Terrain:mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in southwith large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran andTurkey
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 mhighest point: unamed peak 3,611 m; note - this peak is not GundahZhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Land use: arable land: 11.89% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 87.33% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:35,250 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Environment - current issues:government water control projects have drained most of theinhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or divertingthe feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of MarshArabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has beendisplaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat posesserious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequatesupplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphratesrivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparianTurkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) anderosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Bansigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of thePersian Gulf
People Iraq
Population:24,683,313 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 40.7% (male 5,103,669; female 4,946,443)15-64 years: 56.3% (male 7,033,268; female 6,855,644)65 years and over: 3% (male 348,790; female 395,499) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 19 yearsmale: 18.9 yearsfemale: 19.1 years (2002)
Population growth rate:2.78% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:33.66 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 48.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 61.09 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 67.81 yearsmale: 66.7 yearsfemale: 68.99 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 1,000
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Iraqi(s)adjective: Iraqi
Ethnic groups:Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Religions:Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages:Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 40.4%male: 55.9%female: 24.4% (2003 est.)
Government Iraq
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Iraqconventional short form: Iraqlocal long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyahlocal short form: Al Iraq
Government type:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Capital:Baghdad
Administrative divisions:18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, AlBasrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
Independence:3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under Britishadministration)
National holiday:Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)
Constitution:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Legal system:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Suffrage:formerly 18 years of age; universal; note - in transition followingApril 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led coalition
Executive branch:chief of state: in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAMHusayn regime by US-led coalition
Legislative branch:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Judicial branch:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Political parties and leaders:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Political pressure groups and leaders:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
International organization participation:ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Diplomatic representation from the US:in transition following April 2003 defeat of SADDAM Husayn regimeby US-led coalition
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black withthree green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in thewhite band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabicscript - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to theleft of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during thePersian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria which has twostars but no script and the flag of Yemen, which has a plain whiteband; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eaglecentered in the white band
Economy Iraq
Economy - overview:Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which hastraditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. Inthe 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in theeight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iranled the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily,and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economiclosses from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilitiesended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the constructionof new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq'sseizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economicsanctions, and damage from military action by an internationalcoalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economicactivity. Although government policies supporting large military andinternal security forces and allocating resources to key supportersof the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN'soil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped improveconditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed to exportlimited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and someinfrastructure spare parts. In December 1999 the UN Security Councilauthorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as requiredto meet humanitarian needs. Oil exports have recently been more thanthree-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenuesunder the program have been deducted to meet UN Compensation Fundand UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 waslargely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oilprices. Per capita food imports increased significantly, whilemedical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Percapita output and living standards were still well below the prewarlevel, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The militaryvictory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in theshutdown of much of the central economic administrative structureand the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $58 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 6%industry: 13%services: 81% (1993 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):70% (2002 est.)
Labor force:6.5 million (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:NA%
Budget:revenues: $NAexpenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries:petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, foodprocessing
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:36.01 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:33.49 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:2.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.); note - production was disruptedas a result of the March-April 2003 war (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:113.8 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:3.149 trillion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep
Exports:$13 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil
Exports - partners:US 40.9%, Canada 8.2%, France 8.2%, Jordan 7.5%, Netherlands 6.4%,Italy 5.4%, Morocco 4.7%, Spain 4.4% (2002)
Imports:$7.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners:Jordan 11%, France 8.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 7.6%, Russia 7.3%,Australia 7.2%, Vietnam 6.6%, Italy 6.4%, Japan 5.6% (2002)
Debt - external:$120 billion (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$327.5 million (1995)
Currency:Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Currency code:IQD
Exchange rates:Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.31 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31 (2000),0.31 (1999), 0.31 (1998), note: fixed official rate since 1982;market rate subject to wide fluctuations
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Iraq
Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000 (1997); note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed during the March-April war
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)
Telephone system:general assessment: an unknown number of telecommunicationfacilities were damaged during the March-April 2003 wardomestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radiorelay linksinternational: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 AtlanticOcean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region),and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relayto Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probablynonoperational
Radio broadcast stations:AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios:4.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:13 (1997); note - unknown number were destroyed during theMarch-April 2003 war
Televisions:1.75 million (1997)
Internet country code:.iq
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:12,500 (2001)
Transportation Iraq
Railways: total: 1,963 km standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 45,550 km paved: 38,399 km unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 est.)
Waterways:1,015 kmnote: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic forabout 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigrisand Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draftboats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craftbefore closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war
Pipelines:gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
Merchant marine:total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 119,433 GRT/170,221 DWTships by type: cargo 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleumtanker 6, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:150 (2002); note - unknown number were damaged during theMarch-April 2003 war
Airports - with paved runways:total: 77over 3,047 m: 212,438 to 3,047 m: 36914 to 1,523 m: 6under 914 m: 9 (2002)1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 73under 914 m: 11 (2002)over 3,047 m: 52,438 to 3,047 m: 5914 to 1,523 m: 281,524 to 2,437 m: 24
Heliports:5 (2002)
Military Iraq
Military branches:Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, BorderGuard Force, Fedayeen Saddam; note - with the defeat of SaddamHussein's regime in 2003, the data listed in the following entriesfor Iraq is invalid, but is retained here for historical purposesand until replaced by valid information related to the future IraqiGovernment (April 2003)
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 6,339,458 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 3,541,467 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 292,930 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%
Transnational Issues Iraq
Disputes - international:despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iranover maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and otherissues from eight-year war persist; land and Shatt al Arab boundarydemarcation put an end to claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbahislands, but no maritime boundary exists with Kuwait in the PersianGulf; Iraq protests Turkey's hydrological projects to regulate theTigris and Euphrates rivers upstream
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Ireland
Introduction Ireland
Background:Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C.Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century werefinally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more thanseven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellionsand harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touchedoff several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted inindependence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern(Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined theEuropean Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought thepeaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britainagainst terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, iscurrently being implemented.
Geography Ireland
Location:Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland inthe North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Geographic coordinates:53 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 70,280 sq kmwater: 1,390 sq kmland: 68,890 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mildwinters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half thetime
Terrain:mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hillsand low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
Natural resources:zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone,dolomite, peat, silver
Land use:arable land: 19.49%permanent crops: 0.04%other: 80.47% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, TropicalTimber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:strategic location on major air and sea routes between NorthAmerica and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resideswithin 97 km of Dublin
People Ireland
Population:3,924,140 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 21.2% (male 427,017; female 404,191)15-64 years: 67.4% (male 1,322,982; female 1,322,429)65 years and over: 11.4% (male 194,724; female 252,797) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 33.1 yearsmale: 32.2 yearsfemale: 34 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.03% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:14.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:7.94 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 5.95 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.35 yearsmale: 74.58 yearsfemale: 80.31 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.89 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2,400 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)adjective: Irish
Ethnic groups:Celtic, English
Religions:Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)
Languages:English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spokenmainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98% (1981 est.)male: NAfemale: NA
Government Ireland
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland
Government type:republic
Capital:Dublin
Administrative divisions:26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway,Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth,Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary,Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklownote: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province
Independence:6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
National holiday:Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Constitution:29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite
Legal system:based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenousconcepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; hasnot accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nominationby the prime minister and approval of the House of Representativeselection results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the ProgressiveDemocratselections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives andappointed by the president
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or SeanadEireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and fromcandidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominatedby the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the Houseof Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are electedby popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to servefive-year terms)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, ProgressiveDemocrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives -percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, LaborParty 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,others 14elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be heldby July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002(next to be held by May 2007)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice ofthe prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders:Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party[Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats[Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [JoeHIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC,NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE,UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY; note - FAHEY has announcedthat he will leavechancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San FranciscoFAX: [1] (202) 232-5993telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Richard J. EGANembassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4mailing address: use embassy street addresstelephone: [353] (1) 668-8777FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, andorange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter andhas the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colorsof green (hoist side), white, and red
Economy Ireland
Economy - overview:Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growthaveraging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown, especiallyin the information technology sector, pressed growth down to 2.7% in2003. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed byindustry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP and about80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exportsremain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has alsobenefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, andbusiness investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above that of the fourbig European economies. Over the past decade, the Irish Governmenthas implemented a series of national economic programs designed tocurb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor forceskills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launchingthe euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EUnations.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $113.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.9% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $29,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:10% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2%highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:35.9 (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.6% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.8 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:4.3% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $30.7 billionexpenditures: $30.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5billion (2002)
Industries:food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass andcrystal; software
Industrial production growth rate:6% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:23.53 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% other: 1.7% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:21.63 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:285 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:38 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:27,450 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:178,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:815 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:9.911 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Exports:$86.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;live animals, animal products (1999)
Exports - partners:UK 23.3%, US 16.7%, Belgium 14.6%, Germany 7.3%, France 5% (2002)
Imports:$48.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners:UK 41.1%, US 15.3%, Germany 6.8% (2002)
Debt - external:$11 billion (1998)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $283 million (2001)
Currency:euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions ofmember countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94(1999), 0.7 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Ireland
Telephones - main lines in use:1.6 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3 million (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwaveradio relaydomestic: microwave radio relayinternational: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:2.55 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)
Televisions:1.82 million (2001)
Internet country code:.ie
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):22 (2000)
Internet users:1.31 million (2002)
Transportation Ireland
Railways:total: 3,312 kmbroad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish PeatBoard to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)(2002)
Highways:total: 92,500 kmpaved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.)
Waterways:700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)
Pipelines:gas 1,795 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross,Waterford
Merchant marine:total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 110,913 GRT/128,017 DWTnote: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag ofconvenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.)ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1
Airports:36 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 17 (2002)
Military Ireland
Military branches:Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police(Garda Siochana)
Military manpower - military age:17 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,020,182 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 821,378 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 31,437 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$700 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (FY00/01)
Transnational Issues Ireland
Disputes - international: disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africato the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs;minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined forWestern Europe
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Israel
Introduction Israel
Background:Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate ofPalestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewishstates, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, theIsraelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending thedeep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied byIsrael since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel countryprofile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrewfrom the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolvedin 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 frameworkestablished at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateralnegotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinianrepresentatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip)and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. But progress toward apermanent status agreement has been undermined by the outbreak ofPalestinian-Israeli violence since September 2000.
Geography Israel
Location:Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt andLebanon
Geographic coordinates:31 30 N, 34 45 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 20,770 sq kmwater: 440 sq kmland: 20,330 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:total: 1,017 kmborder countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
Coastline:273 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Terrain:Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;Jordan Rift Valley
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Dead Sea -408 mhighest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
Natural resources:timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesiumbromide, clays, sand
Land use: arable land: 17.02% permanent crops: 4.17% other: 78.81% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:1,990 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodicearthquakes
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, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine LifeConservation
Geography - note:there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites inthe West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in theGaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea ofGalilee is an important freshwater source
People Israel
Population:6,116,533 (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 5,000in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem(February 2003 est.) (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.9% (male 842,885; female 803,864)15-64 years: 63.2% (male 1,941,440; female 1,922,512)65 years and over: 9.9% (male 260,315; female 345,517) (2003 est.)
Median age:total: 28.9 yearsmale: 28.1 yearsfemale: 29.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:1.39% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:18.67 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)male: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.02 yearsmale: 76.95 yearsfemale: 81.19 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2,400 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:noun: Israeli(s)adjective: Israeli
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.)
Religions:Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%,other 3.2% (1996 est.)
Languages:Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,English most commonly used foreign language
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 95.4%male: 97.3%female: 93.6% (2003 est.)
Government Israel
Country name:conventional long form: State of Israelconventional short form: Israellocal short form: Yisra'ellocal long form: Medinat Yisra'el
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains itsEmbassy in Tel Aviv
Administrative divisions:6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem,Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
Independence:14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under Britishadministration)
National holiday:Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declaredindependence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar andthe holiday may occur in April or May
Constitution:no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution arefilled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws ofthe parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law
Legal system:mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, inpersonal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; inDecember 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would nolonger accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
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); followinglegislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member -traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forminga governing coalition; election last held 28 January 2003 (next tobe held fall of 2007)head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by theKnessetelection results: Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-memberKnesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARONcontinues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalitiongovernment with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and theNational Union
Legislative branch:unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 28 January 2003 (next to be held fall of 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%, Meretz5.2%, 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 Frontfor Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3, National Democratic Alliance3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)
Political parties and leaders:Center Party [Dan MERIDOR]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality(Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA]; Democratic Movement [Roman BRONFMAN];Gesher [David LEVI]; Green Leaf Party [Boaz WACHTEL and ShlomiSANDAK]; Herut [Michael KLEINER]; Labor Party [BinyaminBEN-ELIEZER]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meimad [Rabbi MichaelMELCHIOR]; Meretz [Yossi SARID]; National Democratic Alliance(Balad) [Azmi BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY];National Union [Benyamin ELON] (includes Tekuma and Moledet); OneIsrael [Ra'anan COHEN]; One Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [EliyahuYISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd al-MalikDAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Meir PORUSH]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya orYBA [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bankand Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in theWest Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes settlerinterests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitorshuman rights abuses
International organization participation:BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO,IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), 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, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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) 364-5607 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
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
Flag description:white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as theMagen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontalblue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
Economy Israel
Economy - overview:Israel has a technologically advanced market economy withsubstantial government participation. It depends on imports of crudeoil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limitednatural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agriculturaland industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel importssignificant quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient inother agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technologyequipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are theleading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current accountdeficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroadand by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debtis owed to the US, which is its major source of economic andmilitary aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSRduring the period 1989-99, coupled with the opening of new marketsat the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grewrapidly in the early 1990s; growth began moderating in 1996 when thegovernment imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and theimmigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 7.2% in 2000, butthe bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict, difficulties in thehigh-technology, construction, and tourist sectors, and fiscalausterity in the face of growing inflation led to small declines inGDP in 2001 and 2002.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $117.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-0.8% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $19,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 30% services: 67% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 18% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:35.5 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:2.5 million (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)
Unemployment rate:10.4% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $38.5 billionexpenditures: $45.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(2002 est.)
Industries:high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), woodand paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, andtobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting
Industrial production growth rate:-1.5% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:42.24 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:37.82 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:1.457 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:80 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:1.92 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production:10 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:10 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:20.81 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Exports:$28.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agriculturalproducts, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners:US 39.2%, Belgium 6.5%, Germany 4.4%, UK 4.2% (2002)
Imports:$30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, roughdiamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods
Imports - partners:US 21.6%, Belgium 8.9%, Germany 6.7%, UK 6.6%, Switzerland 4.9%,Italy 4.5% (2002)
Debt - external:$42.8 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$720 million from US (2001 est.)
Currency:new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation;ILS is the International Organization for Standarization (ISO) codefor the NIS
Currency code:ILS
Exchange rates:new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.74 (2002), 4.21 (2001), 4.08(2000), 4.14 (1999), 3.8 (1998)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Israel
Telephones - main lines in use:2.8 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:2.5 million (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle Eastalthough not the largestdomestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;all systems are digitalinternational: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:3.07 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:1.69 million (1997)
Internet country code:.il
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):21 (2000)
Internet users:1.94 million (2001)
Transportation Israel
Railways: total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)
Highways:total: 16,281 kmpaved: 16,281 km (including 56 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Waterways:none
Pipelines:gas 100 km; oil 1,509 km (2003)
Ports and harbors:Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Merchant marine:total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 705,897 GRT/823,605 DWTships by type: container 17, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:52 (2002)
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)
Military Israel
Military branches:Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (includes ground, naval, and aircomponents with Air Defense Forces), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal);note - historically there have been no separate Israeli militaryservices
Military manpower - military age:18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,562,716 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2003 est.) females age 15-49: 1,516,505
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,279,277females age 15-49: 1,237,926 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 51,080females: 53,496 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$8.97 billion (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:8.75% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Israel
Disputes - international:West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current statussubject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanentstatus to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heightsis Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of GolanHeights)