local Palestinian
firms to compete with Israeli industry. GDP has been substantially
supplemented by workers who commute to jobs in Israel. Worker
remittances from the Persian Gulf states dropped after Iraq invaded
Kuwait in August 1990. In the wake of the Persian Gulf crisis, many
Palestinians have returned to the West Bank, increasing unemployment,
and export revenues have dropped because of the decline of markets in
Jordan and the Gulf states. An estimated 147,000 people were in
refugee camps in 1996.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$2.8 billion (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: -6.9% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,600 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 25%
services: 42% (1995 est., includes Gaza Strip)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 8.4% (1996 est.)

Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 13%, commerce, restaurants,
and hotels 12%, construction 8%, other services 54% (1996)
note: excluding Israeli settlers

Unemployment rate: 28% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $684 million
expenditures: $779 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996)
note: includes Gaza Strip

Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement,
textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs;
the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in
the settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity-capacity: NA kW
note: most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric
Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East
Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric
Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and
military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian
municipalities, such as Nabulus and Janin, generate their own
electricity from small power plants

Electricity-production: NA kWh
note: most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric
Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East
Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric
Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and
military facilities; at the same time, some Palestinian
municipalities, such as Nabulus and Janin, generate their own
electricity from small power plants

Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture-products: olives,