Gaza Strip NONE 32
Amalgam 32: kinetic 47 × w 0.67 + structural 0 (UCDP) × 0.33 · tone momentum 1.09σ · kinetic z -0.75 · GDELT 48h: 100 events, conflict 27%, tone -5.68
Factbook dossier
Background
The Gaza Strip has been under the de facto governing authority of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) since 2007 and has faced years of conflict, poverty, and humanitarian crises. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip area has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The Gaza Strip fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; Israel captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo Accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip, as well as the West Bank. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began in response to perceived Israeli provocations , and in 2001, negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank , East Jerusalem , and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel in 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip s land borders , maritime territorial waters, cyberspace, telecommunications, and airspace. In 2006, HAMAS won a majority in the Palestinian L…
Location
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
Area
total : 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km
Natural resources
arable land, natural gas
Population
total: 2,184,652 (2025 est.) male: 1,108,222 female: 1,076,430
Ethnic groups
Palestinian Arab
Languages
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood) major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Muslim 98.0 - 99.0% (predominantly Sunni), Christian 1.0%, other, unaffiliated, unspecified 1.0% (2012 est.) note: Israel dismantled its settlements in September 2005; Gaza has had no Jewish population since then
Environmental issues
soil degradation; desertification; water pollution from chemicals and pesticides; salination of fresh water; improper sewage treatment; depletion and contamination of underground water resources
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$20.339 billion (2024 est.) $27.694 billion (2023 est.) $29.016 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Real GDP per capita
$3,800 (2024 est.) $5,400 (2023 est.) $5,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
53.7% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Exports - partners
Jordan 51%, Turkey 12%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UK 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Imports - partners
Egypt 25%, Jordan 17%, China 8%, Germany 7%, UAE 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Military and security forces
HAMAS maintains security forces inside Gaza in addition to its military wing, the 'Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades; the military wing ostensibly reports to the HAMAS Political Bureau but operates with considerable autonomy; there are several other militant groups operating in the Gaza Strip, most notably the Al-Quds Brigades of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which are usually but not always beholden to HAMAS's authority (2025) note: HAMAS is a US designated Foreign Terrorist Organization; see Terrorist Organizations under References
Military expenditures
not available