RAMALLAH, January 8, 2007 (WAFA)-Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said that 29,314 of households lived in houses that had been completely or partly damaged in the Palestinian Occupied Territory(OPT),2006.

In a report on Housing Conditions in the Palestinian Territory, 2006, PCBS reported that 401,867 of households in the OPT need to build new housing units during the next ten years.

"The number is higher for Gaza Strip at 28,997 than the West Bank at 317 household. Also 4o1,867 of households in the OPT need to build new housing units during the next ten years, while1170,909 of the households in the Palestinian Territory can build additional housing units, "PCBS said.

It added that the results show that 55.6% of households in the OPT live in a house, while 40.8% live in apartments, compared to rates of 58.0% and 39.9% at the end of year 2000.While the percentage of households living in owned housing units in the OPT is 81.5%, where as 11.5% of households live in rented housing units.

The survey results of the years 2000 and 2003 indicated that the average monthly rent paid for a housing unit in the OPT was 85.6 and 86.3 Jordanian Dinar respectively. This average increased to reach 115 Jordanian Dinar, including 125 Jordanian Dinar in the West Bank and 78 Jordanian Dinar in Gaza Strip, according to the report.

According to the results, PCBS revealed that the average of housing density in the OPT in general is 1.8 persons per room, this average was nearly the same in comparing with the year 2000. Also final data indicate that the average number of rooms in the housing unit for the OPT is 3.3, for the West Bank the average is 3.3, which is less than the average in Gaza Strip 3.4.

PCBS concluded that the Housing Conditions Survey data indicated that 47.2% of households in the OPT have telephone lines. Where as the percentage of households with mobile phone (Jawwal) in the OPT is 51.9% and 18.2% of households had a private car in 2006.

M.H.(13:30 P)(11:30 GMT)