Demographics of Israel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The demographics of Israel, monitored by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, encompass various attributes that define the nation's populace. Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has witnessed significant changes in its demographics. Formed as a homeland for the Jewish people, Israel has attracted Jewish immigrants from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Demographics of Israel (including Israelis in West Bank) | |
---|---|
Population | 9,842,000 (ca. 95th) |
• Year | December 2023 |
• Source | Israeli CBS[1] |
Density | 431/km2 (6th) |
Growth rate | 1.9% |
Birth rate | 21.5 births/1,000 (101st) |
Death rate | 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (174th) |
Life expectancy | 82.7 years (8th) |
• male | 80.7 years |
• female | 84.6 years |
Fertility rate | 3.01 children born/woman (59th) |
Infant mortality rate | 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births (25th) |
Age structure | |
0–14 years | 28% |
15–64 years | 60% |
65 and over | 12% |
Sex ratio | |
Total | 1.01 males/female |
At birth | 1.05 males/female |
Under 15 | 1.05 males/female |
15–64 years | 1.03 males/female |
65 and over | 0.78 males/female |
Nationality | |
Nationality | Israelis |
Major ethnic | Jews (7,208,000, 73.6%)[1] |
Minor ethnic | Arabs (2,080,000, 21.1%) Other (non-Jewish, non-Arab) 554,000 (5.7%)[1] |
Language | |
Official | Hebrew |
Spoken | Arabic, Russian, Yiddish |
The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics defines the population of Israel as including Jews living in all of the West Bank and Palestinians in East Jerusalem but excluding Palestinians anywhere in the rest of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and foreign workers anywhere in Israel. As of December 2023, this calculation stands at approximately 9,842,000 million, of whom:
- 73.2% (about 7,208,000 people) are Jews, including about 503,000 living outside the self-defined borders of the State of Israel in the West Bank
- 21.1% (around 2,080,000 people) are Israeli citizens classified as Arab, some identifying as Palestinian, and including Druze, Circassians, all other Muslims, Christian Arabs, Armenians (which Israel considers "Arab")[2]
- An additional 5.7% (roughly 554,000 people) are classified as "others". This diverse group comprises those with Jewish ancestry but not recognized as Jewish by religious law, non-Jewish family members of Jewish immigrants, Christians other than Arabs and Armenians, and residents without a distinct ethnic or religious categorization.[2][1]
Israel's annual population growth rate stood at 2.0% in 2015, more than three times faster than the OECD average of around 0.6%.[3] With an average of three children per woman, Israel also has the highest fertility rate in the OECD by a considerable margin and much higher than the OECD average of 1.7.[4]
This article or section uses color as the only way to convey important information. (February 2024) |
counted by Palestinian Authority | counted by Israel | ||
Israel counts Palestinians only in East Jerusalem + all Israelis; Palestinian Authority counts all residents | counted by both |
Region & Status |
By nationality | Total Population |
Year Source |
By ethnoreligious group | Area (km2) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Israelis | Year Source |
Palestinian Non-Israeli Citizens |
Year Source |
Jewish | Palestinian | Other | ||||
West Bank Areas A & B (Occupied, partial Palestinian control) | 0 | 1,828,115 | 2023 [5] |
1,828,115 | 2023 [5] |
0 | 1,828,115 | 0 | ||
West Bank Area C (Occupied, full Israeli control) including Seam Zone[6] | 517,407 | 1/2024 [7][8] |
300,000 | 2019 [9][10] |
817,407 | 2019/ /-24[11] |
517,407 | 300,000 | not specified separately | |
East Jerusalem (Occupied/Annexed)[12][13][14] | 240,832 incl. Israeli Arab ~18,982 |
2021 [15] |
370,552 | 2021 [15] |
611,384 | 2021 [15] |
221,850 | 389,534 incl. Israeli Arab ~18,982 |
not specified separately | |
Total West Bank incl. East Jerusalem | 758,239 | 2,498,667 | 3,256,906 | [16] | 739,257 | 2,517,649 | not specified separately | 5,880 [17] | ||
Gaza Strip | 0 | 2,226,544 | 2023 [5] |
2,226,544 | 2023 [5] |
0 | 2,226,544 | 0 | 365 | |
Total Area of the Region of Palestine outside the Green Line | 7,087 | |||||||||
Green Line | 8,289,657 | 2019/ -21/-3 [19] |
0 | 8,289,657 | 2019/ -21/-3 [18] |
6,787,743 74% |
1,299,484 20% |
554,000 6% |
20,582 [18] | |
Golan Heights (Occupied/Annexed) [12][13][14][20] |
53,000 |
2021 |
0 |
2021 |
53,000 |
2021 |
27,000 | 26,000 | 0 | 1,154 |
Total Area of the State of Israel as defined by the Israeli CBS | 22,072 | |||||||||
CBS Total Population of Israel | 9,471,448 | 370,552
(i.e. East Jerusalem Palestinians) |
9,842,000 |
Dec. 2023 |
7,554,000 | Israeli cit. 1,734,000 Non-Israeli ~370,552 |
554,000 | |||
Total Israel + Palestine combined | 9,471,448 | derived | 4,725,211 | derived | 14,833,110 | Sum | 7,554,000 (50.7%) | 6,778,193 (45.5%) Israeli 1,734,000 (11.6%), Non-Israeli 5,044,193 (33.9%) |
554,000 (3.7%) | 25,650 |
Note: Israeli definitions
The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics ("CBS") definition of the Area of the State of Israel:[23]
- includes East Jerusalem since 1967, which Israel unilaterally annexed
- includes the Golan Heights since 1982, which Israel unilaterally annexed
- excludes the West Bank other than East Jerusalem
The CBS' definition of the Population of Israel, however:[24]
- includes non-Israeli Palestinians (as well as Israeli Arabs/Palestinians) in East Jerusalem who have permission to live there
- includes Israeli settlers and others with Israeli residency permits living in the Area C of West Bank
- excludes Palestinian/Arab/other residents of Area C and East Jerusalem who do not have Israeli citizenship or residence
- excludes persons who are not registered (from 2008 on) and/or entered illegally, and foreign workers
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1950 | 1,370,100 | — |
1960 | 2,150,400 | +4.61% |
1970 | 3,022,100 | +3.46% |
1980 | 3,921,700 | +2.64% |
1990 | 4,821,700 | +2.09% |
2000 | 6,369,300 | +2.82% |
2010 | 7,695,100 | +1.91% |
2019 | 9,098,700 | +1.88% |
2023 | 9,727,000 | +1.68% |
Source: [25][26][27] (2019 data)[28] |
Total population
9,873,440[29] (most current update from the Israeli Central Bureau for Statistics, via live feed)
Note: includes over 200,000 Israelis and 250,000 Arabs in East Jerusalem, about 421,400 Jewish settlers on the West Bank, and about 42,000 in the Golan Heights (July 2007 estimate). Does not include Arab populations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Does not include 222,000 foreigners living in the country.[30]
Density
Geographic deployment, as of 2018:
- Central District: 24.5% (2,196,100)
- Tel Aviv District: 15.9% (1,427,200)
- Northern District: 16.2% (1,448,100)
- Southern District: 14.5% (1,302,000)
- Haifa District: 11.5% (1,032,800)
- Jerusalem District: 12.6% (1,133,700)
- Judea and Samaria Area (West Bank) (Israelis only): 4.8% (427,800)
Population growth rate
- 2.0% (2016)
During the 1990s, the Jewish population growth rate was about 3% per year, as a result of massive immigration to Israel, primarily from the republics of the former Soviet Union. There is also a very high population growth rate among certain Jewish groups, especially adherents of Orthodox Judaism. The growth rate of the Arab population in Israel is 2.2%, while the growth rate of the Jewish population in Israel is 1.8%. The growth rate of the Arab population has slowed from 3.8% in 1999 to 2.2% in 2013, and for the Jewish population, the growth rate declined from 2.7% to its lowest rate of 1.4% in 2005. Due to a rise in fertility of the Jewish population since 1995 and immigration, the growth rate has since risen to 1.8%.[31]
Fertility
The total fertility rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that an average woman would have, in her lifetime.
- 3.01 children born/woman (2019)
Jewish total fertility rate increased by 10.2% during 1998–2009, and was recorded at 2.90 during 2009. During the same time period, Arab TFR decreased by 20.5%. Muslim TFR was measured at 3.73 for 2009. During 2000, the Arab TFR in Jerusalem (4.43) was higher than that of the Jews residing there (3.79). But as of 2009, Jewish TFR in Jerusalem was measured higher than the Arab TFR (2010: 4.26 vs 3.85, 2009: 4.16 vs 3.87). TFR for Arab residents in the West Bank was measured at 2.91 in 2013,[32] while that for the Jewish residents was reported at 5.10 children per woman.[33]
The ethnic group with highest recorded TFR is the Bedouin of Negev. Their TFR was reported at 10.06 in 1998, and 5.73 in 2009. TFR is also very high among Haredi Jews. For Ashkenazi Haredim, the TFR rose from 6.91 in 1980 to 8.51 in 1996. The figure for 2008 is estimated to be even higher. TFR for Sephardi/Mizrahi Haredim rose from 4.57 in 1980 to 6.57 in 1996.[34] In 2020 the overall Jewish TFR in Israel (3.00) was for the first time measured higher than Arab Muslim TFR (2.99).
Year | Jews | Muslims | Christians | Druze | Others | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | 2.66 | 4.74 | 2.55 | 3.07 | 2.95 | |
2001 | 2.59 | 4.71 | 2.46 | 3.02 | 2.89 | |
2002 | 2.64 | 4.58 | 2.29 | 2.77 | 2.89 | |
2003 | 2.73 | 4.50 | 2.31 | 2.85 | 2.95 | |
2004 | 2.71 | 4.36 | 2.13 | 2.66 | 1.47 | 2.90 |
2005 | 2.69 | 4.03 | 2.15 | 2.59 | 1.49 | 2.84 |
2006 | 2.75 | 3.97 | 2.14 | 2.64 | 1.55 | 2.88 |
2007 | 2.80 | 3.90 | 2.13 | 2.49 | 1.49 | 2.90 |
2008 | 2.88 | 3.84 | 2.11 | 2.49 | 1.57 | 2.96 |
2009 | 2.90 | 3.73 | 2.15 | 2.49 | 1.56 | 2.96 |
2010 | 2.97 | 3.75 | 2.14 | 2.48 | 1.64 | 3.03 |
2011 | 2.98 | 3.51 | 2.19 | 2.33 | 1.75 | 3.00 |
2012 | 3.04 | 3.54 | 2.17 | 2.26 | 1.68 | 3.05 |
2013 | 3.05 | 3.35 | 2.13 | 2.21 | 1.68 | 3.03 |
2014 | 3.11 | 3.35 | 2.27 | 2.20 | 1.72 | 3.08 |
2015 | 3.13 | 3.32 | 2.12 | 2.19 | 1.72 | 3.09 |
2016 | 3.16 | 3.29 | 2.05 | 2.21 | 1.64 | 3.11 |
2017 | 3.16 | 3.37 | 1.93 | 2.10 | 1.58 | 3.11 |
2018 | 3.17 | 3.20 | 2.06 | 2.16 | 1.54 | 3.09 |
2019 | 3.09 | 3.16 | 1.80 | 2.02 | 1.45 | 3.01 |
2020 | 3.00 | 2.99 | 1.85 | 1.94 | 1.35 | 2.90 |
2021 | 3.13 | 3.01 | 1.77 | 2.00 | 1.39 | 3.00 |
2022 | 3.03 | 2.91 | 1.68 | 1.85 | 1.26 | 2.89 |
Year | Jews | Muslims | Christians | Druze | Others | Total |
Birth rate
2021 :
- Total: 19.7 births/1,000 population
- Jews and others: 19.1 births/1,000 population
- Muslims: 23.4 births/1,000 population
- Christians: 13.3 births/1,000 population
- Druze: 15.8 births/1,000 population
Births, in absolute numbers, by mother's religion[35]
Year | Jewish | Muslim | Christ. | Druze | others | Total | % Jewish | % Muslim | % Christ. | % Druze | % others |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | 83,710 | 30,802 | 2,678 | 2,682 | 1,461 | 121,333 | 69.0% | 25.4% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.2% |
2000 | 91,936 | 35,740 | 2,789 | 2,708 | 3,217 | 136,390 | 67.4% | 26.2% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.4% |
2005 | 100,657 | 34,217 | 2,487 | 2,533 | 4,019 | 143,913 | 69.9% | 23.8% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 2.8% |
2006 | 104,513 | 34,337 | 2,500 | 2,601 | 4,219 | 148,170 | 70.5% | 23.2% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 2.9% |
2007 | 107,986 | 34,572 | 2,521 | 2,510 | 4,090 | 151,679 | 71.2% | 22.8% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 2.7% |
2008 | 112,803 | 34,860 | 2,511 | 2,534 | 4,215 | 156,923 | 71.9% | 22.2% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 2.7% |
2009 | 116,599 | 35,253 | 2,514 | 2,517 | 4,159 | 161,042 | 72.4% | 21.9% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 2.6% |
2010 | 120,673 | 36,221 | 2,511 | 2,535 | 4,306 | 166,255 | 72.58% | 21.79% | 1.51% | 1.52% | 2.59% |
2011 | 121,520 | 35,247 | 2,596 | 2,469 | 4,457 | 166,296 | 73.07% | 21.19% | 1.56% | 1.48% | 2.68% |
2012 | 125,409 | 36,041 | 2,610 | 2,371 | 4,492 | 170,940 | 73.36% | 21.08% | 1.53% | 1.39% | 2.63% |
2013 | 126,999 | 34,927 | 2,602 | 2,350 | 4,561 | 171,444 | 74.07% | 20.37% | 1.52% | 1.37% | 2.66% |
2014 | 130,576 | 35,965 | 2,814 | 2,366 | 4,697 | 176,427 | 74.01% | 20.38% | 1.59% | 1.34% | 2.66% |
2015 | 132,220 | 36,659 | 2,669 | 2,376 | 4,792 | 178,723 | 73.98% | 20.51% | 1.49% | 1.33% | 2.68% |
2016 | 134,100 | 37,592 | 2,613 | 2,446 | 4,652 | 181,405 | 73.92% | 20.72% | 1.44% | 1.35% | 2.56% |
2017 | 134,630 | 39,550 | 2,504 | 2,350 | 4,609 | 183,648 | 73.31% | 21.53% | 1.36% | 1.28% | 2.51% |
2018 | 135,809 | 38,757 | 2,721 | 2,434 | 4,639 | 184,370 | 73.66% | 21.02% | 1.47% | 1.32% | 2.52% |
2019 | 133,243 | 39,525 | 2,409 | 2,298 | 4,532 | 182,016 | 73.20% | 21.71% | 1.32% | 1.26% | 2.49% |
2020 | 129,884 | 38,388 | 2,497 | 2,239 | 4,290 | 177,307 | 73.25% | 21.65% | 1.41% | 1.26% | 2.42% |
2021 | 136,120 | 39,703 | 2,434 | 2,339 | 4,432 | 185,040 | 73.56% | 21.46% | 1.32% | 1.26% | 2.39% |
2022 | 132,771 | 39,717 | 2,331 | 2,186 | 4,257 | 181,269 | 73.24% | 21.91% | 1.29% | 1.21% | 2.35% |
2023 | 131,024 | 39,114 | 2,189 | 2,088 | 4,032 | 178,454 | 73.42% | 21.92% | 1.23% | 1.17% | 2.25% |
- Births by mother's religion January 2023: Jewish 11,644 (74.56%); Muslim 3,212 (20.57%); Christian 200 (1.28%); Druze 166 (1.06%); others 375 (2.40%); Total 15,618
- Births by mother's religion January 2024: Jewish 11,845 (76.41%); Muslim 3,035 (19.58%); Christian 182 (1.17%); Druze 153 (0.99%); others 287 (1.85%); Total 15,502
Between the mid-1980s and 2000, the fertility rate in the Muslim sector was stable at 4.6–4.7 children per woman; after 2001, a gradual decline became evident, reaching 3.51 children per woman in 2011. By point of comparison, in 2011, there was a rising fertility rate of 2.98 children among the Jewish population.
Life expectancy
As of 2019:
- Total population: 82.8 years
- Male: 81 years
- Female: 84.7 years[37]
Period | Life expectancy | Period | Life expectancy |
---|---|---|---|
1950–1955 | 68.9 | 1985–1990 | 75.9 |
1955–1960 | 70.0 | 1990–1995 | 77.2 |
1960–1965 | 71.0 | 1995–2000 | 78.3 |
1965–1970 | 71.8 | 2000–2005 | 79.6 |
1970–1975 | 72.6 | 2005–2010 | 80.9 |
1975–1980 | 73.5 | 2010–2015 | 81.9 |
1980–1985 | 74.6 |
Infant mortality rate
- Total: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births
- Male: 4.20 deaths/1,000 live births
- Female: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Age structure
The table shows population estimates by sex and age group, as of July 1, 2019. It includes data for East Jerusalem and Israeli residents in certain other territories under occupation by Israeli military forces since June 1967. Data refer to Israeli citizens and permanent residents who are listed in the Population Register.[39]
Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 4,494,051 | 4,559,975 | 9,054,026 | 100 |
0–4 | 469 807 | 444 266 | 914 073 | 10.10 |
5–9 | 441 977 | 419 861 | 861 838 | 9.52 |
10–14 | 396 165 | 376 914 | 773 079 | 8.54 |
15–19 | 365 754 | 349 118 | 714 872 | 7.90 |
20–24 | 331 474 | 319 040 | 650 514 | 7.18 |
25–29 | 312 165 | 304 844 | 617 009 | 6.81 |
30–34 | 299 747 | 298 768 | 598 515 | 6.61 |
35–39 | 289 123 | 292 026 | 581 149 | 6.42 |
40–44 | 277 424 | 282 277 | 559 701 | 6.18 |
45–49 | 251 526 | 257 539 | 509 065 | 5.62 |
50–54 | 210 803 | 217 399 | 428 202 | 4.73 |
55–59 | 191 364 | 204 826 | 396 191 | 4.38 |
60–64 | 178 062 | 196 878 | 374 940 | 4.14 |
65–69 | 166 374 | 188 225 | 354 598 | 3.92 |
70–74 | 131 622 | 154 117 | 285 739 | 3.16 |
75–79 | 73 046 | 91 752 | 164 798 | 1.82 |
80–84 | 58 830 | 81 606 | 140 436 | 1.55 |
85–89 | 31 038 | 48 194 | 79 233 | 0.88 |
90–94 | 12 882 | 23 779 | 36 661 | 0.40 |
95–99 | 3 434 | 6 783 | 10 216 | 0.11 |
100+ | 1 432 | 1 765 | 3 197 | 0.04 |
Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
0–14 | 1,307,949 | 1,241,041 | 2,548,990 | 28.15 |
15–64 | 2,707,444 | 2,722,713 | 5,430,157 | 59.98 |
65+ | 478 658 | 596 221 | 1,074,879 | 11.87 |
Group | 0–14 years | 15–64 years | 65+ years |
---|---|---|---|
Total | 28.0% | 62.1% | 9.9% |
Jews | 25.5% | 63.1% | 11.4% |
Israeli Arabs | 37.5% | 58.6% | 3.9% |
Median age
Overall | Jewish | Israeli Arab |
---|---|---|
29.7 | 31.6 | 21.1 |
The Jewish median age in Jerusalem district and the West Bank are 24.9 and 19.7, respectively, and both account for 16% of the Jewish population, but 24% of 0- to 4-year-olds. The lowest median age in Israel, and one of the lowest in the world, is found in two of the West Bank's biggest Jewish cities: Modi'in Illit (11), Beitar Illit (11)[40] followed by Bedouin towns in the Negev (15.2).[41]
Cities
Within Israel's system of local government, an urban municipality can be granted a city council by the Israeli Interior Ministry when its population exceeds 20,000.[42] The term "city" does not generally refer to local councils or urban agglomerations, even though a defined city often contains only a small portion of an urban area or metropolitan area's population.
Rank | Name | District | Pop. | Rank | Name | District | Pop. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jerusalem Tel Aviv |
1 | Jerusalem | Jerusalem | 981,711a | 11 | Ramat Gan | Tel Aviv | 172,486 | Haifa Rishon LeZion |
2 | Tel Aviv | Tel Aviv | 474,530 | 12 | Ashkelon | Southern | 153,138 | ||
3 | Haifa | Haifa | 290,306 | 13 | Rehovot | Central | 150,748 | ||
4 | Rishon LeZion | Central | 260,453 | 14 | Beit Shemesh | Jerusalem | 154,694 | ||
5 | Petah Tikva | Central | 255,387 | 15 | Bat Yam | Tel Aviv | 128,465 | ||
6 | Ashdod | Southern | 226,827 | 16 | Herzliya | Tel Aviv | 106,741 | ||
7 | Netanya | Central | 233,104 | 17 | Kfar Saba | Central | 101,556 | ||
8 | Bnei Brak | Tel Aviv | 218,357 | 18 | Hadera | Haifa | 103,041 | ||
9 | Beersheba | Southern | 214,162 | 19 | Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut | Central | 99,171 | ||
10 | Holon | Tel Aviv | 197,957 | 20 | Lod | Central | 85,351 |
^a This number includes East Jerusalem and West Bank areas, which had a total population of 573,330 inhabitants in 2019.[44] Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem is internationally unrecognized.