Map of West Bank | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Middle East, west of Jordan, east of Israel

Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 35 15 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 5,860 km²
Land: 5,640 km²
Water: 220 km²
Note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
Comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Country comparison total: 478 km
Country comparison border countries: (2) Israel 330 km; Jordan 148 km

Land boundaries
Total: 478 km
Border countries: (2) Israel 330 km; Jordan 148 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain: mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the east

Elevation
Highest point: Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m
Lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 43.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 11% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 24.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 1.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 55.2% (2018 est.)
Note: includes Gaza Strip

Irrigated land: (2013) 151 km²
Note: includes Gaza Strip

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 200 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 220 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Total renewable water resources: 840 million m³ (2020 est.)
Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Natural hazards: droughts

Geography
Note: landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are about 380 Israeli civilian sites, including about 213 settlements and 132 small outpost communities in the West Bank and 35 sites in East Jerusalem (2017)


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Population
Distribution: the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone--between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier--and around Jerusalem
Total: 3,243,369
Male: 1,648,450
Female: 1,594,919 (2024 est.)
Note: approximately 468,300 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank (2022); approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021)
Growth rate: 2.07% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 29.2% (2016 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Nationality
Noun: NA
Adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other

Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Major-language samples: دليل جيوس العالمي، المصدر الذي لا غنى عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim 80-85% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 36.7% (male 609,497/female 579,227)
15-64 years: 59.5% (male 979,719/female 949,746)
65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 59,234/female 65,946)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 74.3
Youth dependency ratio: 68.2
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1
Potential support ratio: 16.5 (2021 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Median age
Total: 21.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 21.6 years
Female: 22.1 years

Population growth rate: 2.07% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 27.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 3.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone--between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier--and around Jerusalem

Urbanization
Urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: adequacy of freshwater supply; sewage treatment

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 30.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.23 megatons (2016 est.)
Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 20 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 74.4 years
Female: 78.8 years

Total fertility rate: 3.49 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 57.3% (2019/20)
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 98.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 1% of population
Unimproved total: 1.1% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 1.1% of population
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 99.9% of population
Improved rural: 98.6% of population
Improved total: 99.6% of population
Unimproved urban: 0.1% of population
Unimproved rural: 1.4% of population
Unimproved total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.1% (2019/20)
Note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Education expenditures: 5.3% of GDP (2018 est.)
Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.5%
Male: 98.8%
Female: 96.2% (2020)
Note: estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 14 years (2021)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 36% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 31.6% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 56.7% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: West Bank
Etymology: name refers to the location of the region of the British Mandate of Palestine that was occupied and administered by Jordan in 1948, as it is located on the far side (west bank) of the Jordan River in relation to Jordan proper; the designation was retained following the 1967 Six-Day War and the subsequent changes in administration

Government type

Capital

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch

Legislative branch

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 4 (all cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $27.418 billion (2023 est.); $29.016 billion (2022 est.); $27.878 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Real gdp growth rate: -5.51% (2023 est.); 4.08% (2022 est.); 7.01% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Real gdp per capita: $5,300 (2023 est.); $5,800 (2022 est.); $5,700 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 101.6% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 20.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.8% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 19.6% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -66.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5.7% (2022 est.)
Industry: 17.4% (2022 est.)
Services: 58.3% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds

Industries: small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs

Industrial production growth rate: -8.57% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Labor force: 1.389 million (2022 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Unemployment rate: 24.42% (2022 est.); 26.39% (2021 est.); 25.9% (2020 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 36% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 31.6% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 56.7% (2022 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 29.2% (2016 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $3.803 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $5.002 billion (2020 est.)
Note: includes Palestinian Authority expenditures in the Gaza Strip

Taxes and other revenues: 21.47% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Public debt: 24.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.87% (2023 est.); 3.74% (2022 est.); 1.24% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$2.037 billion (2022 est.); -$1.778 billion (2021 est.); -$1.903 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Exports: $3.533 billion (2022 est.); $3.14 billion (2021 est.); $2.385 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Partners: Israel 81%, Jordan 10%, UAE 2%, US 1%, Turkey 1% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Commodities: building stone, scrap iron, plastic products, furniture, seats (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Imports: $12.257 billion (2022 est.); $10.094 billion (2021 est.); $8.065 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip
Partners: Israel 57%, Turkey 6%, Egypt 6%, Jordan 4%, China 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Commodities: refined petroleum, electricity, animal food, cars, cement (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.323 billion (2023 est.); $896.9 million (2022 est.); $872.541 million (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Access note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Installed generating capacity: 352,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 6.746 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 6.7 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 880.312 million kWh (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Generation sources fossil fuels: 77.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 22.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Coal
Exports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.942 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 3.942 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Energy consumption per capita: 15.201 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Note: includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 458,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4.388 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 78 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular note: entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: not available

Military and security forces: per the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is not permitted a conventional military but maintains security and police forces; PA security personnel have operated exclusively in the West Bank since HAMAS seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007; PA forces include the National Security Forces, Presidential Guard, Civil Police, Civil Defense, Preventive Security Organization, the General Intelligence Organization, and the Military Intelligence Organization (2024)
Note: the National Security Forces conduct gendarmerie-style security operations in circumstances that exceed the capabilities of the Civil Police; it is the largest branch of the PA security services and acts as the internal Palestinian security force; the Presidential Guard protects facilities and provides dignitary protection; the Preventive Security Organization is responsible for internal intelligence gathering and investigations related to internal security cases, including political dissent

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups: Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Kahane Chai; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2024)

Heliports: 2 (2024)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 4,686 km (2010)
Paved: 4,686 km (2010)
Note: includes Gaza Strip

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 901,000 (Palestinian refugees) (2022)
Idps: 12,000 (includes persons displaced within the Gaza strip due to the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since June 2014 and other Palestinian IDPs in the Gaza Strip and West Bank who fled as long ago as 1967, although confirmed cumulative data do not go back beyond 2006) (2022)
Note: data represent Gaza Strip and West Bank

Illicit drugs