About Israel

Location

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Area

20,770 sq km

Population

6,426,679 (July 2007 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.1%; 15-64 years: 64.2%; 65 years and over: 9.8%)

Median age

24.36 years

Population growth rate

1.154% (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

Jewish 76.4%, non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab)

Religions

Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9%

Languages

Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy

Age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 97.1%, male: 98.5%
female: 95.9% (2004 est.)

Government type

Parliamentary democracy

Capital

Jerusalem

Legislative Branch

Unicameral Knesset

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

Gross Domestic Product

$132.5 billion (2007 est.), per capita: $28,800 (2007 est.)

GDP Growth Rate

5.1% (2007 est.)