:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
NA
by occupation:
construction 28.2%, agriculture 21.8%, industry 14.5%, commerce,
restaurants, and hotels 12.6%, other services 22.9% (1991)
note:
excluding Jewish settlers

@West Bank, Government

Note:
Under the Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arragements ("the DOP"), Israel agreed to transfer
certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, and
subsequently to an elected Palestinian Council, as part of interim
self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A
transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho
has taken place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement
on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area. The DOP provides that Israel
will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external
security and for internal security and public order of settlements and
Israelis. Final status is to be determined through direct negotiations
within five years.
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
West Bank
Digraph:
WE

@West Bank, Economy

Overview:
Economic progress in the West Bank has been hampered by Israeli
military administration and the effects of the Palestinian uprising
(intifadah). Industries using advanced technology or requiring sizable
investment have been discouraged by a lack of local capital and
restrictive Israeli policies. Capital investment consists largely of
residential housing, not productive assets that would enable local
Palestinian firms to compete with Israeli industry. A major share of
GNP has traditionally been derived from remittances of workers
employed in Israel and Persian Gulf states. Such transfers from the
Gulf 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.
Israeli measures to curtail the intifadah also have added to
unemployment and lowered living standards. The area's economic
situation has worsened since Israel's partial closure of the
territories in 1993.
National product:
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
-7% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
$2,050 (