Israel

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

21 (2000)

Internet country code

.il

Internet users

1.94 million (2001)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

3.07 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

2.8 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.5 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations

17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

1.69 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Budget

revenues: $40 billion expenditures: $42.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Currency

new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code

ILS

Debt - external

$42.8 billion (2001 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38 (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR during the period 1989-99 coupled with the opening of new markets at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew rapidly in the early 1990s. But growth began moderating in 1996 when the government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 6.4% in 2000. But the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict, increasingly the declines in the high-technology and tourist sectors, and fiscal austerity measures in the face of growing inflation have led to declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002.

Electricity - consumption

34.897 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

1.27 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

12 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

38.876 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.2757 (December 2001), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997)

Exports

$28 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners

US 42.8%, Benelux 7.4%, Hong Kong 6.8%, Germany 4.8%, UK 4.8%, Japan 3.2% (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $122 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3% industry: 30% services: 67% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1.1% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 28% (1992) (1997)

Imports

$30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, consumer goods

Imports - partners

US 23.5%, Benelux 10.2%, Germany 7.9%, uk 6.7%, Switzerland 6.0%, Italy 5.2% (2001)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.5% (2002 est.)

Industries

high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force

2.4 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

public services 31%, manufacturing 20%, finance and business 13%, commerce 13%, construction 8%, personal and other services 6%, transport, storage, and communications 6%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3% (1996) (1996)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

10.4% (2002 est.)

Area

total: 20,770 sq km water: 440 sq km land: 20,330 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Coastline

273 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Environment - current issues

limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

31 30 N, 34 45 E

Geography - note

there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source

Irrigated land

1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,017 km border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Land use

arable land: 17.02% permanent crops: 4.17% other: 78.81% (1998 est.)

Location

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

Natural resources

timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Terrain

Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Administrative divisions

6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Capital

Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv

Constitution

no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Country name

conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local short form: Yisra'el local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7457/7369/7454/7458/7453 FAX: [972] (3) 517-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 364-3607 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch

chief of state: President Moshe KATSAV (since 31 July 2000) elections: president elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2007); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; election last held 28 January 2003 (next to be held fall of 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001) cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset election results: Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-member Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES, received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January 2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the National Union

Flag description

white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)

International organization participation

BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Legal system

mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 January 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%, Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz 5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%, National Democratic Alliance 2.3%, YBA 2.2%, United Arab List 2.1%, Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other 1.6%; seats by party - Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11, National Union 7, Meretz 6, National Religious Party 6, United Torah Judaism 5, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3, National Democratic Alliance 3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2

National holiday

Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May

Political parties and leaders

Center Party [Dan MERIDOR]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA]; Democratic Movement [Roman BRONFMAN]; Gesher [David LEVI]; Herut [michael KLEINER]; Labor Party [Binyamin BEN-ELIEZER]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meimad [Rabbi Michael MELCHIOR]; Meretz [Yossi SARID]; National Democratic Alliance (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY]; National Union [Benyamin ELON] (includes Tekuma and Moledet); One Israel [Ra'anan COHEN]; One Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Meir PORUSH]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitors human rights abuses

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip) and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement. But progress toward a permanent status agreement has been undermined by the outbreak of Palestinian-Israeli violence since September 2000.

Military branches

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (includes ground, naval, and air components with Air Defense Forces), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$8.97 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

8.75% (FY02)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,542,835 females age 15-49: 1,499,830 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,262,973 females age 15-49: 1,223,939 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 51,666 females: 49,207 (2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.1% (male 837,491; female 798,695) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,905,677; female 1,889,525) 65 years and over: 9.9% (male 257,066; female 341,075) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

18.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%, Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab) (1996 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.08% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,400 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

7.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.86 years female: 81.01 years (2002 est.) male: 76.82 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 97% female: 93% (1992 est.)

Nationality

noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli

Net migration rate

2.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

6,029,529 (July 2002 est.) note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000 in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (February 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.48% (2002 est.)

Religions

Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)

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; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights)

Illicit drugs

increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and increasingly Jordan

Airports

54 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 20 (2002)

Heliports

3 (2002)

Highways

total: 15,965 km paved: 15,965 km (including 56 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 595,319 GRT/704,544 DWT ships by type: container 15, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km

Ports and harbors

Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Railways

total: 647 km standard gauge: 647 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)

Waterways

none