Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about a third of 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:
Environment - current issues:
waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution
Geography - note:
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest and is a bird sanctuary
People ::Isle of Man
Population:
76,512 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 6,612/female 6,300)
15-64 years: 66% (male 25,433/female 25,083)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,408/female 7,676) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.2 years
male: 39 years
female: 41.4 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.524% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Birth rate:
10.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Death rate:
10.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Net migration rate:
5.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Urbanization:
urban population: 51% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 184 male: 6.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.82 years country comparison to the world: 39 male: 75.86 years
female: 81.93 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx
Ethnic groups:
Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons
Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends
Languages:
English, Manx Gaelic
Literacy:
Education expenditures:
Government ::Isle of Man
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man
abbreviation: I.O.M.
Dependency status:
British crown dependency
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Douglas
geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W
time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its 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 not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and Manx statutes
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald for a five-year term; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)
election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief minister by the Tynwald
Legislative branch:
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (11 seats; members composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to be held in 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 Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [PeterKARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin)[Bernard MOFFATT]
note: most members sit as independents
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Alliance for Progressive Government or APG (a government watchdog);Mec Vannin (political party advocating a sovereign state andenvironment policies); note - has only had one member elected to theTynwald
International organization participation:
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; in order 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 the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their contributions to GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.719 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.719 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2005) country comparison to the world: 83
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$35,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
39,690 (2001) country comparison to the world: 190
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
1.5% (December 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $965 million
expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (December 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry
Industries:
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism
Exports:
Exports - commodities:
tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb
Imports:
Imports - commodities:
timber, fertilizers, fish
Debt - external:
Exchange rates:
Manx pounds (IMP) per US dollar - 0.5302 (2008 est.), 0.4993 (2007), 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004)
note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound
Communications ::Isle of Man
Telephones - main lines in use:
51,000 (1999) country comparison to the world: 161
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)
Internet country code:
.im
Internet hosts:
478 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174
Transportation ::Isle of Man
Airports:
1 (2009) country comparison to the world: 229
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Railways:
total: 63 km country comparison to the world: 129 narrow gauge: 6 km 1.076-m gauge (6 km electrified); 57 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified)
note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2008)
Roadways:
total: 500 km (2008) country comparison to the world: 191
Merchant marine:
total: 273 country comparison to the world: 31 by type: bulk carrier 31, cargo 50, chemical tanker 48, container 12, liquefied gas 41, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 73, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: 181 (Chile 6, Denmark 29, France 1, Germany 56, Greece 50, Ireland 1, Japan 6, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 20, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 2, US 4)
registered in other countries: 7 (Bahamas 1, Liberia 5, Marshall Islands 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Douglas, Ramsey
Military ::Isle of Man
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,691
females age 16-49: 14,338 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 466
female: 446 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::Isle of Man
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on October 28, 2009
======================================================================
@Israel (Middle East)
Introduction ::Israel
Background:
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian cease-fire, significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and its military while retaining control over most points of entry into the Gaza Strip. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March 2006; he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most of the West Bank following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in June-July 2006 and a 34-day conflict with Hizballah in Lebanon in June-August 2006. OLMERT in June 2007 resumed talks with the PA after HAMAS seized control of the Gaza Strip and PA President Mahmoud ABBAS formed a new government without HAMAS. OLMERT in September 2008 resigned in the wake of several corruption allegations, but remained prime minister until the new coalition government under former Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU was completed in late March 2009, following the February general election.
Geography ::Israel
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt andLebanon
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 22,072 sq km country comparison to the world: 152 land: 21,642 sq km
water: 430 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,017 km
border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
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 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
Natural resources:
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand
Land use:
arable land: 15.45%
permanent crops: 3.88%
other: 80.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,940 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1.7 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.05 cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%)
per capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
there are about 340 Israeli civilian sites - including 100 small outpost communities in the West Bank - as well as 42 sites in the Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.); Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source
People ::Israel
Population:
7,233,701 country comparison to the world: 97 note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.9% (male 1,031,629/female 984,230)
15-64 years: 62.3% (male 2,283,034/female 2,221,301)
65 years and over: 9.9% (male 311,218/female 402,289) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.1 years
male: 28.4 years
female: 29.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.671% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Birth rate:
19.77 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
Death rate:
5.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Net migration rate:
2.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Urbanization:
urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 207 male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.73 years country comparison to the world: 13 male: 78.62 years
female: 82.95 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Nationality:
noun: Israeli(s)
adjective: Israeli
Ethnic groups:
Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born 22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab) (2004)
Religions:
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, 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 write
total population: 97.1%
male: 98.5%
female: 95.9% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 25
Government ::Israel
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Israel
conventional short form: Israel
local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
local short form: Yisra'el
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Jerusalem
geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends the Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur
note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy 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 British administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May
Constitution:
no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law; note - since May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft constitution
Legal system:
mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Shimon PERES (since 15 July 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Binjamin NETANYAHU (since 31 March 2009); Vice Prime Minister Silvan SHALOM (since 31 March 2009); Vice Prime Minister Moshe YAALON (since 31 March 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset
elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term (one-term limit); election last held 13 June 2007 (next to be held in 2014 but can be called earlier); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition
election results: Shimon PERES elected president; number of votes in first round - Shimon PERES 58, Reuven RIVLIN 37, Colette AVITAL 21; PERES elected president in second round with 86 votes (unopposed)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 February 2009 (next scheduled election to be held in 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kadima 23.2%, Likud-Ahi 22.3%, YB 12.1%, Labor 10.2%, SHAS 8.8%, United Torah Judaism 4.5%, United Arab List 3.5%, NU 3.4%, Hadash 3.4%, The Jewish Home 3%, The New Movement-Meretz 3%, Balad 2.6%; seats by party - Kadima 28, Likud-Ahi 27, YB 15, Labor 13, SHAS 11, United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 4, NU 4, HADASH 4, The Jewish Home 3, The New Movement-Meretz 3, Balad 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee - made up of all three branches of the government; mandatory retirement age is 70)
Political parties and leaders:
Balad [Azmi BISHARA]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality(HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKEH]; Kadima [Tzipora "Tzipi" LIVNI]; LaborParty [Ehud BARAK]; Likud [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; National Union[Yaakov KATZ]; The Jewish Home (HaBayit HaYehudi) [DanielHERSCHKOWITZ]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; The New Movement-Meretz [HaimORON]; United Arab List-Ta'al [Ibrahim SARSUR]; United Torah Judaismor UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN]; Yisrael Beiteinu or YB [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
B'Tselem [Jessica MONTELL, Executive Director] monitors human rights abuses; Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary General] supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; YESHA Council of Settlements [Danny DAYAN, Chairman] promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise
International organization participation:
BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael OREN
chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James B. CUNNINGHAM
embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903
mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830
telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575
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 the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
Economy ::Israel
Economy - overview:
Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, its major source of economic and military aid. Israel's GDP, after contracting slightly in 2001 and 2002 due to the Palestinian conflict and troubles in the high-technology sector, has grown by about 5% per year since 2003. The economy grew an estimated 3.9% in 2008, slowed by the global financial crisis. The government's prudent fiscal policy and structural reforms over the past few years have helped to induce strong foreign investment, tax revenues, and private consumption, setting the economy on a solid growth path.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$203.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $195.2 billion (2007 est.)
$185.6 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$202.1 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 5.2% (2007 est.)
5.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$28,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $27,900 (2007 est.)
$27,000 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.6%
industry: 32.4%
services: 65% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.957 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 16%
services: 82% (30 September 2008)
Unemployment rate:
6.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 7.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
21.6%
note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 24.2% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.6 (2005) country comparison to the world: 71 35.5 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
18.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Budget:
revenues: $59.98 billion
expenditures: $64.21 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
76.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 104.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 0.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
2.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 124 4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.06% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 129 6.27% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$15.36 billion (31 December 2006)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$154.3 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$113.4 billion (31 December 2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$134.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 33 $236.4 billion (31 December 2007)
$173.3 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Industries:
high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles, footwear
Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 72
Electricity - production:
50.41 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Electricity - consumption:
46.15 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Electricity - exports:
2.081 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
5,246 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94
Oil - consumption:
235,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Oil - exports:
69,580 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Oil - imports:
318,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Oil - proved reserves:
1.94 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Natural gas - production:
1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Natural gas - consumption:
1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Natural gas - proved reserves:
30.44 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Current account balance:
$2.213 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 $4.185 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$57.16 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 $50.07 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners:
US 32.5%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 6.7% (2008)
Imports:
$64.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 46 $55.93 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
US 12.3%, Belgium 6.5%, China 6.5%, Switzerland 6.1%, Germany 6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$42.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 $28.52 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$86.08 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 39 $89.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$56.93 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $55.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$54.55 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 $48.47 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)
Communications ::Israel
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.9 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 51
Telephones - mobile cellular:
8.902 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 64
Telephone system:
general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital; four privately-owned mobile-cellular service providers with countrywide coverage
international: country code - 972; submarine cables provide links to Europe, Cyprus, and parts of the Middle East; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
17 (plus 36 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
.il
Internet hosts:
1.544 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 35
Internet users:
2.106 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 69
Transportation ::Israel
Airports:
47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 92
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 6 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 14 (2009)
Heliports:
3 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 176 km; oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 913 km country comparison to the world: 93 standard gauge: 913 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 17,870 km country comparison to the world: 118 paved: 17,870 km (includes 146 km of expressways) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 11 country comparison to the world: 112 by type: cargo 2, container 9
registered in other countries: 60 (Bermuda 3, Cyprus 4, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, Liberia 23, Malta 18, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Slovakia 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa
Military ::Israel
Military branches:
Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF), Israel AirForce (IAF) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for officers; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,717,362
females age 16-49: 1,636,574 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,474,966
females age 16-49: 1,404,712 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 61,223
female: 58,219 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
7.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 6
Transnational Issues ::Israel
Disputes - international:
West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northern Israel) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan; money-laundering center
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Italy (Europe)
Introduction ::Italy
Background:
Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
Geography ::Italy
Location:
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the centralMediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 301,340 sq km country comparison to the world: 71 land: 294,140 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily