The Israeli population in Judea and Samaria grew by 15,229 residents in 2019, a growth of 3.4%, the first time the growth rate of the population has risen since 2012.
The Israeli population in Judea and Samaria at the end of 2019 stood at 463,901 residents in 150 communities and towns.
This number does not include the number of Israeli residents living in the Jerusalem area over the Green Line.
The data analysis shows that the area’s annual population growth in 2019 was 3.4%, more than twice the 1.9% average growth rate in the State of Israel.
The percentage increase in 2019 was higher than the 3% in 2018 and is an increase after a downward trend in the population growth that started after 2012 when the increase was 4.7%.
In the last decade, the Israeli population in Judea and Samaria has grown by 151,263, an increase of some 48% over the course of 10 years, and an average of 15,131 residents per year.
The residents of Judea and Samaria are younger than the national average. According to the national election figures, about 48% of the residents Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley are over the age of 18, compared to 71% of citizens in Israel in general who are over the age of 18.
The largest localities in Judea and Samaria are the cities of Modi’in Illit, Betar Illit, Ma’ale Adumim and Ariel, where 202,177 residents, or 43%, live.
There are another 98,357 residents, 21%, living in the local councils in Judea and Samaria, and 163,367 residents, 36%, who live in regional councils.
The largest non-council or city is Kochav Yaakov in Benyamin, followed by Shaarei Tikva in Samaria, Geva Binyamin (Adam), Talmon, Kfar Adumim, Shiloh and Tekoa.
In terms of growth in localities, the community of Beit Ha’Arava in the Dead Sea area had the highest growth rate with 36.5% in 2019, followed by Ovnat with 33.5%, Alei Zahav in Samaria with 23.3%, Maale Amos in the Gush Etzion with 21.1% and Sansana on Mount Hebron with 13.7%.
In the regional councils, the largest increase was recorded in the Dead Sea area, with a growth rate in 2019 of 10.6%. the Samaria Regional Council grew by 5.6%, followed by the Jordan Valley Regional Council with 4.9%, Mount Hebron Regional Council with 3.8%, Benyamin with 3.5% and Gush Etzion with only 2.4%.
The local council with the highest growth rate was the Hebron Council with a growth rate of 6.9%, following by Efrat with 6.6%, Karnei Shomron with 5.5% and Emanuel with 4.8%.
David Elhiyani, Chairman of the Yesha Council, the umbrella body for municipalities and organizations in Judea and Samaria, stated Monday that the region is “moving forward towards the vision of one million residents in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.”
He further stated that the reality of about half a million Israeli residents, together with the double the average growth rate, “require the application of sovereignty to Israeli communities in the region to enable Israeli citizens legal rights like the rest of the country, along with the fixing of the Israeli presence in the Bible land.”