ood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have
established some small-scale modern industries in the settlements and
industrial centers
Agriculture:
accounts for about 15% of GNP; olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables,
beef, and dairy products
Economic aid:
NA
Currency:
new Israeli shekel (plural - shekels) and Jordanian dinar (plural - dinars);
1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot and 1 Jordanian dinar (JD) =
1,000 fils

:West Bank Economy

Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.4019 (March 1992), 2.2791 (1991),
2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987); Jordanian dinars
(JD) per US$1 - 0.6760 (January 1992), 0.6810 (1991), 0.6636 (1990), 0.5704
(1989), 0.3709 (1988), 0.3387 (1987)
Fiscal year:
previously 1 April - 31 March; FY91 was 1 April - 31 December, and since 1
January 1992 the fiscal year has conformed to the calendar year

:West Bank Communications

Highways:
small road network, Israelis developing east-west axial highways to service
new settlements
Airports:
2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
2,439 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
open-wire telephone system currently being upgraded; broadcast stations - no
AM, no FM, no TV

:West Bank Defense Forces

Branches:
NA
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, NA; NA fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

:Western Sahara Geography

Total area:
266,000 km2
Land area:
266,000 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundaries:
2,046 km total; Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Coastline:
1,110 km
Maritime claims:
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Disputes:
claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the
UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered
cease-fire has been currently in effect since September 1991
Climate:
hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore currents produce fog and heavy
dew
Terrain:
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising
to small mountains in south and northeast
Natural resources:
phosphates, iron ore
Land use:
arable land NEGL%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and p