Airports:305 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 127 over 3,047 m: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 178 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 129 under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 13 (2004 est.)
Military Iran
Military branches:Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces,Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-eEslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (specialoperations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 18,319,545 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 15,665,725 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 862,056 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$4.3 billion (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.3% (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues Iran
Disputes - international:Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries tothe Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritimeboundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth ofthe Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE engage in directtalks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes overIran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran standsalone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of theCaspian Sea into five equal sectors
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 1,223,823 (Afghanistan) 124,014(Iraq) (2004)
Illicit drugs:despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a keytransshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domesticnarcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according toofficial Iranian statistics there are at least two million drugusers in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Iraq
Introduction Iraq
Background:Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britainduring the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a Leagueof Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the nextdozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A"republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series ofmilitary strongmen ruled the country, the latest was SADDAM Husayn.Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costlyeight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait, butwas expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War ofJanuary-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UNSecurity Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of massdestruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verificationinspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutionsover a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq inMarch 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalitionforces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructureand facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government,while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency. The CoalitionProvisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi InterimGovernment (IG) in June 2004. Iraqis voted on 30 January 2005 toelect a 275-member Transitional National Assembly that will draft apermanent constitution and pave the way for new national electionsat the end of 2005.
Geography Iraq
Location:Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates:33 00 N, 44 00 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 437,072 sq kmland: 432,162 sq kmwater: 4,910 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Land boundaries:total: 3,650 kmborder countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, SaudiArabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km
Coastline:58 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontinental shelf: not specified
Climate:mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudlesssummers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkishborders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows thatmelt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding incentral and southern Iraq
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: unnamed 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: 13.15% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 86.07% (2001)
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 Seasigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of thePersian Gulf
People Iraq
Population:26,074,906 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 40% (male 5,293,709/female 5,130,826)15-64 years: 57% (male 7,530,619/female 7,338,109)65 years and over: 3% (male 367,832/female 413,811) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 19.43 yearsmale: 19.35 yearsfemale: 19.51 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.7% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:32.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.89 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 50.25 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 56.06 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 44.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 68.7 yearsmale: 67.49 yearsfemale: 69.97 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 500 (2003 est.)
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:none; note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed on 1June 2004
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); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition ProvisionalAuthority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government
National holiday:Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebratedunder the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi Interim Government hasyet to declare a new national holiday
Constitution:interim constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - the TransitionalAdministrative Law (TAL) was enacted 8 March 2004 to govern thecountry until an elected Iraqi Government can draft and ratify a newconstitution in 2005
Legal system:based on civil and Islamic law under the Iraqi Interim Government(IG) and Transitional Administrative Law (TAL)
Suffrage:formerly 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) President JalalTALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Deputy Presidents Adil Abd AL-MAHDIand Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR (since 6 April 2005); note - thePresident and Deputy Presidents comprise the Presidency Council)head of government: Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) PrimeMinister Ibrahim al-JAFARI (since April 2005); Deputy PrimeMinisters Rowsch SHAWAYS, Ahmad CHALABI, and Abid al-Mutlaqal-JABBURI (since May 2005)cabinet: 32 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plusPrime Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI, Deputy Prime Ministers RowschSHAWAYS, Ahmad CHALABI, and Abid al-Mutlaq al-JABBURIelections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a 275-member TransitionalNational Assembly that will draft a permanent constitution and pavethe way for new national elections at the end of 2005
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly or Mejlis Watani (consisting of 275members elected by a closed-list, proportional-representation systemfor the period between the National Assembly election and theformation of a permanent Iraqi government pursuant to theestablishment of a permanent constitution)elections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a 275-member TransitionalNational Assembly that will draft a permanent constitution and pavethe way for new national elections at the end of 2005election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -United Iraqi Alliance 48.2%, Democratic Patriotic Alliance ofKurdistan 25.7%, Iraqi List 13.8%, others 12.3%; number of seats byparty - United Iraqi Alliance 140, Democratic Patriotic Alliance ofKurdistan 75, Iraqi List 40, others 20
Judicial branch:Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by thePresidency Council
Political parties and leaders:Al-Sadr Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; Constitutional MonarchyMovement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa Party [Ibrahimal-JA'FARI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB];Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi IndependentDemocrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi IslamicParty or IIP [Muhsin Abd al-HAMID, Hajim al-HASSANI]; Iraqi NationalAccord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [AhmadCHALABI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI,chairman]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Ayatollah Muhammad ' Alial-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI];Muslim Ulama Council or MUC [Harith Sulayman al-DARI, secretarygeneral]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]note: the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan, the IraqiList, and the United Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slatesconsisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi politicalparties
Political pressure groups and leaders: an insurgency against the Iraqi Interim Government and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas west and north of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency is led principally by Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq
International organization participation:ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS,NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Rend RahimFRANCKEchancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James F.JEFFREYembassy: Baghdadmailing address: APO AE 09316telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 4354; note - Consular SectionFAX: NA
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, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and thatof Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the whiteband; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors
Economy Iraq
Economy - overview:Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which hastraditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings.Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent internationaleconomic sanctions, and damage from military action by aninternational coalition beginning in January 1991 drasticallyreduced economic activity. Although government policies supportinglarge military and internal security forces and allocating resourcesto key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation ofthe UN's oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helpedimprove conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowedto export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, andsome infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN SecurityCouncil authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil asrequired to meet humanitarian needs. 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 thepre-1991 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. Themilitary victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economicadministrative structure. Although a comparatively small amount ofcapital plant was damaged during the hostilities, looting, insurgentattacks, and sabotage have undermined efforts to rebuild theeconomy. Despite continuing political uncertainty, the Iraqi InterimGovernment (IG) has founded the institutions needed to implementeconomic policy, and has successfully concluded a debt reductionagreement with the Paris Club. The high percentage gain estimatedfor GDP in 2004 is the result of starting from a low base.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$54.4 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:52.3% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 58.6% services: 27.8% (2004 est.)
Labor force:6.7 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Unemployment rate:25% to 30% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):25.4% (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $17.1 billionexpenditures: $28.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6billion (2004 budget)
Agriculture - products:wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep,poultry
Industries:petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, foodprocessing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:32.6 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:33.7 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:1.1 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:2.25 million bbl/day (2004 est.); note - prewar production (in2002) was 2.03 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:383,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:1.49 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:112.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production:2.35 billion cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.35 billion cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:3.149 trillion cu m (2004)
Current account balance:$-560 million (2003 est.)
Exports:$10.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil (83.9%), crude materials excluding fuels (8.0%), food andlive animals (5.0%)
Exports - partners:US 51.9%, Spain 7.3%, Japan 6.6%, Italy 5.7%, Canada 5.2% (2004)
Imports:$9.9 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners:Syria 22.9%, Turkey 19.5%, US 9.2%, Jordan 6.7%, Germany 4.9% (2004)
Debt - external:$125 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)
Currency (code):New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004
Currency code:NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004
Exchange rates:New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109(2002), 0.3109 (2001), 0.3109 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Iraq
Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000; note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed during the March-April 2003 war (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:20,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: the 2003 war severely disruptedtelecommunications throughout Iraq including internationalconnections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capabilityand the construction of mobile and satellite communication facilitiesdomestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed in the recentfighting continue, but sabotage remains a problem; cellular serviceis expected to be in place within two yearsinternational: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cableand microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;Kuwait line is probably nonoperational
Radio broadcast stations: after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)
Radios:4.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:21 (2004)
Televisions:1.75 million (1997)
Internet country code:.iq
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:25,000 (2002)
Transportation Iraq
Railways: total: 2,200 km standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
Highways:total: 45,550 kmpaved: 38,399 kmunpaved: 7,151 km (1999)
Waterways:5,275 km (not all navigable)note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,895 km), and ThirdRiver (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)
Pipelines:gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr
Merchant marine:total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,221 GRT/125,255 DWTby type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 3 (2005)
Airports:111; note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April 2003war (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 79over 3,047 m: 212,438 to 3,047 m: 361,524 to 2,437 m: 5914 to 1,523 m: 7under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 32over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 41,524 to 2,437 m: 5914 to 1,523 m: 12under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
Heliports:6 (2004 est.)
Military Iraq
Military branches:Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular Army (includes Iraqi SpecialOperations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (formerIraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army AirCorps) (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age; the Iraqi Interim Government is creating a new professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend Iraq from external threats and the current insurgency (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 5,870,640 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 4,930,074 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 298,518 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Iraq
Disputes - international:coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security;Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdictiondisputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf;Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 150,000 (Palestinian Territories) IDPs: 1,340,280 (ongoing US-led war and Kurds' subsequent return) (2004)
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@Ireland
Introduction Ireland
Background:Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasionsby Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally endedwhen King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasionsbegan in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries ofAnglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harshrepressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched offseveral 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, is beingimplemented with some difficulties.
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 kmland: 68,890 sq kmwater: 1,390 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: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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:natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum,limestone, dolomite
Land use:arable land: 15.2%permanent crops: 0.03%other: 84.77% (2001)
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-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent OrganicPollutants, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:strategic location on major air and sea routes between NorthAmerica and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resideswithin 100 km of Dublin
People Ireland
Population:4,015,676 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20.9% (male 434,225/female 406,730)15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,358,086/female 1,354,148)65 years and over: 11.5% (male 203,614/female 258,873) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 33.7 yearsmale: 32.9 yearsfemale: 34.49 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.16% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:14.47 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:7.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.07 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.39 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.91 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.56 yearsmale: 74.95 yearsfemale: 80.34 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2,800 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)adjective: Irish
Ethnic groups:Celtic, English
Religions:Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%,other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)
Languages:English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (official)(Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the westernseaboard
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98% (1981 est.)male: NA%female: NA%
Government Ireland
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire
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:adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937
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 Representativeselections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no othercandidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; primeminister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed bythe presidentelection results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the ProgressiveDemocrats
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)elections: 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)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 14
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, 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, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIK,UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEYchancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
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 7% in 1995-2004. Agriculture, once the mostimportant sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industryaccounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the laborforce. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland'sgrowth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumerspending, construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is10% above that of the four big European economies and the secondhighest in the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the IrishGovernment has implemented a series of national economic programsdesigned to curb price and wage inflation, reduce governmentspending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreigninvestment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002along with 11 other EU nations.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$126.4 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)
Labor force:1.92 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 63% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:4.3% (2004 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):2.2% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $62.51 billionexpenditures: $63.52 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5billion (2004 est.)
Public debt:31.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Industries:steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum miningprocessing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passengerand commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glassand crystal; software, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:7% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:22.88 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:21.78 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:100 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:600 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:27,450 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:178,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:815 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-2.881 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$103.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;live animals, animal products
Exports - partners:US 19.7%, UK 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, Germany 7.7%, France 6%,Netherlands 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2004)
Imports:$60.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners:UK 35.6%, US 13.8%, Germany 8.9%, Netherlands 4.3%, France 4.2%(2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$4.152 billion (2003)
Debt - external:$11 billion (1998)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $283 million (2001)
Currency (code):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 - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
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)(2004)
Highways:total: 95,736 kmpaved: 95,736 km (including 125 km of expressways)unpaved: 0 km (2002)
Waterways:753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004)
Pipelines:gas 1,795 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford
Merchant marine:total: 39by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 27, chemical tanker 1, container 1,passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2foreign-owned: 11 (Germany 3, Italy 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 1,United Kingdom 3)registered in other countries: 18 (2005)
Airports:36 (2004 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 (includes Naval Service and Air Corps)
Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 17-49: 977,092 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 17-49: 814,768 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 29,327 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$700 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (FY00/01)
Transnational Issues Ireland
Disputes - international:Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the FaroeIslands' continental shelf extends beyond 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, and shell companiesinvolving the offshore financial community remains a concern
This page was last updated on 20 October, 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 kmland: 20,330 sq kmwater: 440 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 seriousconstraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial andvehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial anddomestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
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:6,276,883note: 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 (July2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.5% (male 851,415/female 812,095)15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,010,888/female 1,986,256)65 years and over: 9.8% (male 264,708/female 351,521) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 29.39 yearsmale: 28.58 yearsfemale: 30.27 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.2% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:18.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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 (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.32 yearsmale: 77.21 yearsfemale: 81.55 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3,000 (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 76.5%, Muslim 15.9%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2003)
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 long form: Medinat Yisra'ellocal short form: 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)head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by theKnessetelections: 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 scheduled to be held fall of 2006)election 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 (120 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve 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 chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5578 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5560 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
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