Palestine: Number of building licenses issued up by 25.6%

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) released a Statistical Report on Building Licenses for the Second quarter 2005 which indicates that the total number of building licenses issued in the Remaining West Bank and Gaza Strip was 1,592.

In a press release, PCBS said the total number of building licenses issued increased by 25.6% in the second quarter 2005 compared with the first quarter of 2005. There was also an increase of 20.5% in the total licensed areas, and 25.8% in the total number of licensed dwellings, and 35.3% in the number of boundary walls licenses in the same quarters.

"The total number of building licenses issued increased by 17.4% in the second quarter of 2005 compared with the second quarter of 2004, but increased by 12.3%, compared with the second quarter of 2003,and decrease by 33% in the second quarter of 2005 compared with the second quarter of 2000," it added.

Comparing the licensed new areas in the second quarter of 2005 with the second quarter of 2004, the results show an increase of 20.8%, and an increase of 36.6% in the licensed existing areas.