Israel

December 20th, 2016 / October 8th, 2020

Politics & Geography
Population
Economy

Political leadership

Israel Minister Benyamin Netanyahu President Reuven Rivlin (since 24 July 2014)

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu (since 31 March 2009)

Land

Total 20,770 sq km; Land 20,330 sq km; Water 440 sq km (country comparison to the world: 154)

Boundaries

Total: 1,068 km

Border countries

Egypt	208 km	Gaza Strip	59 km	Jordan	307 km
Lebanon	81 km	Syria	83 km	West Bank	330 km

Coastline

273 km

Population

8.842 million (April est. 2018)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.51% 15-64 years: 61.16% 65+ 11.33% (2017 est.)

Population growth rate

2% (2015)

Urbanisation

92.4% of total population (2018 est.)

Major cities

JERUSALEM (proclaimed capital) 907,000 ; Tel Aviv-Yafo 4.011 million; Haifa 1.135 million (2018)

Ethnic groups

Jewish 74.5% (of which Israel-born 76.9%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 15.9%, Africa-born 4.6%, Asia-born 2.6%), Arab 20.9%, other 4.6% (2017 est.)

Religions

Jewish 74.7%, Muslim 17.7%, Christian 2%, Druze 1.6%, other 4% (2016 est.)

Languages

Hebrew (official), Arabic (used officially for Arab minority), English (most commonly used foreign language)

Literacy

(Age 15+ can read and write) total population: 97.8%; male: 98.7%; female: 96.8% (2011 est.)

Real GDP

$563.83 billion (2017); $540.58 billion (2016)

GDP growth

3.33% (2017); 4.09% (2016)

GDP per capita

$34,134.8 (2017 est.); $33,677.5 (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate (of labour force)

4.22% (2017 est.); 4.80% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line

21% (2014); National poverty line is $7.30 per capita/day

Public debt

60.9% of GDP (2017 est.); 62.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate

0.4% (2017)

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Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (769-848)

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