On the eve of Israel’s 71st Independence Day, the population of Israel numbered 9.021 million: 6.69 million Jews (74.2%); 1.890 million Arabs (20.9%); and 434,000 others (4.8%), the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) announced Tuesday.
On the day of its declaration of independence, May 14, 1948, the Jewish population of Israel numbered 806,000.
CBS has predicted that on Israel’s 100th Independence Day, its population will reach 15.2 million.
Since the 2018 Independence Day, the population of Israel has increased by 177,000 (2%). During that period, 188,000 babies were born, 31,000 olim arrived, and 47,000 Israelis died.
GEOGRAPHY
The State territory: 22,072 square kilometers (8,522 square miles). For comparison, the State of New Jersey has 22,591 square kilometers (8,722 square miles).
Israel’s sea area (Sea of Galilee and Dead Sea) comprise 2.0% of its territory.
Number of localities in Israel is 1,217, based on population estimates for 2017.
HEALTH
Life expectancy (in 2017): Men – 80.7 years, women – 84.6 years.
EDUCATION
Number of institutions of higher education: 62
Percentage of high school graduates (entitled to a matriculation certificate): 75.6% (in 2017)
STANDARD OF LIVING
Average annual income per household (in 2017): 198,216 shekel ($55,284), a real increase of 4.6% from the previous year.
Average annual spending per household (in 2017): 157368 ($43,891), a real increase of 2.2% compared to 2016.
WORK AND WAGES
Average annual wage per employee: 125,676 shekel ($35,052)
Unemployment rate: 4.0%
The proportion of employed persons in high-tech out of all employed persons in Israel: 8.3% (in 2016)