  This paper presents the results for the charged-particle multiplicity and
transverse energy distributions at mid-rapidity in Au - Au collisions at
$\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=130$ GeV measured with the PHENIX detector at RHIC. The
values of $dN_{ch}/d\eta_{|\eta=0}$ and $dE_{T}/d\eta_{|\eta=0}$, analyzed as a
function of centrality, show a consistent steady rise. For the 5% most central
collisions they are $\sim70$% larger compared to the SPS results for Pb-Pb
collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=17.2$ GeV. The ratio of $<E_{T}>/<N_{ch}>$
remains constant as a function of centrality at 0.8 GeV, as also observed at
the SPS at CERN and at the AGS at BNL.
