2006 CBS, STATISTICAL ABSTRACT OF ISRAEL 2006 28 שנתון סטטיסטי לישראל,למ''ס INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS This chapter presents comparisons of statistical data between Israel and other countries, particularly countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Different countries tend to publish their data using definitions and formats that are convenient for them. Therefore, in order to solve problems related to accuracy of comparisons, this chapter presents data which are usually taken from international organizations that prepare data in a way that allows for comparison, i.e., statistical units of organizations such as the United Nations, OECD, ILO, etc. National Accounts. EDUCATION (Tables 28.3 and 28.13) Data on national expenditure for education in Israel in 2003 were added to the international comparisons of the OECD, which were published by the OECD in Education at a Glance 2006. Estimates for Israel were calculated in the framework of national accounts. In order to conduct international comparisons, net taxes on imports were added to Israel’s Gross Domestic Product. Countries for which current estimates could not be obtained were eliminated from the table. In Israel’s GDP, expenditures for education in education institutions are higher than in all of the other countries examined. However, it should be noted that the percentage of young people in the Israeli population is relatively high compared with other countries. Average expenditures per student are presented in terms of PPP (see section on Purchasing Power Parities - PPP below). For a definition of GDP and its components, see Chapter 14 - National Accounts. AREA, POPULATION, AND POPULATION DENSITY (Table 28.1) SOURCES Data for all of the countries, excluding Israel, were taken from the United Nations web site -“Infonation”. The data on Israel were obtained from data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (see Chapter 2 - Population, Tables 2.1, 2.4). HEALTH (Tables 28.2 and 28.12) LABOUR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYED PERSONS Data on life expectancy were taken from the Report of the World Health Organization and data on infant mortality from OECD. Data on national expenditure for health in OECD countries were taken from OECD publications. Estimates for Israel were calculated in the framework of national accounts. In order to conduct international comparisons, net taxes on imports were added to Israel’s Gross Domestic Product. Countries for which current estimates could not be obtained were eliminated from the table. The average expenditure for health per capita is presented in terms of Purchasing Power Parities (PPP) - see the section on Purchasing Power Parities below. For a definition of Gross Domestic Product and its components, see Chapter 14 INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS (Tables 28.4 and 28.5) Data are based on Labour Force Surveys. The tables present standardised and comparative data for the different countries. The data are based on the definitions recommended by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The data on Israel were published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (see Table 12.1). Labour force data were adapted to the age in which compulsory education ends. In the United States, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom, compulsory education is until age 16. In Israel, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany and Holland, compulsory education is until age 15. In Italy, compulsory education was until 14 before 1993, and )161( לאומיות-השוואות בין since 1993 it has been until age 15. SOURCES For labour force: Monthly Labour Review, US Department of Labour, BLS For unemployed: OECD. specific definitions determined for all the countries participating the project. For services provided to households at a reduced rate or free of charge, data on input prices were gathered. In order to weight the PPP value and to calculate the product and expenditure items, the relevant expenditure data in the national accounts were used. PURCHASING POWER PARITIES (Tables 28.6-28.11) DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS The international comparisons project was conducted for 42 countries Coordination of the project was conducted jointly by the OECD organization and the statistics office of the European Union (Eurostat). The purpose of the project is an international comparison of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its component expenditure per capita. For the comparison, Purchasing Power Parities (PPP) were used. PPP’s are currency conversion rates that convert to a common currency and equalize the purchasing power of different countries. The GDP, which is calculated by PPP, is in fixed prices and the differences in the GDP levels between countries reflects only differences in the volume of goods and services purchased. The price level and volume indices (expenditure per capita) were calculated on the basis of the average of the 30 member countries of the OECD. Price level indices - were achieved by dividing the value of the Purchasing Power Parities (PPP) of each country by its regular exchange rate. Volume indices - achieved by division of the average GDP per capita in each one of the countries, by the average of all the countries participating in the calculation. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (Table 28.14) Data on R&D for OECD countries were obtained from OECD publications. For countries, on which there is no detailed information for 2003, data were taken for the nearest year. Estimates for Israel were calculated in the framework of National Accounts. In order to conduct international comparisons, net taxes on imports were added to Israel’s Gross Domestic Product. Countries for which current estimates could not be obtained were eliminated from the table. The average expenditure on civilian R&D per capita is presented in terms of PPP (see section on Purchasing Power Parity above. For a definition of GDP and its components, see Chapter14 - National Accounts. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES (ICT) (Table 28.15) The OECD published comparative data for the years 2003-2004 on countries belonging to the organization. The data are presented by categories that reflect the main ICT activities and the contribution of those activities toward the economy. The data on Israel are data which were published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (see Chapter 18, Business, Table 18.13). SOURCES The data for Tables 28.6 and 28.9, which were calculated by the OECD for its member countries, are based on estimates and were derived from the organization’s publications. The estimates for Israel were calculated within the National Accounts framework. For comparison purposes, net taxes on imports were added to Israel’s GDP. The data for Tables 28.10 and 28.11 relate to 2002, and the data gathering was conducted in the years 2000-2002. For calculating PPP’s, data on prices were collected for a broad range of goods and services (approximately 3,000 items), according to INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS AGRICULTURAL AREAS AND FOREST AREAS (Table 28.16) For a definition of agricultural area, see Chapter 19 - Agriculture. For a definition of forest area, see Chapter 1 - Geophysical Characteristics. SOURCES Data on the area of the country, the forest area and agricultural area were obtained from the database of the International Food )162( לאומיות-השוואות בין and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Data on the population were obtained from the UN Statistical Abstract. Data on the forest area in Israel were provided by the Jewish National Fund (JNF). Data on other areas and on the population of Israel were collected by the Central Bureau of Statistics. FOOD SUPPLY BALANCE SHEET (Table 28.17) For definitions, see Chapter 19 - Agriculture. SOURCES Data were obtained from the database of the International Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The data on Israel were collected by the Central Bureau of Statistics (see Chapter 19 - Agriculture, Table 19.21). SELECTED PUBLICATIONS SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS Education in Israel - an International Comparison, 1995 1151 International Comparison Programme (ICP) - International Comparison of Gross Domestic Product and the Main Expenditure Components in Terms of Purchasing Power Parities (PPP), 1996 1135 INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS )163( לאומיות-השוואות בין