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Compare West Bank (2008) - Latvia (2001)

Compare West Bank (2008) z Latvia (2001)

 West Bank (2008)Latvia (2001)
 West BankLatvia
Administrative divisions - 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Leipaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 551,243/female 524,800)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 704,209/female 670,382)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 36,175/female 49,118) (2007 est.)
0-14 years:
16.55% (male 201,746; female 193,036)

15-64 years:
68.15% (male 776,509; female 848,908)

65 years and over:
15.3% (male 118,110; female 246,922) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Airports 3 (2007) 25 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total:
13

2,438 to 3,047 m:
7

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
12

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
2

under 914 m:
7 (2000 est.)
Area total: 5,860 sq km


land: 5,640 sq km


water: 220 sq km


note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
total:
64,589 sq km

land:
64,589 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Delaware slightly larger than West Virginia
Background The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement by the end of 2008. After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions.
Birth rate 30.99 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 8.03 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.149 billion


expenditures: $2.31 billion


note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)
revenues:
$1.33 billion

expenditures:
$1.27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Capital - Riga
Climate temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 531 km
Constitution - the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: West Bank
conventional long form:
Republic of Latvia

conventional short form:
Latvia

local long form:
Latvijas Republika

local short form:
Latvija

former:
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency - Latvian lat (LVL)
Death rate 3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.8 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA $800 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission:
Ambassador James H. HOLMES

embassy:
Raina Boulevard 7, LV-1510, Riga

mailing address:
American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723

telephone:
[371] 721-0005

FAX:
[371] 782-0047
Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission:
Ambassador Aivis RONIS

chancery:
4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone:
[1] (202) 726-8213, 8214

FAX:
[1] (202) 726-6785
Disputes - international West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region draft treaty delimiting the boundary with Russia has not been signed; has not ratified 1998 maritime boundary agreement with Lithuania (primary concern is oil exploration rights)
Economic aid - recipient $1.4 billion; (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.) $96.2 million (1995)
Economy - overview The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in economic conditions since the second intifada began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of closures and access restrictions in response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international community's financial embargo of the PA when HAMAS ran the PA during March 2006 - June 2007 has interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of PA salaries. Since June the Fayyad government in the West Bank has restarted salary payments and the provision of services but would be unable to operate absent high levels of international assistance. In 2000, Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 - the first Baltic state to join - and was invited at the Helsinki EU Summit in December 1999 to begin accession talks in early 2000. Unemployment fell to 7.8% in 2000, down from 9.6% in 1999, and 9.2% in 1998. Privatization of large state-owned utilities and the shipping industry faced more delays in 2000, and political instability will continue to delay completion of the privatization process over the next year. Latvia projects 6% GDP growth, 2.5%-3.0% inflation, and a 1.7% fiscal deficit in 2001. Preparing for EU membership over the next few years remains a top foreign policy goal.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 4.316 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports - 400 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports NA kWh 1 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants 3.996 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
31.78%

hydro:
68.22%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
lowest point:
Baltic Sea 0 m

highest point:
Gaizinkalns 312 m
Environment - current issues adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment air and water pollution because of a lack of waste conversion equipment; Gulf of Riga and Daugava River heavily polluted; contamination of soil and groundwater with chemicals and petroleum products at military bases
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17% Latvian 56.5%, Russian 30.4%, Byelorussian 4.3%, Ukrainian 2.8%, Polish 2.6%, other 3.4%
Exchange rates new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003) lati per US dollar - 0.614 (January 2001), 0.607 (2000), 0.585 (1999), 0.590 (1998), 0.581 (1997), 0.551 (1996)
Executive branch - chief of state:
President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)

head of government:
Prime Minister Andris BERZINS (since 5 May 2000)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament

elections:
president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2003); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA elected as a compromise candidate in second phase of balloting, second round (after five rounds in first phase failed); percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9%
Exports $301 million f.o.b.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006) Germany 16%, UK 11%, Sweden 11%, Russia 7% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description - three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP - purchasing power parity - $17.3 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8%


industry: 13%


services: 79% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
agriculture:
5%

industry:
33%

services:
62% (1999)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -8% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.) 5.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 35 15 E 57 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 242 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August 2005 est.) -
Highways - total:
59,178 km

paved:
22,843 km

unpaved:
36,335 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
2.9%

highest 10%:
25.9% (1998)
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; limited production of illicit amphetamine, ephedrine, and ecstasy for export
Imports $2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) $3.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities food, consumer goods, construction materials machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006) Russia 15%, Germany 10%, Finland 9%, Sweden 7% (1999)
Independence - 18 November 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 6.3% (2000 est.)
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 buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy, raw materials, and intermediate products
Infant mortality rate total: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
15.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.6% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006) 2.7% (2000)
International organization participation - BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 42 (2000)
Irrigated land 150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003) 160 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force 605,000 (2006) 1.4 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 18%


industry: 15%


services: 67% (2006)
agriculture 10%, industry 25%, services 65% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 404 km


border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
total:
1,150 km

border countries:
Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use arable land: 16.9%


permanent crops: 18.97%


other: 64.13% (2001)
arable land:
27%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
13%

forests and woodland:
46%

other:
14% (1993 est.)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) Latvian or Lettish (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Legal system - based on civil law system
Legislative branch - unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - People's Party 21%, LC 18%, TSP 14%, TB/LNNK 14%, Social Democrats 13%, New Party 7%; seats by party - People's Party 24, LC 21, TB/LNNK 17, TSP 16, Social Democrats 14, New Party 8
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.46 years


male: 71.68 years


female: 75.35 years (2007 est.)
total population:
68.7 years

male:
62.8 years

female:
74.9 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.4%


male: 96.7%


female: 88% (2004 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
100%

male:
100%

female:
99% (1989 est.)
Location Middle East, west of Jordan Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references Middle East Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,984 GRT/29,978 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 3 (2000 est.)
Military branches - Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $60 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 0.9% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
590,784 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
463,944 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
19,114 (2001 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 18 November 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality noun: NA


adjective: NA
noun:
Latvian(s)

adjective:
Latvian
Natural hazards droughts NA
Natural resources arable land minimal; amber, peat, limestone, dolomite, hydropower, arable land
Net migration rate 2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders - Anticommunist Union or PA [P. MUCENIEKS]; Christian Democrat Union or LKDS [Talavs JUNDZIS]; Christian People's Party or KTP [Uldis AUGSTKALNS]; Democratic Party "Saimnieks" or DPS [Ziedonis CEVERS, chairman]; For Fatherland and Freedom or TB [Maris GRINBLATS], merged with LNNK; For Human Rights in a United Latvia [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Green Party or LZP [Olegs BATAREVSKI]; Latvian Liberal Party or LLP [J. DANOSS]; Latvian National Conservative Party or LNNK [Andrejs KRASTINS]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [A. MALINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDWU [Juris BOJARS and Janis ADAMSONS, leaders]; Latvian Unity Party or LVP [Alberis KAULS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Andrei PANTELEJEVS]; New Christian Party [Ainars SLESERS]; New Faction [Ingrida UDRE]; "Our Land" or MZ [M. DAMBEKALNE]; Party of Russian Citizens or LKPP [V. SOROCHIN, V. IVANOV]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Political Union of Economists or TPA [Edvins KIDE]
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population 2,535,927


note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)
2,385,231 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 46% (2007 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.985% (2007 est.) -0.81% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Daugavpils, Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 25, shortwave 0 (2008) AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 1.76 million (1997)
Railways - total:
2,412 km

broad gauge:
2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified) (1992)

narrow gauge:
33 km 0.750-m gauge (1994)
Religions Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8% Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.736 male(s)/female


total population: 1.038 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.48 male(s)/female

total population:
0.85 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services


international: country code - 970 (2004)
general assessment:
inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use

domestic:
expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications

international:
international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use 349,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 748,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.095 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 77,100 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 30 (2008) 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east low plain
Total fertility rate 4.17 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.15 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 18.6% (2006) 7.8% (2000 est.)
Waterways - 300 km (perennially navigable)
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