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West Bank
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Capital:
Population: 3,340,143
Brief History of West Bank:
The West Bank is part of the Palestinian Territories. It is a strip of land that lies between Israel and Jordan. After World War I the land became part of the British Mandate of Palestine. However, since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War the border of the West Bank has changed. During the Six Day War in 1967, Israel took control of the West Bank and it has been administered by Israel ever since. There are around 500,000 Israelis living in the West Bank today. The land is an area of dispute between Israel and the rest of the Arab nations.
The Geography of West Bank
Total Size: 5,860 square km
Size Comparison: slightly smaller than Delaware
Geographical Coordinates: 32 00 N, 35 15 E
World Region or Continent: Middle East
General Terrain: mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Geographical Low Point: Dead Sea -408 m
Geographical High Point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Climate: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Major cities:
The People of West Bank
Type of Government:
Languages Spoken: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Independence:
National Holiday:
Nationality:
Religions: Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
National Symbol:
National Anthem or Song:
Economy of West Bank
Major Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers
Agricultural Products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Natural Resources: arable land
Major Exports: olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Major Imports: food, consumer goods, construction materials
Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)
National GDP: $12,790,000,000
** Source for population (2012 est.) and GDP (2011 est.) is CIA World Factbook.
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