Israel
country in Middle East / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Israel (Hebrew: יִשְׂרָאֵל) officially the State of Israel (Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל) is a country in southwestern Asia on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel's population is 9.8 million people, of whom 7 million are Jewish. Almost all the other citizens of Israel are Arab (1.2 million) and include Muslims, Christians, and Druze.[19][20][21] Israel's capital is in Jerusalem.[22]
State of Israel | |
---|---|
Anthem: Hatikvah (English: "The Hope") | |
Capital and largest city | Jerusalem[fn 1] 31°47′N 35°13′E |
Official languages | Hebrew |
Recognized languages | Arabic[fn 2] |
Ethnic groups (2019) | |
Religion (2019) |
|
Demonym(s) | Israeli |
Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic |
Isaac Herzog | |
Benjamin Netanyahu | |
• Knesset Speaker | Yariv Levin |
Esther Hayut | |
Legislature | Knesset |
Independence from the British Empire | |
14 May 1948 | |
11 May 1949 | |
• Basic Laws | 1958–2018 |
Area | |
• Total | 22,072 km2 (8,522 sq mi)[a] (150th) |
• Water (%) | 2.1 |
Population | |
• 2017 estimate | 9,890,950[14] (99th) |
• 2008 census | 7,412,200[15] |
• Density | 448/km2 (1,160.3/sq mi) (35th) |
GDP (PPP) | 2020[16] estimate |
• Total | $372.314 billion (51st) |
• Per capita | $40,336 (34th) |
GDP (nominal) | 2020[16] estimate |
• Total | $410.501 billion (31st) |
• Per capita | $44,474 (19th) |
Gini (2018) | 34.8[17] medium · 48th |
HDI (2019) | 0.919[18] very high · 19th |
Currency | New shekel (₪) (ILS) |
Time zone | UTC+2 (IST) |
UTC+3 (IDT) | |
Date format | |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +972 |
ISO 3166 code | IL |
Internet TLD | .il |
Website https://www.gov.il/en | |
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Israel is a small country, but it has mountains, deserts, shores, valleys and plains. The climate is hot and rainless in the summers with high humidity in the coastal plain and lower elevations, and cool and rainy in the winters, rarely going below freezing temperatures.
Israel has few natural resources and imports more goods than it exports. It has a relatively high standard of living and life expectancy. Almost all of its people can read and write.
According to the Democratic Index, Israel along with Cyprus are the only democratic republics in the Middle East. According to Freedom House, Israel along with Cyprus are the only full democracies in the Middle East.[23] It has a long history of conflict with Palestine.