Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEYchancery: 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 James C. KENNYembassy: 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 2.1% 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 and the second highest in the sEU, behindLuxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish Government hasimplemented a series of national economic programs designed to curbprice and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase laborforce skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined inlaunching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10other EU nations.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $116.2 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $29,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.9% of GDP (2003)
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):3.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:1.871 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:4.7% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $53.22 billionexpenditures: $53.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5billion (2003)
Public debt:31.2% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Industries:food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass andcrystal; software
Industrial production growth rate:6.7% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:23.53 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:21.63 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:285 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:38 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:27,450 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:178,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:815 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-2.994 billion (2003)
Exports:$98.31 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;live animals, animal products (1999)
Exports - partners:US 20.5%, UK 18.1%, Belgium 12.6%, Germany 8.3%, France 6.1%,Netherlands 5.1%, Italy 4.6% (2003)
Imports:$57.54 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners:UK 34.9%, US 15.8%, Germany 7.9%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$4.152 billion (2003)
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 - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Ireland
Telephones - main lines in use:1.955 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3.4 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwaveradio relaydomestic: microwave radio relayinternational: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (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 hosts:162,228 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):22 (2000)
Internet users:1.26 million (2003)
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)(2003)
Highways:total: 92,500 kmpaved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.)
Waterways:753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004)
Pipelines:gas 1,795 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross,Waterford
Merchant marine:total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 288,401 GRT/383,628 DWTregistered in other countries: 18 (2004 est.)foreign-owned: Germany 3, Italy 7, Norway 2by type: bulk 7, cargo 22, chemical tanker 1, container 3, rollon/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1
Airports:36 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)
Military Ireland
Military branches:Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps)
Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,029,525 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 827,811 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 30,083 (2004 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; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related moneylaundering using bureaux de change, trusts, shell companiesinvolving the offshore financial community remains a concern
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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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.Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 aDeclaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo accords") guidingan interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorialand other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israelwithdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupiedsince 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the MadridConference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conductedbetween Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achievea permanent settlement. On 24 June 2002, US President BUSH laid outa "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whichenvisions a two-state solution. However, progress toward a permanentstatus agreement has been undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violenceongoing since September 2000. The conflict may have reached aturning point with the election in January 2005 of Mahmud ABBAS asthe new Palestinian leader following the November 2004 death ofYasir ARAFAT.
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: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
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: 16.39% permanent crops: 4.17% other: 79.44% (2001)
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, 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:6,199,008note: 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 (July2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.7% (male 847,591; female 808,399)15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,976,539; female 1,954,782)65 years and over: 9.9% (male 262,781; female 348,916) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 29.2 yearsmale: 28.3 yearsfemale: 30 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:1.29% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:18.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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 (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 7.96 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.17 yearsmale: 77.08 yearsfemale: 81.37 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.47 children born/woman (2004 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 KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected bythe Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000(next to be held mid-2007); following legislative elections, thepresident assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of thelargest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; electionlast held 28 January 2003 (next schedulde to be held fall of 2006)head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by theKnessetelection results: Moshe KATZAV 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 scheduled to be held fallof 2006)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 Assembly 2.3%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya (YBA) 2.2%,United Arab List 2.1%, Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other1.6%; seats by party - Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11,National Union 7, Meretz 6, National Religious Party 6, United TorahJudaism 5, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3,National Democratic Assembly 3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA];Green Leaf Party (no longer active) [Boaz WACHTEL and ShlomiSANDAK]; Herut (no longer active) [Michael KLEINER]; Labor Party[Shimon PERES]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meretz (merged withYAHAD) [Zahava GALON]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad) [AzmiBISHARA]; National Religious Party [Ephraim "Efie" EITAM]; NationalUnion (Haichud Haleumi) [Avigdor LIBERMAN] (includes Tekuma Moledetand Yisra'el Beiteinu); One Nation [David TAL]; Shas [EliyahuYISHAI]; Shinui [Yosef "Tommy" LAPID]; United Arab List [Abdal-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN]; YAHAD[Yossi BEILIN]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA (merged with Likud) [NatanSHARANSKY]
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:BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO,IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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) 364-5560 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5578 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 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7369/7453/7454/7457/7458/7551/7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 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 importssubstantial 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 bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficultiesin the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; andfiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to smalldeclines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew at 1% in 2003,with improvements in tourism and foreign direct investment. In 2004,rising business and consumer confidence - as well as higher demandfor Israeli exports - boosted GDP by 2.7%.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $120.9 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $19,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 37.7% services: 59.5% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17.2% of GDP (2003)
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):0.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:2.61 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6%, manufacturing 20.2%, construction 7.5%, commerce 12.8%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, finance and business 13.1%, personal and other services 6.4%, public services 31.2% (1996)
Unemployment rate:10.7% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $44.98 billionexpenditures: $51.07 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003)
Public debt:108.6% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Industries:high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), woodand paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, andtobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting
Industrial production growth rate:-0.6% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:42.24 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:37.82 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:1.457 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:80 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:10 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:10 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:20.81 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-174 million (2003)
Exports:$29.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agriculturalproducts, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners:US 38.4%, Belgium 7.4%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2003)
Imports:$32.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, roughdiamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods
Imports - partners:US 15.6%, Belgium 9.3%, Germany 8%, UK 6.7%, Switzerland 6.1%,Italy 4.1% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$26.32 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$70.97 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$662 million from US (2003 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 - 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002),4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Israel
Telephones - main lines in use:3.006 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:6.334 million (2002)
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: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 3 Intelsat (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 hosts:437,516 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):21 (2000)
Internet users:2 million (2002)
Transportation Israel
Railways: total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways:total: 16,281 kmpaved: 16,281 km (including 56 km of expressways)unpaved: NA (2000)
Pipelines:gas 140 km; oil 1,509 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Merchant marine:total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 752,873 GRT/881,711 DWTby type: container 18registered in other countries: 40 (2004 est.)
Airports:51 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)
Military Israel
Military branches:Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Corps (including PioneerFighting Youth (Nahal)), Navy, Air Force(including Air DefenseForces); note - historically there have been no separate Israelimilitary services
Military manpower - military age and obligation:17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary(Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes areeligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36months for men, 21 months for women (2004)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 1,581,883females age 15-49: 1,532,234 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 1,294,742females age 15-49: 1,250,969 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 51,054females: 53,515 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$9.11 billion (FY03)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:8.7% (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)
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 276,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northernIsrael) (2004)
Illicit drugs:increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrivein country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;money-laundering center
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@Italy
Introduction Italy
Background:Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of thepeninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under KingVictor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to aclose in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascistdictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led toItaly's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced themonarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a chartermember of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It hasbeen at the forefront of European economic and politicalunification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistentproblems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption,high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes andtechnical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperousnorth.
Geography Italy
Location:Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the centralMediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:42 50 N, 12 50 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 301,230 sq kmnote: includes Sardinia and Sicilywater: 7,210 sq kmland: 294,020 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries:total: 1,932.2 kmborder countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (VaticanCity) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Coastline:7,600 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Terrain:mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 mhighest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (asecondary peak of Mont Blanc)
Natural resources:coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oilreserves, fish, arable land
Land use:arable land: 27.79%permanent crops: 9.53%other: 62.68% (2001)
Irrigated land:26,980 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-VolatileOrganic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, AntarcticTreaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone LayerProtection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well assouthern sea and air approaches to Western Europe
People Italy
Population:58,057,477 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 14% (male 4,181,946; female 3,935,565)15-64 years: 66.9% (male 19,590,497; female 19,256,747)65 years and over: 19.1% (male 4,608,479; female 6,484,243) (2004est.)
Median age: total: 41.4 years male: 39.8 years female: 43 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:0.09% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:9.05 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.54 yearsmale: 76.61 yearsfemale: 82.66 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:100,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 1,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Italian(s)adjective: Italian
Ethnic groups:Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, andSlovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians andGreek-Italians in the south)
Religions:predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewishcommunities and a growing Muslim immigrant community
Languages:Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region arepredominantly German speaking), French (small French-speakingminority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speakingminority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.6%male: 99%female: 98.3% (2003 est.)
Government Italy
Country name:conventional long form: Italian Republicconventional short form: Italylocal long form: Repubblica Italianaformer: Kingdom of Italylocal short form: Italia
Government type:republic
Capital:Rome
Administrative divisions:16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous regions*(regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-VeneziaGiulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte,Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria,Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto
Independence:17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finallyunified until 1870)
National holiday:Republic Day, 2 June (1946)
Constitution:passed 11 December 1947; effective 1 January 1948; amended manytimes
Legal system:based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicialreview under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, whereminimum age is 25)
Executive branch:chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting ofboth houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for aseven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NAMay 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmedby Parliamenthead of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as thepresident of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10June 2001)cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister andapproved by the presidentelection results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent ofelectoral college vote - 70%note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democratsand Democrats of the Center
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senatodella Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 aredirectly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportionalrepresentation; in addition, there are a small number ofsenators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Cameradei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regionalproportional representation; members serve five-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006);Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May2006)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats byparty - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25;Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party- House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97,UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista 11, other 68
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected byParliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrativeSupreme Courts)
Political parties and leaders:Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats ofthe Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, ItalianRenewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), SunflowerAlliance (including Green Federation, Italian DemocraticSocialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom HouseCoalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties andFreedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The WhiteflowerAlliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United ChristianDemocrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left or DS [PieroFASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation[Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [ArmandoCOSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; merged with PPIand I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The Daisy Alliance);Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Lega Padana[Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI];Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Socialist Movement-TricolorFlame or MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; South Tyrol People's Party orSVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Sunflower Alliance(includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The DaisyAlliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union ofDemocrats for Europe, The Democrats) [Francesco RUTELLI]; TheDemocrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformersand Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; Union of Democrats for Europeor UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Union of Christian and CenterDemocrats or UDC [Marco FOLLINI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade unionconfederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL[Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana deiSindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is RomanCatholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [LuigiANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)
International organization participation:AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI,CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA(observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sergio VENTO consulate(s): Detroit consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoistside), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Coted'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),white, and greennote: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in1797
Economy Italy
Economy - overview:Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the sametotal and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalisticeconomy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominatedby private companies, and a less developed, welfare-dependentagricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials neededby industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported.Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy inorder to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unionsand has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. Thecurrent government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed atimproving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has movedslowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such aslightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labormarket and over-generous pension system, because of the currenteconomic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $1.55 trillion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:0.4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $26,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 28.9% services: 68.9% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.1% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:27.3 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.7% (2003 est.)
Labor force:24.15 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)
Unemployment rate:8.6% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $668 billionexpenditures: $703.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2003)
Public debt:106.4% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain,olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing,textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Industrial production growth rate:-0.5% (2003)
Electricity - production:258.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:289.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:556 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:48.93 billion kWh (2001)
Oil - production:79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:456,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:2.158 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:61 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:209.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-22.28 billion (2003)
Exports:$278.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery,motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages andtobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals
Exports - partners:Germany 13.8%, France 12.3%, US 8.5%, Spain 7%, UK 6.9% (2003)
Imports:$271.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energyproducts, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;food, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners:Germany 17.9%, France 11.2%, Netherlands 5.8%, Spain 4.8%, UK 4.7%,Belgium 4.3%, US 4% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$63.26 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$868.5 billion NA (2003)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)
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 - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Italy
Telephones - main lines in use:26.596 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:55.918 million (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automatedtelephone, telex, and data servicesdomestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunksinternational: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NAEutelsat; 21 submarine cables
Radio broadcast stations:AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)
Radios:50.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:30.3 million (1997)
Internet country code:.it
Internet hosts:1,437,511 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)
Internet users:18.5 million (2003)
Transportation Italy
Railways:total: 19,507 km (11,651 km electrified)standard gauge: 18,070 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,314 km0.950-m gauge (188 km electrified) (2003)
Highways:total: 479,688 kmpaved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Waterways:2,400 kmnote: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value comparedto road and rail (2004)
Pipelines:gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela (Sicily), Genoa, LaSpezia, Livorno, Milazzo (Sicily), Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres(Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
Merchant marine:total: 475 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685 DWTforeign-owned: Denmark 4, France 3, Greece 5, Japan 1, Isle of Man1, Monaco 22, Netherlands 4, Panama 2, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 10,United Kingdom 5, United States 13registered in other countries: 144 (2004 est.)by type: bulk 39, cargo 40, chemical tanker 106, combination ore/oil2, container 23, liquefied gas 43, livestock carrier 2,multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 13, passenger/cargo1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 62,short-sea/passenger 31, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 23
Airports:134 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 4 (2003 est.)
Military Italy
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI),Carabinieri
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age (2004 est.)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 14,408,392 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 12,279,516 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 285,601 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$28,182.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.9% (2003)
Transnational Issues Italy
Disputes - international:none
Illicit drugs:important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine andSouthwest Asian heroin entering the European market; moneylaundering by organized crime and from smuggling
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Jamaica
Introduction Jamaica
Background:Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led torecurrent violence and a drop off in tourism. Elections in 1980 sawthe democratic socialists voted out of office. Political violencemarred elections during the 1990s.
Geography Jamaica
Location:Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Geographic coordinates:18 15 N, 77 30 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 10,991 sq kmland: 10,831 sq kmwater: 160 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:1,022 km
Maritime claims:measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselinesexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margincontiguous zone: 24 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Terrain:mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Natural resources:bauxite, gypsum, limestone