Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 104 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 Legislative Council election. Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and HAMAS ' s violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. Since HAMAS ' s takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory.
Fatah and HAMAS have since negotiated a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to enact them. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip and the Israel Defense Forces periodically exchange projectiles and air strikes, respectively, threatening broader conflict. In 2021, HAMAS launched rockets into Israel, sparking an 11-day conflict that also involved other Gaza-based militant groups.
Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process negotiated ceasefires, averting a broader conflict. Since 2018, HAMAS has coordinated demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel security fence. HAMAS has also stood by while other militant groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad, fought brief conflicts with Israel, most recently in August 2022 and May 2023.
On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants inside the Gaza Strip launched a combined unguided rocket and ground attack into Israel . The attack began with a barrage of more than 3,000 rockets fired toward Israel from Gaza, and included thousands of terrorists infiltrating Israel by land, sea, and air via paragliders . Militants attacked military bases, clashed with security forces mostly in southern Israel, and simultaneously infiltrated civilian communities . During the attack, terrorists carried out massacres and murdered civilians, including torture, acts of abuse and rape, a massacre at the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, as well as kidnapping approximately 240 civilians, including men, women, children, and soldiers.
These attacks were followed soon after by Israel i Defense Forces (IDF) air strikes inside Gaza. The next day, Israeli Prime Minister NETANYAHU formally declared war on Gaza. The IDF on 28 October launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza that is ongoing as of April 2024 .
Geography
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel
17 fieldsLand useshare of 360 sq km
People and Society
31 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female
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
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 16.3 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
2.1% (2020 est.) note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Child marriage
- women married by age 15:
- 0.7% (2020)
- women married by age 18:
- 13.4% (2020)
note: includes both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Environment
9 fieldsLand use(2023 est.)
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
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 77.6% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank
Carbon dioxide emissions
3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.); from petroleum and other liquids: 3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2024 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 251 million cubic meters (2022)
- industrial:
- 37 million cubic meters (2022)
- agricultural:
- 158 million cubic meters (2022)
note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Total renewable water resources
837 million cubic meters (2022 est.) note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Government
1 fieldCountry name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- Gaza, Gaza Strip
- local long form:
- none
- local short form:
- Qita' Ghazzah
- etymology:
- named for the largest city in the enclave, Gaza, whose settlement can be traced back to at least the 15th century B.C. (as "Ghazzat");
- "Strip" refers to its elongated shape along the Mediterranean
Economy
28 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture:
- 5.7% (2022 est.)
- industry:
- 17.4% (2022 est.)
- services:
- 58.3% (2022 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agricultural products
tomatoes, milk, cucumbers/gherkins, olives, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, pumpkins/squash, grapes, goat milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Labor force
1.391 million (2022 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Unemployment rate
24.5% (2022 est.) · 26.4% (2021 est.) · 25.9% (2020 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 36.1% (2022 est.)
- male:
- 31.6% (2022 est.)
- female:
- 56.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line
29.2% (2016 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
36.4 (2023 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Remittances
5.4% of GDP (2024 est.) · 18.2% of GDP (2023 est.) · 24% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Taxes and other revenues
21.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Current account balance
-$2.899 billion (2024 est.) · -$2.895 billion (2023 est.) · -$2.037 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Exports
$2.885 billion (2024 est.) · $3.413 billion (2023 est.) · $3.533 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Exports - commodities
scrap iron, tropical fruits, olive oil, building stone, prepared meat (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Imports
$8.264 billion (2024 est.) · $11.637 billion (2023 est.) · $12.257 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Imports - commodities
cement, raw sugar, cars, baked goods, perfumes (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.328 billion (2024 est.) · $1.323 billion (2023 est.) · $896.9 million (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Energy
6 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 352,000 kW(2023 est.)
Electricity
- installed generating capacity:
- 352,000 kW (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 6.956 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 6.925 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- transmission/distribution losses:
- 988 million kWh (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Energy consumption per capita
14.991 million Btu/person (2023 est.) note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2023 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions:
- 383,653 (2023 est.)
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
- 7 (2023 est.)
note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Telephones - mobile cellular
- total subscriptions:
- 4,148,420 (2023 est.)
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
- 77 (2023 est.)
note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- total:
- 431,000 (2023 est.)
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
- 8 (2023 est.)
note: includes the West Bank
Military and Security
3 fieldsMilitary 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 and security service personnel strengths
prior to the start of the 2023-2025 conflict with Israel, the military wing of HAMAS was estimated to have 20-30,000 fighters (2024)
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
- Army of Islam;
- Abdallah Azzam Brigades;
- al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade;
- HAMAS;
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force;
- Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ);
- Palestine Liberation Front;
- Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP);
- PFLP-General Command
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Gaza Strip.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gaza-strip.