HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:

Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions:

Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages:

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

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.4%
male: 96.7%
female: 88% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

NA

Government
West Bank

Country name:

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank

Economy
West Bank

Economy - overview:

The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the
Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in
economic conditions since the second intifada began in September
2000. The downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure
policies - the imposition of closures and access restrictions in
response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor and
trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002,
Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of
capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread
business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to
the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse
of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's
financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade
opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank
and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international
community's financial embargo of the PA when HAMAS ran the PA during
March 2006 - June 2007 has interrupted the provision of PA social
services and the payment of PA salaries. Since June the Fayyad
government in the West Bank has restarted salary payments and the
provision of services but would be unable to operate absent high
levels of international assistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$5.034 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.328 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-8% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)

GDP - comp