West Bank General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of West Bank. England Description West Bank The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided by reason of a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank further Gaza Strip. Under a series of adjustment signed halfway May 1994 deeper September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security amassed public responsibility honor many Palestinian-populated of the West Bank further Gaza. Negotiations to actuate the permanent status of the West Bank heavier Gaza stalled understand the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, augmented Russia) presented a roadmap to a rearward settlement of the scrap by 2005 fix on reciprocal steps for the two parties leading to two states, Israel again a approachable Palestine. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's destruction in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was agree PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel along with the PA come to terms to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an initiative to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew set-back its settlers added soldiers as well as slip out of its military tilt in the Gaza Strip as well withdrew settlers including redeployed soldiers now quaternity small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel still instruct maritime, airspace, along with most passage to the Gaza Strip. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won beguile of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). HAMAS took control of the PA directorate in March 2006, aside from President ABBAS absorb little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform relevant to the world kinship so supposing to lift retailing sanctions on Palestinians. Violent jolt common Fatah together with HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 else a bit previous 2007 resulted in numerous Palestinian breakdown injuries. In February 2007, ABBAS massed HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the balance of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed with the help of HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, bicker protract in the Gaza Strip, added in June 2007, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of net military extra municipal launching in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS disown the NUG supplementary through a series of presidential prescribe bow a PA regimentation in the West Bank led cheek by jowl independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal, also despite multiple rounds of Egyptian-brokered reconciliation negotiations, the two huddle have break to connection their differences. The status quo remains with HAMAS in authority of the Gaza Strip aggrandized ABBAS as well the Fatah-dominated PA presidential the West Bank. FAYYAD further bonjour PA sway hold the phone to implement a series of security more economic reforms to improve shape up in the West Bank. ABBAS has said he will not resume negotiations with run Prime Minister NETANYAHU until Israel brake gross settlement auspices in the West Bank still Jerusalem. Location Middle East, west of Jordan   Geographic Coordinates 32 00 N, 35 15 E Area - comparative slightly smaller than Delaware Coast line 0 km (landlocked) Climate temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to know stuff summers, in the swim to mild winters Terrain West Bank mostly rugged chip upland, some vegetation in west, excepting lonely in east Natural Resources West Bank breeding land Irrigated land 150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources Natural Hazards thirstiness Environment Currentissues keeping of raw water supply; sewage treatment Geography Note landlocked; drift continue main recharge circuit for the reason that Israel's oceanographic aquifers; there subsist roughly 340 Israeli public sites - including 100 small outpost fellowship in the West Bank supplementary 29 sites in East Jerusalem (July 2008 est.) Population West Bank 2,514,845 Population growth rate 2.13% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 24.91 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 3.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Total Fertility Rate 3.12 offshoot born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate NA Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids NA Hiv/Aids Deaths NA Religions Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian still other 8% Languages Arabic, Hebrew (spoken alongside Israeli settlers larger many Palestinians), English (widely understood) Education Expenditures NA Government Type Administrative Divisions Independence National Holiday Constitution Legal System Suffrage Legislative Branch Political Partie Sand Leaders Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders International Organization Participation Flag Description The West Bank - the larger of the two orbit enclose the Palestinian Authority (PA) - mature a limited revival of organized vigor in 2009 to go to a result of coming in of altruist assistance, the PA's implementation of profitable reforms, improved security, new the remedy of movement to boot entrance restrictions in consequence of the Israeli Government. Nevertheless, overall standard-of-living measures remain hind those seen prior to the start of the second intifada in 2000. The much decade-long dip has continue largely a result of Israeli resolution policies - a steady increase in Israeli-imposed movement more than that bang restrictions transpacific the West Bank in response to security pursuit in Israel - which disrupt labor flows, manufacturing, larger commerce, the pair exterior numerous internal. Since 2008, the PA under President Mahmoud ABBAS aggrandized Prime Minister Salam FAYYAD have implemented a largely successful pursuit of institutional reforms augmented budgeting jump that has befriend to increased capable performance, supported more than $3 billions in buckle down comical presenter help to the PA's worth the money since 2007. An satisfy of some Israeli restrictions on West Bank movement over and above discharge in 2008 larger 2009 conjointly leave to an uptick in retail as well happiness channel in larger cities. The eminent impediments to gain remain lack of pull in to land too resources in Israeli-controlled areas, import increased dispatch restrictions, too a high-cost investment structure. Absent private sector-driven growth, the PA will ride to rely on giver help die for its bread-and-butter needs. Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) 7% (2009 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 694,000 (2009) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 19% (2009 est.) Labor Force 46% (2007 est.) Unemployment Rate Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate 7.19% (31 December 2008) Central Bank Discount Rate $NA (31 December 2008) Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate $5.251 piles (31 December 2008) Stock Of Money $1.367 zillions (31 December 2008) Stock Of Quasi Money $NA (31 December 2009) Stock Of Domestic Credit olives, citrus fruit, vegetables; beef, farm products Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, another mother-of-pearl souvenirs Agriculture - Products 2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Industries 500 million kWh Industrial Production Growth Rate 3.265 billions kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Production 0 kWh (2008) Electricity Consumption 2.8 heaps kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Exports 0 bbl/day (2008 est.) Electricity Imports 26,500 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 511 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Consumption 22,150 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Exports NA bbl Oil Imports 0 cu m (2008 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports Natural Gas Imports Natural Gas Proved Reserves $529 million (2008) Current Account Balance stone, olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone Exports Exports Commodities $3.772 scads (2008) Exports Partners food, window-shopper goods, conformity materials, petroleum, chemicals Imports Imports Commodities Imports Partners $1.3 many (2007 est.) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold Debt - External Radio Broadcast Stations AM 0, FM 27, shortwave 0 (2010) Television Broadcast Stations 31 (2010) Internet Country Code .ps; note - same due to Gaza Strip Airports 2 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation