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December 6th, 2010 / December 5th, 2018

Facts & Figures of Palestine

Political leadership

Palestine President Mahmud Abbas

President Mahmoud Abbas (Since January 2005)

Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah (Since June 2013)

Land

West BankTotal 5,860 sq km; Land 5,640 sq km; Water (220) sq Km Gaza Strip Total 360 sq km; Land 360 sq km; Water (0) sq Km

Boundaries

Gaza Strip: 72 km West Bank: 478 km

Border countries

West Bank: Israel 330 km, Jordan 148 km Gaza Strip: Egypt 13 km, Israel 59 km

Coastline

West Bank: 0 km Gaza Strip: 40 km

Population

Gaza Strip: 1.90 million (2017 est.) West Bank: 2.88 million (2017 est.)

Age structure

West Bank:
0-14 years: 36.9%; 15-64 years: 57.2%; 65+: 3.6% (2017 est.)
Gaza Strip:
0-14 years: 41.8%; 15-64 years: 53.9%; 65+: 2.8% (2017 est.)

Population growth rate

WEST BANK and GAZA STRIP: 2.9% (2017 est.)

Urbanisation

WEST BANK and GAZA STRIP: 77% (2017 est.)

Major cities

WEST BANK: Khalil 25% of the total population of the West Bank, Jerusalem 14.7%, Nablus 13.7% GAZA STRIP: Gaza 34% of the total population of Gaza Strip, Khan Yunis 19.6%, North Gaza 19.4%

Ethnic groups

WEST BANK: Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other GAZA STRIP: Palestinian Arab

Religions

WEST BANK: Muslim 80-85% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other <1% (2012 est.) GAZA STRIP: Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian <1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0% (2012 est.)

Languages

WEST BANK: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) GAZA STRIP: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Literacy

West Bank and Gaza: (Age 15+ can read and write) total population: 96.9%; male: 98.6%; female: 95.2% (2016 est.)

Real GDP

$12.14 billion (2017); $11.77 billion (2016)

GDP growth

3.14% (2017); 4.71% (2016)

GDP per capita

$2,494.1 (2017 est.); $2,655.5 (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

WEST BANK : 18% (2017 est.); GAZA STRIP: 44% (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

WEST BANK : 18% (2011 est.); GAZA STRIP: 30% (2011 est.)

Public debt

24.4% of GDP (2014 est.); 23.8% of GDP (2013 est.)

Inflation rate

0.2% (2017 est.)

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