Map of Israel | 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, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon

Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 21,937 km²
Land: 21,497 km²
Water: 440 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than New Jersey
Country comparison total: 1,068 km
Country comparison border countries: (6) Egypt 208 km; Gaza Strip 59 km; Jordan 327 km; (20 km; are within the Dead Sea) Lebanon 81 km; Syria 83 km; West Bank 330 km

Land boundaries
Total: 1,068 km
Border countries: (6) Egypt 208 km; Gaza Strip 59 km; Jordan 327 km; (20 km; are within the Dead Sea) Lebanon 81 km; Syria 83 km; West Bank 330 km

Coastline: 273 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation
Highest point: Mitspe Shlagim 2,224 m
Note: this is the highest named point, the actual highest point is an unnamed dome slightly to the west of Mitspe Shlagim at 2,236 m; both points are on the northeastern border of Israel, along the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range
Lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m
Mean elevation: 508 m

Natural resources: timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Land use
Agricultural land: 23.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 13.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 3.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 6.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 7.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 69.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 2,159 km² (2020)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 1.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 1.78 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes

Geography
Note 1: Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti)
Note 2: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete, and its length will undoubtedly increase; Mount Sodom is actually a hill some 220 m (722 ft) high that is 80% salt (multiple salt layers covered by a veneer of rock)


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Population
Distribution: population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba
Total: 9,402,617
Male: 4,731,275
Female: 4,671,342 (2024 est.)
Note: approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021); following the March 2019 US recognition of the Golan Heights as being part of Israel, The World Factbook no longer includes Israeli settler population of the Golan Heights (estimated at 23,400 in 2019) in its overall Israeli settler total
Growth rate: 1.58% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 22% (2014 est.)
Below poverty line note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day

Nationality
Noun: Israeli(s)
Adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups: Jewish 73.5% (of which Israel-born 79.7%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 14.3%, Africa-born 3.9%, Asia-born 2.1%), Arab 21.1%, other 5.4% (2022 est.)

Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic (special status under Israeli law), English (most commonly used foreign language)
Major-language samples: ספר עובדות העולם, המקור החיוני למידע בסיסי (Hebrew); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Jewish 73.5%, Muslim 18.1%, Christian 1.9%, Druze 1.6%, other 4.9% (2022 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 1,320,629/female 1,260,977)
15-64 years: 60.3% (male 2,885,485/female 2,781,777)
65 years and over: 12.3% (2024 est.) (male 525,161/female 628,588)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 66.9
Youth dependency ratio: 47
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.9
Potential support ratio: 5 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 30.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 29.6 years
Female: 30.7 years

Population growth rate: 1.58% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 19.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population concentrated in and around Tel-Aviv, as well as around the Sea of Galilee; the south remains sparsely populated with the exception of the shore of the Gulf of Aqaba

Urbanization
Urban population: 92.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.51% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 4.421 million Tel Aviv-Yafo, 1.174 million Haifa, 970,000 JERUSALEM (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: limited arable land and restricted natural freshwater resources; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 19.47 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 65.17 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 13.02 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 27.7 years (2019 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 83.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 81.1 years
Female: 85.1 years

Total fertility rate: 2.92 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 99.3% of population
Improved total: 99.9% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0.7% of population
Unimproved total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 26.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 3.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 1.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 1.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 21.2% (2020 est.)
Male: 28.9% (2020 est.)
Female: 13.5% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 7.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.8%
Male: 98.7%
Female: 96.8% (2011)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 17 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 6.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 5.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: State of Israel
Conventional short form: Israel
Local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
Local short form: Yisra'el
Former: Mandatory Palestine
Etymology: named after the ancient Kingdom of Israel; according to Biblical tradition, the Jewish patriarch Jacob received the name 'Israel' ('He who struggles with God') after he wrestled an entire night with an angel of the Lord; Jacob's 12 sons became the ancestors of the Israelites, also known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel, who formed the Kingdom of Israel

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Jerusalem
Note: the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017 without taking a position on the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty
Geographic coordinates: 31 46 N, 35 14 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, Friday before the last Sunday in March; ends the last Sunday in October
Etymology: Jerusalem's settlement may date back to 2,800 B.C.; it is named Urushalim in Egyptian texts of the 14th century B.C.; uru-shalim likely means 'foundation of [by] the god Shalim', and derives from Hebrew/Semitic yry, 'to found or lay a cornerstone', and Shalim, the Canaanite god of dusk and the nether world; Shalim was associated with sunset and peace and the name is based on the same S-L-M root from which Semitic words for 'peace' are derived (Salam or Shalom in modern Arabic and Hebrew); this confluence has thus led to naming interpretations such as 'The City of Peace' or 'The Abode of Peace'

Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Dependent areas

Independence: 14 May 1948 (following League of Nations mandate under British administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May (1948)
Note: Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May

Constitution
History: no formal constitution; some functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws, and the Law of Return (as amended)
Amendments: proposed by Government of Israel ministers or by the Knesset; passage requires a majority vote of Knesset members and subject to Supreme Court judicial review; 11 of the 13 Basic Laws have been amended at least once, latest in 2020 (Basic Law: the Knesset)

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious laws

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Israel
Dual citizenship recognized: yes, but naturalized citizens are not allowed to maintain dual citizenship
Residency requirement for naturalization: 3 out of the 5 years preceding the application for naturalization
Note: Israeli law (Law of Return, 5 July 1950) provides for the granting of citizenship to any Jew - defined as a person being born to a Jewish mother or having converted to Judaism while renouncing any other religion - who immigrates to and expresses a desire to settle in Israel on the basis of the Right of aliyah; the 1970 amendment of this act extended the right to family members including the spouse of a Jew, any child or grandchild, and the spouses of children and grandchildren

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; 17 years of age for municipal elections

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Isaac HERZOG (since 7 July 2021)
Head of government: Prime Minister Benyamin NETANYAHU (since 29 December 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Knesset for a single 7-year term; election last held on 2 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2,028); following legislative elections, the president, in consultation with party leaders, tasks a Knesset member (usually the member of the largest party) with forming a new government
Election results: 2021: Isaac HERZOG elected president; Knesset vote in first round - Isaac HERZOG (independent) 87, Miriam PERETZ (independent) 26, invalid/blank 7; 2014: Reuven RIVLIN elected president in second round; Knesset vote - Reuven RIVLIN (Likud) 63, Meir SHEETRIT (The Movement) 53, other/invalid 4

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 1 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2,026)
Elections results: percent by party - Likud 23.4%, Yesh Atid 17.8%, Religious Zionism (electoral alliance of Religious Zionist Party, Jewish Power, and Noam) 10.8%, National Unity 9.1%, Shas 8.2%, UTJ 5.9%, Yisrael Beiteinu 4.5%, United Arab List 4.1%, Hadash-Ta'al 3.8%, Labor 3.7%, Meretz 3.2%, other 1.6%; seats by party - Likud 32, Yesh Atid 24, Religious Zionism (electoral alliance of Religious Zionist Party, Jewish Power, and Noam) 14, National Unity 12, Shas 11, UTJ 7, Yisrael Beiteinu 6, Hadash-Ta'al 5, United Arab List 5, Labor 4; composition - men 90, women 30, percentage women 25%
Note 1: a 3.25% vote threshold is required to gain representation
Note 2: following the 1 November 2022 election, the Religious Zionism Alliance split into its three constituent parties in the Knesset: Religious Zionism 7 seats, Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) 6, and Noam 1

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the president, deputy president, 13 justices, and 2 registrars) and normally sits in panels of 3 justices; in special cases, the panel is expanded with an uneven number of justices
Judge selection and term of office: judges selected by the 9-member Judicial Selection Committee, consisting of the Minister of Justice (chair), the president of the Supreme Court, two other Supreme Court justices, 1 other Cabinet minister, 2 Knesset members, and 2 representatives of the Israel Bar Association; judges can serve up to mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: district and magistrate courts; national and regional labor courts; family and juvenile courts; special and Rabbinical courts

Political parties and leaders: Balad, Blue and White, Hadash, Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit), Labor Party or HaAvoda, Likud, Meretz, National Unity (alliance includes Blue and White and New Hope), New Hope, Noam, Religious Zionism (election alliance of Religious Zionist Party, Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit), and Noam), Religious Zionist Party, Shas, Ta'al, United Arab List, United Torah Judaism or UTJ (alliance includes Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah), Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beiteinu

International organization participation: BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN, CICA, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael HERZOG (since 1 December 2021)
In the us chancery: 3,514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 364-5,500
In the us fax: [1] (202) 364-5,607
In the us email address and website: consular@washington.mfa.gov.il; [link]
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jacob J. LEW (since 5 November 2023)
From the us embassy: 14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem, 9,378,322
From the us mailing address: 6,350 Jerusalem Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,350
From the us telephone: [972] (2) 630-4,000
From the us fax: [972] (2) 630-4,070
From the us email address and website: JerusalemACS@state.gov; [link]
From the us branch offices: Tel Aviv
From the us note: on 14 May 2018, the US Embassy relocated to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv; on 4 March 2019, Consulate General Jerusalem merged into US Embassy Jerusalem to form a single diplomatic mission

Flag description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Star of David or Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag; the basic design resembles a traditional Jewish prayer shawl (tallit), which is white with blue stripes; the hexagram as a Jewish symbol dates back to medieval times
Note: the Israeli flag proclamation states that the flag colors are sky blue and white, but the exact shade of blue has never been set and can vary from a light to a dark blue

National symbols: Star of David (Magen David), menorah (seven-branched lampstand); national colors: blue, white

National anthem
Name: 'Hatikvah' (The Hope)
Lyrics/music: Naftali Herz IMBER/traditional, arranged by Samuel COHEN
Note: adopted 2004, unofficial since 1948; used as the anthem of the Zionist movement since 1897; the 1888 arrangement by Samuel COHEN is thought to be based on the Romanian folk song 'Carul cu boi' (The Ox Driven Cart)

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 9 (all cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: high-income, technology- and industrial-based economy; economic contraction and fiscal deficits resulting from war in Gaza; labor force stabilizing following military reservist mobilization; high-tech industry remains resilient while construction and tourism among hardest-hit sectors

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $471.03 billion (2023 est.); $461.808 billion (2022 est.); $432.271 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (2023 est.); 6.83% (2022 est.); 8.61% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $48,300 (2023 est.); $48,300 (2022 est.); $46,100 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 48.2% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 22.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.7% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 30.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -27.1% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.3% (2021 est.)
Industry: 17.2% (2021 est.)
Services: 72.4% (2021 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, avocados, bananas, grapefruits, eggs, tangerines/mandarins, carrots/turnips (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: high-technology products (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, pharmaceuticals, construction, metal products, chemical products, plastics, cut diamonds, textiles, footwear

Industrial production growth rate: 6.05% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 4.554 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.39% (2023 est.); 3.7% (2022 est.); 4.81% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 6% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 6.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 5.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 22% (2014 est.)
Note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $180.935 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $184.823 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 25.01% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 72.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

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

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.23% (2023 est.); 4.39% (2022 est.); 1.51% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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: $25.089 billion (2023 est.); $20.34 billion (2022 est.); $19.095 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $156.165 billion (2023 est.); $166.227 billion (2022 est.); $143.505 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 25%, China 7%, West Bank/Gaza Strip 6%, Ireland 5%, UK 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: diamonds, integrated circuits, refined petroleum, fertilizers, medical instruments (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $137.567 billion (2023 est.); $150.804 billion (2022 est.); $125.948 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 14%, US 11%, Turkey 7%, Germany 6%, India 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: diamonds, cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, garments (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $204.661 billion (2023 est.); $194.231 billion (2022 est.); $212.934 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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.)
Installed generating capacity: 22.207 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 65.442 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 6.916 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.557 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 90.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 9.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 6.476 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 8.9 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 6.561 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 230,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 12.73 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 22.886 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 11.51 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 9.578 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 59.369 million m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 176.018 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 64.871 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 14.043 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 28.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 21.97 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 113.455 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3.574 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 13.758 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.); 5% of GDP (2021 est.); 5% of GDP (2020 est.); 5.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Forces, Israel Naval Force (IN, includes commandos), Israel Air Force (IAF, includes air defense) (2024)
Note 1: the national police, including the border police and the immigration police, are under the authority of the Ministry of Public Security
Note 2: the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) is charged with combating terrorism and espionage in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza Strip; it is under the authority of the Prime Minister; ISA forces operating in the West Bank fall under the IDF for operations and operational debriefing

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; Jews and Druze can be conscripted; Christians, Circassians, and Muslims may volunteer; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation is 32 months for enlisted men and about 24 months for enlisted women (varies based on military occupation); officers serve 48 months; Air Force pilots commit to 9 years of service; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), age 24 (women) (2024)
Note: the IDF recruits foreign Jews and non-Jews with a minimum of one Jewish grandparent, as well as converts to Judaism; each year the IDF brings in about 800-1,000 foreign recruits from around the world

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; Palestinian Islamic Jihad; HAMAS
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
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 64
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,404,373 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 994.54 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4X

Airports: 37 (2024)

Heliports: 11 (2024)

Pipelines: 763 km gas, 442 km oil, 261 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 20,391 km
Paved: 20,391 km (2021) (includes 449 km of expressways)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 12,181 (Eritrea), 5,061 (Ukraine) (2019)
Stateless persons: 35 (2022)

Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan; money-laundering center