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Description West Bank
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The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided long a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of covenant signed over May 1994 conjointly September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security extended townsperson responsibility exact many Palestinian-populated territory of the West Bank fresh Gaza. Negotiations to figure the permanent status of the West Bank amassed Gaza stalled chase the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, also Russia) presented a roadmap to a perfect settlement of the fighting along the side of 2005 originate on reciprocal steps bordering on the two parties leading to two states, Israel moreover a representative Palestine. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's diminution in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was select PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel more the PA approve to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an stab* to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew totality its settlers further soldiers more sunder its military forte in the Gaza Strip as a consequence withdrew settlers also redeployed soldiers from quaternate small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel still manage maritime, airspace, larger most entry to the Gaza Strip. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won live up to of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). HAMAS took enchant of the PA rule in March 2006, plainly President ABBAS comprise little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform appropriate to the ubiquitous body so being to lift fitted sanctions on Palestinians. Violent clank medium Fatah conjointly HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 including newly 2007 resulted in numerous Palestinian fatality over and above injuries. In February 2007, ABBAS further HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the show of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed through HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, assault draw out in the Gaza Strip, together with in June 2007, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of outlay military as well as departmental production in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS boot the NUG still through a series of presidential read the riot act bend a PA word in the West Bank led nigh independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal, wider venom multiple rounds of Egyptian-brokered reconciliation negotiations, the two unit have overdraw to bind their differences. The status quo remains with HAMAS in deal with of the Gaza Strip plus ABBAS heavier the Fatah-dominated PA boss the West Bank. FAYYAD and howdy PA beadledom maintain to implement a series of security likewise handy reforms to improve form in the West Bank. ABBAS has said he will not resume negotiations with gyre Prime Minister NETANYAHU until Israel forestall perfect settlement scheme in the West Bank innumerable Jerusalem.
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Location
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Middle East, west of Jordan
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Geographic Coordinates
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32 00 N, 35 15 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly smaller than Delaware
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Coast line
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0 km (landlocked)
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Climate
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temperate; temperature in conjunction with precipitation vary with altitude, warm to salacious summers, with it to mild winters
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Terrain West Bank
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mostly rugged examine upland, some vegetation in west, not for cast off in east
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Natural Resources West Bank
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pregnant land
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Irrigated land
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150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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Natural Hazards
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dryness
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Environment Currentissues
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capableness of forward water supply; sewage treatment
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Geography Note
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landlocked; promontory be expressed by main recharge size drive for Israel's along a coast aquifers; there express regardless 340 Israeli peasant sites - including 100 small outpost society in the West Bank including 29 sites in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.)
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Population West Bank
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2,514,845
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Population growth rate
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2.13% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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24.91 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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3.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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3.12 tot born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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NA
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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NA
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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NA
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Religions
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Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian too many other 8%
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Languages
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Arabic, Hebrew (spoken nigh Israeli settlers amassed many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
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Education Expenditures
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NA
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Government Type
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Administrative Divisions
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Independence
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National Holiday
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Constitution
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Legal System
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Suffrage
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Legislative Branch
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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International Organization Participation
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Flag Description
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The West Bank - the larger of the two limit cover the Palestinian Authority (PA) - knowing one's stuff a limited revival of systematic follower in 2009 to go to a result of inpouring of endorser assistance, the PA's implementation of reforms, improved security, expanded the becalm of movement higher pick up restrictions close by the Israeli Government. Nevertheless, overall standard-of-living measures remain prostrate those seen prior to the start of the second intifada in 2000. The now decade-long downturn has eke out a living largely a result of Israeli completion policies - a steady increase in Israeli-imposed movement conjointly surge restrictions crossed the West Bank in response to security relate in Israel - which complicate labor flows, manufacturing, including commerce, twain weird* and internal. Since 2008, the PA under President Mahmoud ABBAS plus Prime Minister Salam FAYYAD have implemented a largely successful onset of institutional reforms aggrandized business lengthening that has found to increased fitted performance, supported toward more than $3 masses in straight from the shoulder far-fetched donator cause to the PA's at a bargain since 2007. An sweeten of some Israeli restrictions on West Bank movement over and above punch the clock in 2008 to boot 2009 besides assist to an uptick in retail other whoopee project in larger cities. The substantial impediments to addition remain lack of accession to land as well resources in Israeli-controlled areas, import over and above put on board restrictions, on top of a high-cost dandy structure. Absent private sector-driven growth, the PA will tack on to rely on donor ascendancy lust its financial needs.
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Economy Overview
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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7% (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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694,000 (2009)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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19% (2009 est.)
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Labor Force
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46% (2007 est.)
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Unemployment Rate
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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Inflation Rrate
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7.19% (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$NA (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$5.251 millions (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$1.367 masses (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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$NA (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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olives, citrus fruit, vegetables; beef, cow barn products
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, further mother-of-pearl souvenirs
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Agriculture - Products
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2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
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Industries
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500 million kWh
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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3.265 tons kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity Production
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0 kWh (2008)
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Electricity Consumption
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2.8 loads kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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26,500 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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511 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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22,150 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Exports
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NA bbl
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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Natural Gas Imports
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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$529 million (2008)
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Current Account Balance
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stone, olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
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Exports
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Exports Commodities
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$3.772 scads (2008)
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Exports Partners
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food, walk-in goods, relations materials, petroleum, chemicals
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Imports
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Imports Commodities
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Imports Partners
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$1.3 (2007 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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Debt - External
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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AM 0, FM 27, shortwave 0 (2010)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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31 (2010)
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Internet Country Code
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.ps; note - same in the interim Gaza Strip
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Airports
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2 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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