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Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Egypt and Israel
Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E
Map references: Middle East
Area:
total: 360 sq km
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline: 40 km
Maritime claims: Israeli-occupied with current status subject
to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status
to be determined through further negotiation
Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal
plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 39%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 11%
other: 26% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: desertification; salination
of fresh water; sewage treatment
Geography - note: there are 24 Israeli settlements and civilian
land use sites in the Gaza Strip (August 1999 est.)
Background: The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on
Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington
on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding
five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank.
Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities
to the Palestinian Authority, which includes a Palestinian Legislative
Council elected in January 1996, as part of interim self-governing
arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and
Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement
on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of
the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim
Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment
in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum,
and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement.
The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the
transitional period for external security and for internal security
and public order of settlements and Israeli citizens.
Permanent status is to be determined through direct negotiations,
which resumed in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus.
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