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Israel at 53- A Statistical Glimpse

22 Apr 2001
 
  ISRAEL at 53: A Statistical Glimpse*

Geography

Israel stands at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. Geographically, it belongs to the Asian continent. Its western border is the Mediterranean Sea. To the north it is bound by Lebanon and Syria, to the east by Jordan and to the south by the Red Sea and Egypt. Long and narrow in shape, Israel is about 290 miles (470 km.) long and 85 miles (135 km.) across at its widest point. Its total area is 22,145 sq km, of which 21,671 sq km is land area.

Geographical Regions

Arid Zones 45%
Plains and Valleys 25%
Mountains 16%
Rift Valley 9%
Coastal Strip 5%

Selected elevations:

Mt. Hermon, Golan 9,220 ft. 2,810 m.
Mt. Meron, Upper Galilee 3,964 ft. 1,208 m.
Mt. Ramon, Negev 3,396 ft. 1,035 m.
Mt. of Olives, Jerusalem 2,739 ft. 835 m.
Mt. Tabor, Lower Galilee 1,930 ft. 588 m.
Mt. Carmel, Haifa 1,792 ft. 546 m.
Dead Sea - lowest point on earth - 1,300 ft. - 400 m.


People
  1980 1990 1999
Population 3,921,700 4,821,700 6,209,100
Civilian labor force 1,318,100 1,649,900 2,345,100
Jews in Israel, as a percentage of world Jewry 25 30 37
Life expectancy
  • Females
  • Males

  • 75.7
    72.1

    78.4
    75.7

    80.3
    76.1
    Infant mortality
    (per 1000 live births)
    15.6 9.9 5.8
    School population 1,200,700 1,451,300 1,875,600
    Percentage of the population with 13 years or more of formal schooling 20.8 28.2 40.4


    Population by Religion

    Jews78.5%
    Muslims15.0%
    Christians2.1%
    Druze1.6%
    Not classified by religion2.7%

      Population Distribution

    Urban localities91.4%
    Rural localities8.6%
      Of which:
       Moshavim
       Kibbutzim

    3.3%
    1.9%


    Immigrants by Continent
    1948-1999

    Europe1,670,607
    Africa473,605
    Asia403,123
    America & Oceania211,221
    Unknown31,545

      Immigrants by Year of Immigration

    1948-51
    688,000
    1952-59
    272,000
    1960-69
    374,000
    1970-79
    346,000
    1980-89
    154,000
    1990-99
    956,300


    Economy

    State Budget, 2000: NIS 227.4 billion

    Gross Domestic Product
    (at 1995 prices - NIS 106)
    1980 1990 1999
      - Total
      - Per capita
    138,975
    36,005
    197,644
    42,411
    302,206
    49,359
    Net exports of goods (millions of dollars) 5,291.9 11,603.1 23,554.7
    thereof:
      Industrial products (excl. diamonds)
      Agricultural products

    3,340.4
    555.7

    7,696.8
    657.2

    16,424.8
    782.3
    Net imports of goods (millions of dollars) 7,845.7 15,107.1 30,629.7
    Tourists arriving 1,065,800 1,131,700 2,312,300
    Air passengers (annual) 2,847,000 3,720,000 8,734,000
    Freight shipped by air (annual in tons) 105,800 194,160 297,080
    Production of electricity (in millions of kilwatt/hours) 12,400 20,900 39,180
    Private cars 410,000 803,000 1,317,000
    Telephone subscribers 860,000 1,626,000 2,880,000


    Education

    University Students by Field of Study
    (Total 109,130 students in 7 universities)

    Agriculture 1.2%
    Law 4.0%
    Medicine 7.9%
    Engineering12.6%
    Science and mathematics 15.3%
    Humanities 28.8%
    Social Sciences 30.3%


    * Figures based on the Statistical Abstract of Israel, No. 51, 2000

     
     
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