Gaza Strip

Gaza Strip قطاع غزة Qiṭāʿ Ġazzah
Palestinian flag
Status	• Under the Palestinian Authority according to the Oslo Accords  • De-facto Administrated by Hamas since July 2007.  • Claimed by the State of Palestinea
Largest city	Gaza 31°31′N 34°27′E / 31.517°N 34.450°E / 31.517; 34.450
Official languages	Arabic
Ethnic groups	Arab  ∟ Palestinian  ∟ Palestinian bedouin
Demonym	Gazan Palestinian
Area
• Total	365 km2 (141 sq mi)
Population
• End 2015 estimate	1.85 million
• Density	5,046/km2 (13,069.1/sq mi)
Currency	Egyptian poundb (EGP) Israeli shekelc (ILS) (see also Palestinian currency)
Time zone	Palestine Standard Time (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	Palestine Summer Time (UTC+3)
Calling code	+970
The State of Palestine is recognized by 137 members of the United Nations. Used since 1951. Used since 1986; as in Israel, replaced the old Israeli shekel (1980–1985) and the Israeli lira (1967–1980).

 • Under the Palestinian Authority according to the Oslo Accords
 • De-facto Administrated by Hamas since July 2007.

The Gaza Strip (/ˈɡɑːzəˈstrɪp/;Arabic: قطاع غزة‎‎ Qiṭāʿ Ġazzah [qɪˈtˤɑːʕ ˈɣazza]), or simply Gaza, is a small self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km (32 mi) border. Gaza, together with the West Bank, comprise the Palestinian territories claimed by the Palestinians as the State of Palestine. The territories of Gaza and the West Bank are separated from each other by Israeli territory. Both fall under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, but Gaza has since June 2007 been governed by Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic organization which came to power in free elections in 2006. It has been placed under an Israeli and U.S.-led international economic and political boycott from that time onwards.