ational markets, such as
medical scanning equipment. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former
USSR, which topped 400,000 during the period 1990-92, has increased
unemployment, intensified housing problems, and widened the government
budget deficit. At the same time, a considerable number of the immigrants
bring to the economy valuable scientific and professional expertise.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $57.4 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6.4% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$12,100 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues $33.9 billion; expenditures $36.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of $9.3 billion (FY93)
Exports:
$11.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
polished diamonds, citrus and other fruits, textiles and clothing, processed
foods, fertilizer and chemical products, military hardware, electronics
partners:
US, EC, Japan, Hong Kong, Switzerland
Imports:
$19.6 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
commodities:
military equipment, rough diamonds, oil, chemicals, machinery, iron and
steel, cereals, textiles, vehicles, ships, aircraft
partners:
US, EC, Switzerland, Japan, South Africa, Canada, Hong Kong
External debt:
$25 billion of which government debt is $17 billion (December 1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 9.4% (1992 est.); accounts for about 20% of GDP
Electricity:
5,835,000 kW capacity; 21,840 million kWh produced, 4,600 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles, clothing,
chemicals, metal products, military equipment, transport equipment,
electrical equipment, miscellaneous machinery, potash mining,
high-technology electronics, tourism

*Israel, Economy

Agriculture:
accounts for about 3% of GDP; largely self-sufficient in food production,
except for grains; principal products - citrus and other fruits, vegetables,
cotton; livestock products - beef, dairy, poultry
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $18.2 billion; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.8 billion
Currency:
1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1 - 2.8000 (December 1992), 2.4591 (1992),
2.2791 (1991), 2.0162 (1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989