Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
30 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
2.76 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
the Israel Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has 3 channels, two in Hebrew and one in Arabic; multi-channel satellite and cable TV packages provide access to foreign channels; IBC broadcasts on 8 radio networks with multiple repeaters, and Israel Defense Forces Radio broadcasts over multiple stations; about 15 privately owned radio stations (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.il
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
88.18% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
31 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
2.905 million (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
152 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
13.8 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
milk, chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, tangerines/mandarins, bananas, eggs, avocados, beef, carrots/turnips (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
2.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
15.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$188.905 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$162.524 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
$6.686 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
$10.897 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
$13.893 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
$10.180 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$11.274 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$9.095 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$11.581 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$15.368 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$14.798 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$17.104 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$18.604 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$16.713 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
3.6997 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
3.6108 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
3.5779 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
3.8868 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
3.8406 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
3.5996 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
3.5906 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
3.5645 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
3.4424 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
3.2302 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
3.3596 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
3.6674 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
3.6997 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, medical instruments, refined petroleum (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$91.640 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$99.196 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$93.656 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$95.604 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$103.871 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$111.733 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$116.111 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$111.615 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$141.192 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$164.407 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$154.638 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$153.248 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
30.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
22.3% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
48% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-27.6% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
24.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
1.7% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
1.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
17.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
72.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$57,236 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$540.38 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$570.893 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015
39.7 (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016
39.0 (2016 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
38.2 (2017 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
38.6 (2018 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019
38.3 (2019 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020
37.8 (2020 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
37.9 (2021 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
38.3 (2022 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
26.6% (2021 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
2% (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
cars, diamonds, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$76.948 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$85.081 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$90.475 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$97.866 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$109.320 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$109.554 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$98.849 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$127.745 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$153.388 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$140.432 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$140.438 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-4.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
-0.62% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
-0.54% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
0.25% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
0.81% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
0.82% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
-0.58% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
1.48% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
4.41% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
4.23% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.07% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
4.71 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2019
59.6% of GDP (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$286.040 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$300.601 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$326.365 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$343.922 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$374.158 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$377.407 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$432.603 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$459.698 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$468.095 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$472.177 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
2.24% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
4.46% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
4.35% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
4.00% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
3.71% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-2.02% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
9.39% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
6.26% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.83% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
0.87% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$34,816 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$35,871 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$38,189 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$39,471 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$41,325 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$40,955 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$46,162 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$53,619 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$55,171 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$764.8 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$859.0 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$853.1 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$1.033 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$1.230 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
0.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$90.575 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$95.446 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$113.010 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$115.266 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$126.008 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$173.292 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$212.934 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$194.231 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$204.661 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$214.544 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
22.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
3.73% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
4.17% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
4.81% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
3.69% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
3.37% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
3.60% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
6% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
6.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
6.1% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
5.297 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
9 metric tons (2022 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
4.887 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
89.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
9.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
63.964 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: exports
6.93 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
22.612 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
3.51 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
112.437 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
12.608 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: exports
11.505 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
59.369 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
24.186 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
176.018 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
12.73 million barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
219,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
11.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
24.066 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
28.793 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
64.401 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Environment: Environmental issues
limited arable land and restricted natural freshwater resources; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
24.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 4.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
6.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
68.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
40.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
29.2 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
0.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
272.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
20.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
1.78 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
1.215 billion cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
104.834 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
91.54% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
5.4 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
30.4% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly larger than New Jersey
Geography: Area: land
21,497 sq km
Geography: Area: water
440 sq km
Geography: Coastline
273 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Mitspe Shlagim 2,224 m; note - this is the highest named point, the actual highest point is an unnamed dome slightly to the west of Mitspe Shlagim at 2,236 m; both points are on the northeastern border of Israel, along the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Dead Sea -431 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
508 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
31 30 N, 34 45 E
Geography: Geography - note
note 1: Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti) note 2: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); Mount Sodom is a hill about 220 m (722 ft) high that is 80% salt, with multiple salt layers covered by a veneer of rock
Geography: Irrigated land
1,927 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Egypt 208 km; Gaza Strip 59 km; Jordan 327 km (20 km are within the Dead Sea); Lebanon 81 km; Syria 83 km; West Bank 330 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
1,068 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
24.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 4.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
6.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
68.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s)
Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and West Bank) - 1,020 sq km note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level
Geography: Map references
Middle East
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
to depth of exploitation
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes
Geography: Population distribution
population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated, with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba
Geography: Terrain
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Government: Administrative divisions
6 districts ( mehozot , singular - mehoz ); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
Government: Capital: daylight saving time
+1hr, Friday before the last Sunday in March; ends the last Sunday in October
Government: Capital: etymology
the meaning of the ancient name is unclear; the city is called Ursalim or Urusalimmi in Egyptian texts from the 14th century B.C., which may come from the Western Semitic verb yaru , meaning "to establish," and the name Shalim, the Canaanite god of dusk; another theory says the root letters s-l-m in the name refer to shalom , meaning "peace"
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
31 46 N, 35 14 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Israel
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes, but naturalized citizens are not allowed to maintain dual citizenship
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
3 out of the 5 years preceding the application for naturalization
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed by Government of Israel ministers or by the Knesset; passage requires a majority vote of Knesset members and subject to Supreme Court judicial review
Government: Constitution: history
no formal constitution; some functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws, and the Law of Return (as amended)
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Israel
Government: Country name: etymology
named after the ancient Kingdom of Israel; according to Biblical tradition, the Jewish patriarch Jacob received the name Israel (meaning "He who struggles with God") after he wrestled with an angel of the Lord
Government: Country name: former
Mandatory Palestine
Government: Country name: local long form
Medinat Yisra'el
Government: Country name: local short form
Yisra'el
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: branch office(s)
Tel Aviv
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Mike HUCKABEE (21 April 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
JerusalemACS@state.gov https://il.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem, 9378322
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[972] (2) 630-4070
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
6350 Jerusalem Place, Washington DC 20521-6350
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[972] (2) 630-4000
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) LEITER (since 4 February 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
consular@washington.mfa.gov.il https://embassies.gov.il/washington/Pages/default.aspx
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 364-5607
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 364-5500
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Isaac HERZOG (since 7 July 2021)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2021: Isaac HERZOG elected president; Knesset vote in first round - Isaac HERZOG (independent) 87, Miriam PERETZ (independent) 26, invalid/blank 7 2014: Reuven RIVLIN elected president in second round; Knesset vote - Reuven RIVLIN (Likud) 63, Meir SHEETRIT (The Movement) 53, other/invalid 4
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president indirectly elected by the Knesset for a single 7-year term; following legislative elections, the president, in consultation with party leaders, tasks a Knesset member (usually the member of the largest party) with forming a new government
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
June 2028
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Benyamin NETANYAHU (since 29 December 2022)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
2 June 2021
Government: Flag
description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Star of David or Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag history: the design resembles a traditional Jewish prayer shawl ( tallit ), which is white with blue stripes; the hexagram as a Jewish symbol dates back to medieval times
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002
Government: International organization participation
BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN, CICA, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of the president, deputy president, 13 justices, and 2 registrars) and normally sits in panels of 3 justices; in special cases, the panel is expanded with an uneven number of justices
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
judges selected by the 9-member Judicial Selection Committee, consisting of the Minister of Justice (chair), the president of the Supreme Court, two other Supreme Court justices, 1 other Cabinet minister, 2 Knesset members, and 2 representatives of the Israel Bar Association; judges can serve up to mandatory retirement at age 70
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
district and magistrate courts; national and regional labor courts; family and juvenile courts; special and Rabbinical courts
Government: Legal system
mixed system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious laws
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
proportional representation
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
October 2026
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Parliament (Knesset)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
11/1/2022
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
120 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: parties elected and seats per party
Likud (32); Yesh Atid (24); Religious Zionism (14); National Unity (12); Shas (11); United Torah Judaism (Yahadut Hatorah) (7); Yisrael Beiteinu (6); Other (14)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
24.2%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
4 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 2004, unofficial since 1948; used as the anthem of the Zionist movement since 1897; the 1888 arrangement by Samuel COHEN is thought to be based on the Romanian folk song "Carul cu boi" (The Ox-Driven Cart)
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Naftali Herz IMBER/traditional, arranged by Samuel COHEN
Government: National color(s)
blue, white
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Masada; Old City of Acre; White City of Tel-Aviv - the Modern Movement; Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba; Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev; Bahá’i Holy Places; Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel; Caves of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin; Necropolis of Bet She’arim
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
9 (all cultural)
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 14 May (1948)
Government: National symbol(s)
Star of David (Magen David), menorah (seven-branched lampstand)
Government: Political parties
Balad Blue and White Hadash Labor Party or HaAvoda Likud Meretz National Unity (alliance includes Blue and White and New Hope) New Hope Noam Otzma Yehudit Religious Zionist Party Shas Ta'al United Arab List United Torah Judaism or UTJ (alliance includes Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah) Yesh Atid Yisrael Beiteinu
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; 17 years of age for municipal elections
Introduction: Background
Israel has become a regional economic and military powerhouse, leveraging its prosperous high-tech sector, large defense industry, and concerns about Iran to foster partnerships around the world. The State of Israel was established in 1948. The UN General Assembly proposed in 1947 partitioning the British Mandate for Palestine into an Arab and Jewish state. The Jews accepted the proposal, but the local Arabs and the Arab states rejected the UN plan and launched a war. The Arabs were subsequently defeated in the 1947-1949 war that followed the UN proposal and the British withdrawal. Israel joined the UN in 1949 and saw rapid population growth, primarily due to Jewish refugee migration from Europe and the Middle East. Israel and its Arab neighbors fought wars in 1956, 1967, and 1973, and Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Israel took control of the West Bank, the eastern part of Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights in the course of the 1967 war. It ceded the Sinai back to Egypt in the 1979-1982 period but has continued to administer the other territories through military authorities. Israel and Palestinian officials signed interim agreements in the 1990s that created a period of Palestinian self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. The most recent formal efforts between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to negotiate final status issues occurred in 2013 and 2014, and the US continues its efforts to advance peace. Israel signed the US-brokered normalization agreements (the Abraham Accords) with Bahrain, the UAE, and Morocco in 2020 and reached an agreement with Sudan in 2021. Immigration to Israel continues, with more than 44,000 estimated new immigrants, mostly Jewish, in the first 11 months of 2023. Former Prime Minister Benjamin NETANYAHU returned to office in 2022, continuing his dominance of Israel's political landscape at the head of Israel's most rightwing and religious government. NETANYAHU previously served as premier from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021, becoming Israel's longest serving prime minister. On 7 October 2023, HAMAS militants launched a combined unguided rocket and ground terrorist attack from Gaza into southern Israel. The same day Israel’s Air Force launched air strikes inside Gaza and initiated a sustained air campaign against HAMAS targets across the Gaza Strip. The following day, NETANYAHU formally declared war on HAMAS, and on 28 October, the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale ground assault inside Gaza. The Israeli economy has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last 30 years, led by cutting-edge high-tech sectors. Offshore gas discoveries in the Mediterranean place Israel at the center of a potential regional natural gas market. In 2022, a US-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon established their maritime boundary, allowing Israel to begin production on additional gas fields in the Mediterranean. However, Israel's economic development has been uneven. Structural issues such as low labor-force participation among religious and minority populations, low workforce productivity, high costs for housing and consumer staples, and high income inequality concern both economists and the general population. The current war with Hamas disrupted Israel’s solid economic fundamentals, but it is not likely to have long-term structural implications for the economy.
Military and Security: Military - note
the IDF is responsible for external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities; its primary operational focuses include the threat posed by Iran, instability in Syria, and terrorist organizations, including HAMAS, Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad; since its creation from armed Jewish militias during the First Arab-Israeli War in 1948-49, the IDF, particularly the Ground Force, has been guided by a requirement to rapidly mobilize and defend the country’s territory from numerically superior neighboring countries; the active-duty military is backed up by a large force of trained reserves--approximately 300-400,000 personnel--that can be mobilized rapidly Israel’s primary security partner is the US; consistent with a 10-year (2019-2028) Memorandum of Understanding, the US annually provides over $3 billion in military financing and cooperative military programs, such as missile defense; the US also provides Israel access to US-produced military weapons systems including advanced fighter aircraft; Israel has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF consists of about 1,300 total personnel (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Forces, Israel Naval Force (IN, includes commandos), Israel Air Force (IAF, includes air defense) Ministry of National Security: Israeli Police (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 170,000 active-duty Defense Forces (130,000 Ground Forces; 10,000 Naval; 30,000 Air Force); more than 400,000 reserves (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the majority of the IDF's inventory is comprised of weapons that are domestically produced or imported from Europe and the US; the US has been the leading supplier of arms in recent years; Israel's defense industry can develop, produce, support, and sustain a wide variety of weapons systems for both domestic use and export, particularly armored vehicles, unmanned aerial systems, air defense, and guided missiles (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
5.42% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
5.42% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
5.43% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
5.29% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
5.07% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
5.28% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
4.93% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
4.43% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
5.38% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
8.78% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18-28 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 months service for men, 12 months for women; 18-21 years of age for compulsory military service for men and women; Jews and Druze can be conscripted; Christians, Circassians, and Muslims may volunteer; conscript service obligation is up to 36 months for enlisted personnel (depending on sex, marital status, and military occupation); officers serve 48 months; Air Force pilots commit to 9 years of service (2024)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
27.5% (male 1,320,629/female 1,260,977)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
60.3% (male 2,885,485/female 2,781,777)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
12.3% (2024 est.) (male 525,161/female 628,588)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
1.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
1.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
18.89 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
7.10% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
50.4% (2021 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
20.4 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
4.9 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
65.9 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
45.6 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
16.1% national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
5.93% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Jewish 73.5% (of which Israel-born 79.7%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 14.3%, Africa-born 3.9%, Asia-born 2.1%), Arab 21.1%, other 5.4% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
1.41 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
7.9% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
13% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
3.1 beds/1,000 population (2023 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
2.3 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
2.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Hebrew (official), Arabic (special status under Israeli law), English (most commonly used foreign language)
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
ספר עובדות העולם, המקור החיוני למידע בסיסי (Hebrew) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
85.4 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
81.1 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
4.421 million Tel Aviv-Yafo, 1.174 million Haifa, 970,000 JERUSALEM (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
2 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
30.7 years
People and Society: Median age: male
29.6 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
27.7 years (2019 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Israeli
People and Society: Net migration rate
1.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
26.1% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
3.8 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
People and Society: Population
9,974,400 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated, with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba
People and Society: Population growth rate
1.27% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
4,671,342
People and Society: Population: male
4,731,275
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 99% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
16 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
14 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
15 years (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.84 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
12.4% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
24.9% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
18.6% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
2.87 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
91.54% (2024 est.)
Space: Key space-program milestones
1961 - first sounding rocket launched 1988 - first operational launch of small-lift satellite launch vehicle (SLV) (Shavit) placed first domestically produced technology-demonstrator satellite (Ofeq-1) in orbit 1995 - launched first fully operational remote sensing satellite (Ofeq-3) on Shavit SLV 2007 - unveiled Shavit-2 small-lift 3-stage SLV 2014 - joined ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) project; domestically built lunar probe (Beresheet) launched by US (crashed on Moon’s surface) 2022 - joined US Artemis Moon exploration project
Space: Space agency/agencies
Israel Space Agency (ISA; established 1983 under the Ministry of Science and Technology; origins go back to the creation of a National Committee for Space Research, established 1960); Ministry of Defense Space Department (2025)
Space: Space launch site(s)
Palmachim Airbase (Central district) (2025)
Space: Space program overview
has an ambitious space program that is one of the most advanced in the region; designs, builds, operates, and launches communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; designs, builds, and operates orbital satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs); researches and develops a range of other space-related capabilities, with a focus on lightweight and miniaturized technologies; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, the ESA, individual ESA member states (such as France, Germany, and Italy), India, Japan, Mexico, and the US; has a substantial commercial space sector, as well as state-owned enterprises (2025)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ); HAMAS
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
68,000 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
27,413 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
35 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
40 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
4X
Transportation: Heliports
13 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
container ship 4, general cargo 1, oil tanker 4, other 32
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
41 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat, Hadera, Haifa
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
1
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
4
Transportation: Ports: small
2
Transportation: Ports: total ports
5 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
2
Transportation: Railways: standard gauge
1,497 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge
Transportation: Railways: total
1,497 km (2021) (2019)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.