The Palestinian Territories’ Profile
Country File
|
Population: 4,013,126 (CIA, 2009)
West Bank: 2,461,267 inhabitants, 443,702 Israeli settlers settled in the area, of which 181,000 are in East Jerusalem where
Israelis represent 67% and the Palestinian population is 33%. 722,000 Palestinians
are refugees in refugee camps (CIA WFB 2009) Ages:
0-14 years: 37.3% of the total pop. 15-64 years: 59.1% of the total pop. 65 years and over: 3.7%% of total pop.
Gaza Strip: 1,551,859, of which 1,059,584 Palestinians are in refugee camps
Ages:
0-14 years: 44.4% of the total pop. 15-64 years: 53% of the total pop. 65 years and over: 2.6% of the total pop.
Population density in Gaza: 4270 inhab. / per sq. km.
|
Capital: Jerusalem (de jure), Ramallah (West Bank), Gaza City (Gaza Strip)
Surface: 6220 sq. km. (360 sq. km. Gaza Strip, West Bank 5860 sq. km.)
Currency: the currency used is the “New Israeli Shekel” (NIS).
The exchange rate was 5.5 Nis for 1 euro (as of April 2009). The Jordanian dinar also circulates.
Language: Arabic, Hebrew (English is widely understood)
Religion:
Gaza Strip: Muslim 99% (mostly Sunni), Christian 1%
West Bank: Muslim 75% (mostly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian 8%
Ethnic groups:
Gaza Strip: Palestinian Arab
West Bank: Palestinian Arabs 83%, Jews 17%
|
Socio-political context and the framework for the creation of a new State
The last Human Development Report UNDP of 2009 ranks the Palestinian Territories as 110th out of 182 countries. In the special classification of the ISU, the Palestinian territories are listed just after Turkmenistan and before Indonesia and Nigeria. The Human Development Index measures the indices of average life expectancy (73.3 years), literacy (93.8%), enrollment (78.3%) and GDP Annual per capita Purchasing Power Parity (ND). The Palestinian Reform and Development Plan (PRDP), is a document that was created after long and intense meetings between the Palestinian National Authority and the International Community. Its goals are to establish a leadership that can improve the effectiveness of the aid and to strengthen democratic Palestinian institutions in order to prepare the groundwork for the creation of the future Palestinian state.
Currently, the Palestinian government has put the Ministry of Planning (MoPAD) in charge of coordinating the reorganization of the Palestinian ministries and to attune the activities of the sectorial strategies according to the Palestinian National Plan (2011-2013) a political document based on the 13th Government’s program plan. (Palestine: Ending the Occupation and Establishing the State).
