Telecom Infrastructure

Privatization and Deregulation

Internet Activity

Electronic Commerce

Hardware Manufacturing

Software Development

IT Usage

IT Labor Market

IT Geographics

IT Financing

Government Policies

Legal Environment

Analysis:Strengths/Weaknesses

Analysis:Impacts on Business

Sources and Links

About the Authors
 

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon 

Geography: There are 216 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 24 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 1998 est.)

Map references: Middle East 
Slightly smaller than New Jersey 

Bordering Countries: Egypt, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank 

Climate: Temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas 

Natural Resources: Copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil 

Population: 5,749,760 (July 1999 est.) 
Note: Includes about 166,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 19,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, about 6,000 in the Gaza Strip, and about 176,000 in East Jerusalem (August 1998 est.) 

Population Growth Rate: 1.81% (1999 est.) 

Nationality:  Israeli(s) 
Ethnic groups: Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%, Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab) (1996 est.) 

Religions: Judaism 80.1%, Islam 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.) 

Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language 

Government type: Republic

Capital: Jerusalem 
Note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv 

Executive Branch:
Chief of State: President Ezer Weizman (since 13 May 1993) 
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ehud Barak  (since 18 June 1996) 
Cabinet: Cabinet selected from and approved by the Knesset 

Legislative Branch: Unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Judicial Branch: Supreme Court, appointed for life by the president 

GDP: purchasing power parity - $101.9 billion (1998 est.) 
GDP real growth rate: 1.9% (1998 est.) 
GDP per capita: purchasing power parity—$18,100 (1998 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (1998 est.) 
Labor Force: 2.3 million (1997) 
Labor Force—by occupation: public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996) 

Unemployment rate: 8.7% (1998 est.) 

Industries: Food processing, diamond cutting and polishing, textiles and apparel, chemicals, metal products, military equipment, transport equipment, electrical equipment, potash mining, high-technology electronics, tourism 

Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot 

Military Branches: Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note—historically there have been no separate Israeli military services.
(CIA: The World Factbook 1999 - Israel)