Fri, 18:29 29 Aug 2008 GMT17

 
Israel
 
Capital: Israel claims Jerusalem as its capital, but most countries keep their embassies in Tel Aviv.
Area size: 20620 sq. km Slightly smaller than Wales
Time zone: GMT +2
Currency: New Shekel
Area code: (+) 972
Driving: Right
Climate description: Hot, dry summers, mild winters in northern Israel. On the coast, summer temperatures and humidity can be oppressive but tempered by sea breeze. Winters are mild with frost and snow a rarity. Inland, rainfall is heavier with cool nights but a drier, more comfortable heat in the summer. In the south, winter nights can be quite cold with occasional snow but summers are very hot.
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages. Several languages of immigrants' countries of origin are also spoken as well as Ladino, Circassian and Amharic.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2007 6.9 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 6.8 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 6.7 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 6.6 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 6.5 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 6.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 6.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 6.1 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
9.8 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Jews of European, American, African, Asian and Middle Eastern descent comprise 80 percent of the population; Arabs, Druze and others make up 20 percent.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Judaism is the official religion, but Arabs are Muslim or Christian.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 91.6 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 91.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 91.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 91.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 91.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 91.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 91.5 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 91.4 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1948
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2006)

Percentage of population under 15
2005 27.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 27.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 28.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 27.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 28.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 28.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 80.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 80.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 79.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 79.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 78.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 78.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 78.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 77.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 77.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 77.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 76.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 76.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 82.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 82.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 81.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 80.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 80.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 80.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2006 4 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 5 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 5 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 5 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2006 5 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 6 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 6 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 6 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel
No data available percent

Maternal mortality
2005 4 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 17 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 23 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 23 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 23 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 22 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 22 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 22 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent

Percentage of undernourished population
2002-2004 average <2.5 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average <2.5 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
2004 100 percent UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation
No data available percent

Literacy - average
2004 97.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 96.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 95.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 95.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 94.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 98.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 98.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 97.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 97.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 96.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 95.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 95.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 93.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 93.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 92.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2006 439 per 1,000 people International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2007
2005 426 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 422 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 431 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 453 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 466 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 474 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Cellular telephone subscribers
2006 1227 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 1124 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 1053 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 978 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 949 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 845 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 702 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Internet users
2006 277 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 244 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 218 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 187 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 170 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 166 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 203 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
2007 30 (joint) Transparency International 2007
2006 34 (joint) Transparency International
2005 28 (joint) Transparency International
2004 26 Transparency International
2003 21 (joint) Transparency International
2002 18 (joint) Transparency International
2001 16 (joint) Transparency International
2000 22 Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2006 20170 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 19400 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 18110 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 16910 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 16690 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 17610 current US$ WorldBankDataProfileTables2008
2000 17890 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP
2006 140.5 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 129.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 122.5 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 115.1 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 109.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 118.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 121.0 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual GDP growth
2005 5.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 4.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 1.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 -1.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 -0.3 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 7.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Annual inflation
2005 0.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 -0.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 0 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 4.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 1.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 1.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
2.1 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
28.8 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians
2000-2004 382 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 382 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 375 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 378 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases
2006 8 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2005 8 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2004 8 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2003 8 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2002 8 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2001 8 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2000 9 per 100,000 people WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2006 882 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 632 UNHCR
2004 672 UNHCR
2003 625 UNHCR
2002 564 UNHCR
2001 363 UNHCR
2000 416 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2006 837 UNHCR
2005 609 UNHCR
2004 574 UNHCR
2003 4179 UNHCR
2002 4179 UNHCR
2001 4168 UNHCR
2000 4075 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
2007 150000 - 420000 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2008
2006 150000 - 420000 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2006
2005 150000 - 300000 IDMC 2006

Landmine casualties per year
2004 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 No data available Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
2005 9.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 8.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 9.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 6.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 7.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002 7.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001 7.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000 7.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 6.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 6.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 6.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 6.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 8.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


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