Israel
Political leadership
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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