Chapter 57
Telephones: 632,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region) and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational
Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 4.02 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 13
Televisions: 1 million (1992 est.)
@Iraq:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,032 km standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge
Highways: total: 46,500 km paved: 39,990 km unpaved: 6,510 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 meters and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft watercraft; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Persian Gulf war
Pipelines: crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km
Ports and harbors: Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
Merchant marine: total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 791,485 GRT/1,428,307 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, oil tanker 16, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1996 est.)
Airports: 101 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 85 over 3,047 m: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 16 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m : 8 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Internal Security Forces
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,039,332 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 2,825,888 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 246,404 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers ______________________________________________________________________
IRELAND
@Ireland:Geography
Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 8 00 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water : 1,390 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf : not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohill 1,041 m
Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, petroleum, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 68% forests and woodland : 5% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94
Geography - note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 60 miles of Dublin
@Ireland:People
Population: 3,606,952 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 415,747; female 393,181) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,203,792; female 1,185,935) 65 years and over: 11% (male 173,566; female 234,731) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.33% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 13.43 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.98 years male: 73.24 years female: 78.89 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(men), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Ethnic groups: Celtic, English
Religions: Roman Catholic 93%, Anglican 3%, none 1%, unknown 2%, other 1% (1981)
Languages: Irish (Gaelic), spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard, English is the language generally used
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
@Ireland:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland
Data code: EI
Government type: republic
National capital: Dublin
Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK)
National holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite
Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990) head of government: Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections : president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1997); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary Bourke ROBINSON elected president; percent of vote - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats, 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote and proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held NA February 1992 (next to be held NA February 1997); House of Representatives - last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1997) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats 2, Democratic Left 1, independents 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 39.1%, Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor Party 19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, Democratic Left 2.8%, Sinn Fein 1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats 10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of the government (prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Left [Proinsias DE ROSSA]; Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Labor Party [Richard SPRING]; Fine Gael [John BRUTON]; Communist Party of Ireland [Michael O'RIORDAN]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; The Workers' Party [Marion DONNELLY]; Green Alliance [Bronwen MAHER] note: Prime Minister BRUTON heads a three-party coalition consisting of the Fine Gael, the Labor Party, and the Democratic Left
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER (will return to Dublin in July) chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX : [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 6688777 FAX: [353] (1) 6689946
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy is small and trade dependent. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 38% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 26% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Since the 1980s, inflation has fallen sharply and chronic trade deficits have been transformed into annual surpluses. Unemployment remains a serious problem, however, and job creation is the main focus of government policy. To ease unemployment, Dublin aggressively courts foreign investors and recently created a new industrial development agency to aid small indigenous firms.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $59.9 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,800 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.9% industry: 38.6% services: 52.5% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.8% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 1.474 million (1996 est.) by occupation: services 62.3%, manufacturing and construction 26.0%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10.6%, utilities 1.1% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 11.9% (April 1996)
Budget: revenues : $22.6 billion expenditures: $23.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.3 billion (1995)
Industries: food products, brewing, textiles, clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal
Industrial production growth rate: 8.9% (1995 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 3.62 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 17.9 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,343 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; meat and dairy products
Exports: total value: $43.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: chemicals, data processing equipment, industrial machinery, live animals, animal products partners: EU 70% (UK 26%, Germany 14%, France 9%), US 6%
Imports: total value: $32.7 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities : food, animal feed, data processing equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery, textiles, clothing partners: EU 58% (UK 37%, Germany 7%, France 4%), US 17%
Debt - external: $17.5 billion (1995)
Economic aid: donor: ODA, $81 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Irish pound (£Ir) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Irish pounds (£Ir) per US$1 - 0.6123 (January 1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995), 0.6676 (1994), 0.6816 (1993), 0.5864 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Ireland:Communications
Telephones: 900,000 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 45, shortwave 0
Radios: 2.2 million (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 86 (1987 est.)
Televisions: 1.025 million (1990 est.)
@Ireland:Transportation
Railways: total: 1,947 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified; 485 km double track) (1996)
Highways: total: 92,430 km paved : 86,884 km (including 70 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,546 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: limited for commercial traffic
Pipelines: natural gas 225 km
Ports and harbors: Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
Merchant marine: total : 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 130,029 GRT/148,516 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 27, chemical tanker 2, container 5, oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3 (1996 est.)
Airports: 40 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 29 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 959,807 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 778,234 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males : 36,560 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $618 million (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (1994)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Northern Ireland question with the UK; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area)
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; transshipment point for heroin and cocaine ______________________________________________________________________
ISRAEL
(also see separate Gaza Strip and West Bank entries)
Introduction
Current issues: The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the data below, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives, and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement between them. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace.
@Israel:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 20,770 sq km land: 20,330 sq km water : 440 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 1,006 km border countries: Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
Coastline: 273 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf : to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
Natural resources: copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil
Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland : 6% other: 66% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer
Environment - current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified : Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: there are 203 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 24 in the Gaza Strip, and 26 in East Jerusalem (August 1996 est.)
@Israel:People
Population: 5,534,672 (July 1997 est.) note: includes 136,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, 15,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 5,000 in the Gaza Strip, and 156,000 in East Jerusalem (August 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 803,792; female 766,224) 15-64 years : 62% (male 1,711,668; female 1,708,700) 65 years and over: 10% (male 234,902; female 309,386) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.01% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 20.16 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 6.22 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.21 years male : 76.34 years female: 80.18 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.74 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli
Ethnic groups: Jewish 82% (Israel-born 50%, Europe/Americas/Oceania-born 20%, Africa-born 7%, Asia-born 5%), non-Jewish 18% (mostly Arab) (1993 est.)
Religions: Judaism 82%, Islam 14% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2%, Druze and other 2%
Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 97% female : 93% (1992 est.)
@Israel:Government
Country name: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el
Data code: IS
Government type: republic
National 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
Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May 1948 (Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May)
Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law
Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) head of government : Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU (since 18 June 1996) cabinet: Cabinet selected from and approved by the Knesset elections: president elected by the Knesset for a five-year term; election last held 24 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); prime minister elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 29 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); note - in March 1992, the Knesset approved legislation, effective in 1996, which allowed for the direct election of the prime minister; under the new law, each voter casts two ballots - one for the direct election of the prime minister and one for the party in the Knesset; the candidate that receives the largest percentage of the popular vote then works to form a coalition with other parties to achieve a parliamentary majority of 61 seats; finally, the candidate must submit his or her cabinet to the Knesset for approval and this must be done within 45 days of the election; in contrast to the old system, under the new law, the prime minister's party need not be the single-largest party in the Knesset election results: Ezer WEIZMAN elected president; percent of Knesset vote - NA; Binyamin NETANYAHU elected prime minister; percent of vote - Binyamin NETANYAHU 50.4%, Shimon PERES 49.5%
Legislative branch: unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Labor Party 34, Likud Party 32, SHAS 10, MERETZ 9, National Religious Party 9, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 7, Hadash-Balad 5, Third Way 4, United Arab List 4, United Jewish Torah 4, Moledet 2; note - Likud, Tzomet, and Gesher candidates ran on a joint list
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: government coalition: Likud Party, Prime Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael EITAN; Gesher, David LEVI; SHAS, Arieh DERI; National Religious Party, Zevulun HAMMER; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya, Natan SHARANSKY; United Jewish Torah, Meir PORUSH; Third Way, Avigdor KAHALANI; Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI opposition: Labor Party, Shimon PERES; MERETZ, Yossi SARID; United Arab List, Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH; Hadash-Balad, Hashim MAHAMID
Political pressure groups and leaders: Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and is critical of government's Lebanon policy