the military wing reports to the Hamas Political Bureau leadership (2018)

Disputes International

the status of the Gaza Strip is a final status issue to be resolved through negotiationsIsrael removed settlers and military personnel from Gaza Strip in September 2005

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

IDPs

231,000 (includes persons displaced within the Gaza Strip due to the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since June 2014 and other Palestinian IDPs in the Gaza Strip and West Bank who fled as long ago as 1967, although confirmed cumulative data do not go back beyond 2006) (2017)

refugees (country of origin)

1,348,536 (Palestinian refugees) (2017)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

Abdallah Azzam Brigades (AAB)

aim(s): bolster its staging capabilities in the Gaza Strip against Israel to continue its attempts to disrupt Israel's economy and its efforts to establish securityarea(s) of operation: launches homemade rockets from the Gaza Strip into populated Israeli territory, primarily the cities of Nahariya and Ashkelon (April 2018)

al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AAMB)

aim(s): bolster its staging capabilities in the Gaza Strip against Israel and, ultimately, establish a Palestinian state comprising the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jerusalemarea(s) of operation: stages attacks from the Gaza Strip against Israeli soldiers and civilians inside Israel, including launching rockets and missiles (April 2018)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Sinai

aim(s): bolster its staging capabilities in the Gaza Strip against Israel and, ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphatearea(s) of operation: stages attacks against Egyptian forces along the Gaza Strip-Egypt border and launches rockets into southern Israel from the border closest to Israelnote: formerly known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (April 2018)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

Army of Islam (AOI)

aim(s): stage attacks against Israel and Egypt from the Gaza Strip and, ultimately, establish an Islamic emirate in the regionarea(s) of operation: headquartered in Gaza; heaviest presence and operational activity is in the Gaza Stripnote: operatives have a history of launching low-impact rockets into Israeli and Egyptian territory; the Army of Islam (Jaish al-Islam, JAI) in Syria is unrelated to AOI (April 2018)

HAMAS

aim(s): maintain control of the Gaza Strip to facilitate Palestinian nationalist aimsarea(s) of operation: headquartered in Gaza (April 2018)

Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem (MSC)

aim(s): bolster its staging capabilities in the Gaza Strip against Israel and, ultimately, destroy the state of Israelarea(s) of operation: headquartered in Gaza, although present in Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Israel (April 2018)

Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ)

aim(s): enhance its staging capabilities in the Gaza Strip to launch attacks against Israelarea(s) of operation: stages rocket attacks against civilians and military personnel primarily in southern Israel (April 2018)

Palestine Liberation Front (PLF)

aim(s): bolster its staging capabilities in the Gaza Strip against Israel and, ultimately, destroy the state of Israel in order to establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capitalarea(s) of operation: based in Gaza; maintains a recruitment and paramilitary training presence in most of the refugee camps across the Gaza Strip (April 2018)

PFLP-General Command (PFLP-GC)

aim(s): bolster its staging capabilities to prepare fighters for deployment to Syria and to launch occasional attacks inside Israel; ultimately, seeks to establish a Palestinian statearea(s) of operation: headquartered in Gaza; as a longtime supporter of the Syrian Government, the group trains and deploys fighters to Syria to fight on behalf of President Bashar al-ASAD; stages occasional small-scale attacks inside Israel (April 2018)

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)

aim(s): destroy the state of Israel and, ultimately, establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian statearea(s) of operation: headquartered in Gaza, recruiting and training fighters; stages limited attacks against Israel (April 2018)