RAMALLAH, March 29, 2007 (WAFA)- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Thursday that the area of built-up land in Israeli settlements in the West Bank totaled 187,100 thousand dunums (187.1 km²) in August 2005.

According to a Press Release issued on the occasion of "Land Day" PCBS reported that the largest area was in Jerusalem Governorate with 44.4 km², representing 12.9% of the total area of the Governorate, followed by Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate at 30.3 km2, representing 3.5% of the total area of the Governorate.

According to 2005 data, the number of Israeli settlements in the West Bank was 144 settlements, 26 settlements were in Jerusalem Governorate, and 24 settlements were in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, PCBS said.

Data indicate that the number of settlers in the West Bank in 2005 reached 451,441 settlers, of which 246,843 settlers were in Jerusalem Governorate (191,575 settlers in the part of Jerusalem which was annexed by Israel in 1967, and 55,268 settlers in the rest of the Governorate) representing 54.7% of total settlers in the West Bank.

The area of the Palestinian Territory is 6,020 km² of which 24.8% (1,490.6 km2) was agricultural land during the year 2005, in addition to 1.5% of the Palestinian Territory as forests (91.7 km²). Of the agricultural land, 77.0% was permanent agricultural land and 89.7% was rainfed agricultural land.

In 2005, the yield of each km² of the total irrigated and rain-fed agricultural land in the Palestinian Territory was 5,134.3 tons and 225.9 tons respectively. The value of agricultural production in the Palestinian Territory in 2005 was331.9 thousand US$/km² of agricultural land, while the value added was 243.6 thousand US$/km².

In 2006 the population density in the Palestinian Territory reached 645.9 persons per km2, while it was 432.3 persons perkm² in the West Bank and 3,955.7 persons per km² in the Gaza Strip. Gaza governorate was considered the most densely populated governorate in 2006 with a population density of 6,833.8 persons per km². On the other hand, Jericho & Al-Agwar governorate was considered the least densely populated governorate with a population density of 73.6 persons per km².

In demographic terms, the percentage of settlers in the Palestinian Territory, according to 2005 data, equaled 15.8% of the total persons living in the West Bank, the highest percentage was in the Jerusalem Governorate where settlers represent 38.0% of the total population.

Data showed that the area seized by Israel to construct the Expansion and Annexation Wall reached about 47,900 dunums until June 2005, while the area isolated between the wall and the green line amounted to almost 301,100 dunums, where 44,273 Palestinians live.

S.A.S. (14:03 P) (12:05 GMT)