recipient: $121 million disbursed (includes Gaza
Strip) (2000)

Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code: ILS; JOD

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.0810 (December
2000), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997),
3.1917 (1996); Jordanian dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090
(from 1996)

Fiscal year: calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

West Bank Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for West Bank and Gaza
Strip) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: NA

note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are
responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an
AM station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations
are reported to be in operation (2000)

Radios: NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions
(1999)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (1999)

Internet users: 23,520 (includes Gaza Strip) (1999)

West Bank Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 4,500 km

paved: 2,700 km

unpaved: 1,800 km (1997 est.)

note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish
settlements

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

West Bank Military

Military branches: NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

West Bank Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are
Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation

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@Western Sahara

Western Sahara Introduction

Background: Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of
Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of
the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A
guerrilla war with the Polisario Fron