RAMALLAH, November 27, 2013 (WAFA) - A total of 2,219 building licenses were issued in the third quarter of this year, a decrease by 11.3% compared to the second quarter and an increase by 24.8% compared to the third quarter of 2012, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Wednesday.

The area of licensed residential and non-residential buildings totaled one million square meters, of which new buildings made up 919,000 square meters and existing buildings 128,000.

The total number of licensed dwellings was 4,582 of which 3,926 were new units with a total area of 675,000 square meters and 656 were existing dwellings with a total area of 106,000 square meters.

The number of new dwellings in the third quarter of this year was 10.9% higher than in the second quarter and 26.4% higher than in the third quarter of 2012.

M.S.