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:4,062,235 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20.9% (male 437,903/female 409,774)15-64 years: 67.6% (male 1,373,771/female 1,370,452)65 years and over: 11.6% (male 207,859/female 262,476) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 34 yearsmale: 33.2 yearsfemale: 34.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.15% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:14.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.73 yearsmale: 75.11 yearsfemale: 80.52 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.86 children born/woman (2006 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: 99%male: 99%female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government Ireland
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire
Government type:republic, parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Dublingeographic coordinates: 53 20 N, 6 15 Wtime difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
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(eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997(next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed toa second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by theHouse of Representatives and appointed by the 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 other 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%, other 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,Labor Party 21, Sinn Fein 5, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6,other 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 RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats[Michael McDOWELL]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [JoeHIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, 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, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEYembassy: 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 6% in 1995-2006. Agriculture, once the most importantsector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accountsfor 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor force.Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, theeconomy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending,construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% abovethat of the four big European economies and the second highest inthe EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish Governmenthas implemented a series of national economic programs designed tocurb price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increaselabor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joinedin circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EUnations.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$177.2 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$202.9 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$43,600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)
Labor force: 2.12 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 64% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate:4.3% (2006 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 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3.9% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):28% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $74.49 billionexpenditures: $73.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.5billion (2006 est.)
Public debt:22.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Industries:steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum miningprocessing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passengerand commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glassand crystal; software, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:5% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:23.26 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:23.23 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:1.6 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:182,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:27,450 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:178,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:855 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:4.295 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:3.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:19.82 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-9.45 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$119.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;live animals, animal products
Exports - partners:US 18.7%, UK 17.4%, Belgium 15.2%, Germany 7.4%, France 6.4%,Netherlands 4.8% (2005)
Imports:$87.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners:UK 37.1%, US 13.8%, Germany 9.2%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$842.5 million (August 2006 est.)
Debt - external:$1.392 trillion (30 June 2006)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $607 million (2004)
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 - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Ireland
Telephones - main lines in use:2.033 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:4.21 million (2005)
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:238,191 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):22 (2000)
Internet users:2.06 million (2005)
Transportation Ireland
Airports: 36 (2006)
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 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 1,728 km (2006)
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)(2005)
Roadways: total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (including 200 km of expressways) (2003)
Waterways:753 km (pleasure craft only) (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 103,589 GRT/145,044 DWTby type: cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1foreign-owned: 4 (Germany 2, US 2)registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Cyprus 3,Gibraltar 1, Netherlands 10, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines 1, UK 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford
Military Ireland
Military branches:Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes NavalService and Air Corps) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under theage of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 17-49: 977,092females age 17-49: 978,465 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 17-49: 814,768females age 17-49: 813,981 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 29,327females age 17-49: 28,139 (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 8 February, 2007
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@Isle of Man
Introduction Isle of Man
Background:Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13thcentury when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under theBritish crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almostextinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crowndependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Governmentremains constitutionally responsible for defense and internationalrepresentation.
Geography Isle of Man
Location:Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain andIreland
Geographic coordinates:54 15 N, 4 30 W
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 572 sq kmland: 572 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:160 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-thirdof the time
Terrain:hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m
Natural resources:none
Land use:arable land: 9%permanent crops: 0%other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)(2002)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary airpollution
Geography - note:one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is abird sanctuary
People Isle of Man
Population:75,441 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 17.3% (male 6,669/female 6,350)15-64 years: 65.7% (male 24,884/female 24,678)65 years and over: 17% (male 5,197/female 7,663) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 39.6 yearsmale: 38.4 yearsfemale: 41 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.52% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:11.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:11.19 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.68 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 78.49 yearsmale: 75.14 yearsfemale: 82.02 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups:Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton
Religions:Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Societyof Friends
Languages:English, Manx Gaelic
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Isle of Man
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man
Dependency status:British crown dependency
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Douglasgeographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 28 Wtime difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as definedby the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each withits own elections
Independence:none (British crown dependency)
National holiday:Tynwald Day, 5 July
Constitution:unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does notembody the unwritten Manx Constitution
Legal system:English common law and Manx statute
Suffrage:16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS(since 17 October 2005)head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December2006)cabinet: Council of Ministerselections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointedby the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is electedby the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be heldDecember 2008)election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chiefminister by the Tynwald
Legislative branch:bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-memberbody composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodorand Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and eight others named by theHouse of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are electedby popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to beheld November 2011)election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1,independents 21
Judicial branch:High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the LordChancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) (branch of the British National Party) note: most members sit as independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (British crown dependency)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (British crown dependency)
Flag description:red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center;the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; inorder to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag,a two-sided emblem is used
Economy Isle of Man
Economy - overview:Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of theeconomy. The government offers incentives to high-technologycompanies and financial institutions to locate on the island; thishas paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-incomeindustries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstaysof the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. The Isle ofMan also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Tradeis mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EUmarkets.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$2.113 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$2.26 billion (2003)
GDP - real growth rate:6.3% (2003)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$27,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.)
Labor force:39,690 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 3%,construction 10%, transport and communication 11%, wholesale andretail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 10%,public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%
Unemployment rate:0.6% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.7% (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $485 millionexpenditures: $463 million; including capital expenditures of $NA(FY00/01 est.)
Agriculture - products:cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Industries:financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:3.2% (FY96/97)
Exports:$NA
Exports - commodities:tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb
Exports - partners:UK (2004)
Imports:$NA
Imports - commodities:timber, fertilizers, fish
Imports - partners:UK (2004)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$NA
Currency (code):British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound
Currency code:GBP
Exchange rates:Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.54413 (2006), 0.55 (2005), 0.5462(2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Isle of Man
Telephones - main lines in use:51,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular:NA
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone systeminternational: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satelliteearth station, submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:NA
Television broadcast stations:0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)
Televisions:27,490 (1999)
Internet country code:.im
Internet hosts:290 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):NA
Internet users:NA
Transportation Isle of Man
Airports: 1 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Railways:total: 65 kmstandard guage: 7 km 1.067-m guage (7 km electrified)narrow guage: 58 km 0.914-m guage (29 km electrified)note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006)
Roadways:total: 800 kmpaved: 800 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 305 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,266,229 GRT/13,792,927 DWTby type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 65, chemical tanker 53, container16, liquefied gas 38, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74,refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 1,vehicle carrier 5foreign-owned: 213 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 53, Estonia 2, France 2,Germany 56, Greece 45, Italy 5, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1,Norway 27, Singapore 7, Sweden 1, Turkey 3, US 3)registered in other countries: 9 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Liberia 5,Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey
Military Isle of Man
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Isle of Man
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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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 Israel occupiedsince the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile,unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from theSinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Israel andPalestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration ofPrinciples (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interimperiod of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and otherdisputes 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. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working inconjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took thelead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflictby 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to twostates, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress towarda permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinianviolence between September 2003 and February 2005. AnIsraeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire,significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israelunilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers andits military. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head thePalestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel andthe Palestinian Authority. Ehud OLMERT became prime minister inMarch 2006; following an Israeli military operation in Gaza inJune-July 2006, he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from mostof the West Bank. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by LebaneseHizballah led to a 34-day conflict in Lebanon in June-August 2006.
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: 15.45% permanent crops: 3.88% other: 80.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:1,940 sq km (2003)
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, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, 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, 0 in theGaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est.); Sea ofGalilee is an important freshwater source
People Israel
Population:6,352,117note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.3% (male 855,054/female 815,619)15-64 years: 63.9% (male 2,044,135/female 2,016,647)65 years and over: 9.8% (male 266,671/female 353,991) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 29.6 yearsmale: 28.8 yearsfemale: 30.5 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.18% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:17.97 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 79.46 yearsmale: 77.33 yearsfemale: 81.7 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.41 children born/woman (2006 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 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostlyArab) (2004)
Religions:Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)
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:name: Jerusalemgeographic coordinates: 32 05 N, 34 48 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends theSunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippurnote: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but theUS, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in TelAviv
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 Ehud OLMERT (since May 2006);Deputy Prime Minister Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI (since May 2006)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 (no term limits); election lastheld 28 March 2006 (next to be held in 2010, but can be calledearlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns aKnesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - thetask of forming a governing coalitionelection 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); Ehud OLMERT wonthe right to lead the government when his Kadima Party won 29 seatsin elections held on 28 March 2006; in May 2006 OLMERT formed acoalition government with the Labor, GIL (Pensioners), and SHASparties. In October 2006 the Yisrael Beiteinu party joined thegovernment
Legislative branch:unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve four-year terms)elections: last held 28 March 2006 (next scheduled to be held in2010)election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 22%, Labor15.1%, Likud 9%, SHAS 9.5%, Yisrael Beiteinu 9%, NU/NRP 7.1%, GIL5.9%, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 4.7%, Meretz-YAHAD 3.8%, United ArabList 3%, Balad 2.3%, HADASH 2.7%; seats by party - Kadima 29, Labor19, Likud 12, SHAS 12, Yisrael Beiteinu 11, NU/NRP 9, GIL 7, Torahand Shabbat Judaism 6, Meretz-YAHAD 5, United Arab List 4, Balad 3,HADASH 3
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee -made up of all three branches of the government; mandatoryretirement age is 70)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKA];GIL (Pensioners) [Rafael EITAN]; Kadima [Ehud OLMERT]; Labor Party[Amir PERETZ]; Likud Party [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; Meretz-YAHAD [YossiBEILIN]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA];National Union (NU)/National Religious Party (NRP) [Binyamin ELON];SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Torah and Shabbat Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN];United Arab List [Ibrahim SARSOUR]; Yisrael Beiteinu [AvigdorLIEBERMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bankand Gaza Strip; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, SecretaryGeneral]supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and GazaStrip; Yesha Council of Settlements [Bentzi LIEBERMAN, Chairman]promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise;B'Tselem monitors human rights abuses
International organization participation:BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE(partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Salai MERIDOR chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575 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, though diminishing, government participation. Itdepends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and militaryequipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensivelydeveloped its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain, but islargely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cutdiamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products(fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usuallyposts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transferpayments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of thegovernment's external debt is owed to the US, which is its majorsource of economic and military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinianconflict; difficulties in the high-technology, construction, andtourist sectors; and fiscal austerity in the face of growinginflation led to small declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economyrebounded in 2003-05, growing at a 4% rate each year, as thegovernment tightened fiscal policy and implemented structuralreforms to boost competition and efficiency in the markets. Theconflict with Lebanon in summer 2006 dampened slightly GDP growthestimates for the year, but continuing strong foreign investment,tax revenue, and private consumption levels helped the economyrecover quickly.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$166.3 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$121.6 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$26,200 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 30.8% services: 66.6% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 2.6 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 1.8%, manufacturing 1.8%, construction 5.3%, wholesale and retail trade 15.7%, transport, storage, and communications 6.3%, finance and business 5.3%, personal and other services 11.5%, public services 28.6% (1996)
Unemployment rate:8.5% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:22.6% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 32% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:34 (2005)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.9% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $47.57 billionexpenditures: $49.57 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:91% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Industries:high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiberoptics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metalsproducts, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles,footwear
Industrial production growth rate:4.7% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:46.07 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:41.38 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:1.47 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:3,209 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:248,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:780 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:780 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:38.94 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$1.463 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$42.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agriculturalproducts, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners:US 36.5%, Belgium 8.7%, Hong Kong 5.6% (2005)
Imports:$47.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, roughdiamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods
Imports - partners:US 13.4%, Belgium 10.1%, Germany 6.4%, UK 5.7%, Switzerland 5.5%,China 4.2% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$28.2 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$81.98 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$240 million from US (FY06)
Currency (code):new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation;ILS is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) codefor the NIS
Currency code:ILS
Exchange rates:new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5 (2006), 4.4877 (2005),4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Israel
Telephones - main lines in use:2,936,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:7.757 million (2005)
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:1,251,881 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):21 (2000)
Internet users:3.7 million (2006)
Transportation Israel
Airports: 53 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 6 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2006)
Heliports:3 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 193 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2006)
Railways:total: 853 kmstandard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 17,446 kmpaved: 17,446 km (including 144 km of expressways) (2004)
Merchant marine:total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 716,382 GRT/845,053 DWTby type: cargo 2, container 16registered in other countries: 51 (Bahamas 1, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 3,Honduras 1, Liberia 5, Malta 23, Panama 6, Saint Vincent and theGrenadines 2, Slovakia 7) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa
Military Israel
Military branches:Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Army Headquarters, Israel Navy,Israeli Air and Space Force (ISAF, includes air defense forces);historically there have been no separate Israeli military services(2005)
Military service 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)
Manpower available for military service:males age 17-49: 1,492,125females age 17-49: 1,443,916 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 17-49: 1,255,902females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 53,760females: 51,293 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$9.45 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:7.7% (2005 est.)
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; Israelcontinues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier alongparts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrewits settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from foursettlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights isIsraeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of GolanHeights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN TruceSupervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitorceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolatedincidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in theregion
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes innorthern Israel) (2006)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Israel is a destination country for low-skilledworkers from Eastern Europe and Asia who migrate voluntarily forcontract labor in the construction, agriculture, and health careindustries, some of whom are subsequently subjected to conditions ofinvoluntary servitude; many labor recruitment agencies in sourcecountries and in Israel require workers to pay large up-front feesthat often lead to debt bondage and vulnerability to forced labor;Israel is also a destination country for women trafficked fromEastern Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitationtier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Israel is placed on the Tier 2Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing effortsto address trafficking, namely the conditions of involuntaryservitude allegedly facing thousands of foreign migrant workers
Illicit drugs:increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrivein country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Italy
Introduction Italy
Background:Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional 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 Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime,corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the lowincomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with theprosperous north.
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 kmland: 294,020 sq kmwater: 7,210 sq kmnote: includes Sardinia and Sicily
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