2021 Edition

Background

Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The Gaza Strip 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; Israel captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1993 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. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began, and in 2001 negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West bank and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 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, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and 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 enact 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 culminating in late August with an open-ended truce. Since 2014, Palestinian militants and the Israel Defense Forces have exchanged projectiles and air strikes respectively, sometimes lasting multiple days and resulting in multiple deaths on both sides. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process have negotiated multiple ceasefires to avert a broader conflict. Since March 2018, HAMAS has coordinated weekly demonstrations along the Gaza security fence, many of which have turned violent, resulting in one Israeli soldier death and several Israeli soldier injuries as well as more than 200 Palestinian deaths and thousands of injuries.

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

highest point

Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Awdah) 105 m

lowest point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

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

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

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

42.53% (male 418,751/female 397,013)

15-24 years

21.67% (male 210,240/female 205,385)

25-54 years

29.47% (male 275,976/female 289,277)

55-64 years

3.66% (male 36,409/female 33,731)

65 years and over

2.68% (male 27,248/female 24,191) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

28.1 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.1% (2019/20)

note

note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Contraceptive prevalence rate

57.3% (2019/20)

note

note:  includes Gaza Strip and West Bank

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

2.94 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.5

note

note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

potential support ratio

18.2 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

71.2

youth dependency ratio

65.7

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 97.1% of population

improved: total

total: 96.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.1% of population

note

note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.9% of population

Education expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2018)

note

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

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Infant mortality rate

female

14.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

16.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

77 years (2021 est.)

male

73.38 years

total population

75.14 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.2% (2020)

male

98.8%

note

note: estimates are for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

total population

97.5%

Maternal mortality ratio

27 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

note

note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Median age

female

18.4 years (2020 est.)

male

17.7 years

total

18 years

Nationality

adjective

NA

noun

NA

Net migration rate

-4.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Physicians density

2.77 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

1,957,062 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

2.05% (2021 est.)

Religions

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

note

note:  Israel dismantled its settlements in September 2005; Gaza has had no Jewish population since then

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.3% of population

improved: total

total: 99.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

note

note: note includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2020)

male

12 years

note

note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.02 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.95 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.13 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.54 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

70% (2020 est.)

male

36.6%

note

note: includes the West Bank

total

42.1%

Urbanization

note

note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

rate of urbanization

2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

77% of total population (2021)

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

Agricultural products

tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds

Budget

see entry for the West Bank

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$1.348 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$1.444 billion (2017 est.)

note

note: excludes the West Bank

Debt - external

see entry for the West Bank

Economic 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

see entry for the West Bank

Exports

Exports 2016

$1.827 billion (2016 est.)

Exports 2017

$1.955 billion (2017 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

note: data exclude the West Bank

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3% (2017 est.)

industry

21.1% (2017 est.)

note

note: data exclude the West Bank

services

75% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.938 billion (2014 est.)

note

note: excludes the West Bank

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

33.7 (2016 est.)

Imports

Imports 2017

$7.852 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$8.59 billion (2018 est.)

note

see entry for the West Bank

Imports - commodities

food, consumer goods, fuel

Industrial production growth rate

2.2% (2017 est.)

note

note: see entry for the West Bank

Industries

textiles, food processing, furniture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-0.2% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.2% (2017 est.)

note

note: excludes the West Bank

Labor force

1.24 million (2017 est.)

note

note: excludes the West Bank

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

5.2%

industry

10%

note

note: data exclude the West Bank

services

84.8% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

30% (2011 est.)

note

note: data exclude the West Bank

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

see entry for the West Bank

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: excludes the West Bank

Real GDP growth rate 2012

7% (2012 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2013

5.6% (2013 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2014

-15.2% (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

see entry for the the West Bank

Real GDP per capita 2017

$6,402 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$6,318 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$6,220 (2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2015

$583 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$446.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: data exclude the West Bank

Unemployment rate 2016

27% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

27.9% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

70% (2020 est.)

male

36.6%

note

note: includes the West Bank

total

42.1%

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

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.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2018)

note

note: data for Gaza Strip and West Bank combined

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

note

note: includes West Bank

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2016 est.)

total

320,500

Broadcast media

1 TV station and about 10 radio stations; satellite TV accessible

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)

Telecommunication systems

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; fixed-line 9 per 100 and mobile-cellular 76 per 100 (includes West Bank)

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 or 972 (2018)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

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

total subscriptions

472,293 (includes the West Bank); (July 2016 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

76 (includes the West Bank) (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

4,135,363 (includes the West Bank)

Airports

total

1 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

note

note - non-operational

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2019)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Gaza

Roadways

note: see entry for the West Bank

Military - note

since seizing control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, HAMAS has claimed responsibility for numerous rocket attacks into Israel and organized protests at the border between Gaza and Israel, resulting in violent clashes, casualties, and reprisal military actions by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF); HAMAS and Israel fought an 11-day conflict in May of 2021, which ended in an informal truce; sporadic clashes continued through 2021, including incendiary balloon attacks from Gaza and retaliatory IDF strikes; Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has conducted numerous attacks on Israel since the 1980s, including a barrage of mortar and rocket strikes in 2020, also prompting IDF counter-strikes; see Appendix-T for more details on HAMAS and PIJ

Military and security forces

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; there are several other militant groups operating in the Gaza Strip, most notably the Al-Quds Brigades of Palestine Islamic Jihad, which are usually but not always beholden to HAMAS's authority (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the military wing of HAMAS has an estimated 20-25,000 fighters (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military wing of HAMAS is armed with light weapons, including an inventory of improvised rocket, anti-tank missile, and mortar capabilities; HAMAS acquires its weapons through smuggling or local construction and receives some military support from Iran (2021)

Military expenditures

not available

Disputes - international

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

131,000 (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) (2020)

note

data represent Gaza Strip and West Bank

refugees (country of origin)

1,476,706 (Palestinian refugees) (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

Army of Islam; Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Sinai Province; Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; PFLP-General Command; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

3.23 megatons (2016 est.)

note

note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Climate

temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

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

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

837 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

note

note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

162 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

32 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

181.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

note

note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Urbanization

note

note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

rate of urbanization

2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

77% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1.387 million tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

6,935 tons (2013 est.)

note

note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

0.5% (2013 est.)