STATISTICS: ISRAEL

Israel Official name: Medinat Yisra`el (Hebrew); Isra`il (Arabic) (State of Israel). Form of government: multiparty republic with one legislative house (Knesset ). Chief of state: President. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Jerusalem is the proclaimed capital of Israel and the actual seat of government, but recognition of its status as capital by the international community has largely been withheld pending final settlement of territorial and other issues through peace talks between Israel and the Arab parties concerned. Official languages: Hebrew; Arabic. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 New (Israeli) sheqel (NIS) = 100 agorot; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = NIS 3.85; 1 = NIS 6.55. Demography Population (1998): 5,740,000{1}{2}. Density (1998){1}{2}: persons per sq mi 731.6, persons per sq km 282.5. Urban-rural (1996){3}: urban 91.0%; rural 9.0%. Sex distribution (1997): male 49.68%; female 50.32%. Age breakdown (1997): under 15, 28.4%; 15-29, 25.2%; 30-44, 19.7%; 45-59, 13.7%; 60-74, 8.8%; 75 and over, 4.2%. Population projection: (2000) 5,911,000; (2010) 6,847,000. Ethnic composition (1997): Jewish 80.5%; Arab and other 19.5%. Religious affiliation (1997): Jewish 80.5%; Muslim (mostly Sunni) 14.6%; Christian 3.2%; Druze 1.7%. Major cities (1997): Jerusalem 602,100; Tel Aviv-Yafo 353,100; Haifa 255,300; Rishon LeZiyyon 171,100; Holon 163,900; Petah Tiqwa 154,500. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1997): 20.0 (world avg. 25.0); (1994){4} legitimate 98.2%; illegitimate 1.8%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1997): 6.0 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 14.0 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1997): 2.7. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1996): 6.7. Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1996): 1.7. Life expectancy at birth (1997): male 76.3 years; female 80.2 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1994): heart diseases 211.3; cancers 140.5; cerebrovascular diseases 59.5; accidents 25.5. National economy Budget (1998). Revenue: NIS 156,800,000,000 (1996; income tax, property tax, and land improvement tax 39.0%, value-added tax 28.0%, sales tax and fuel tax 9.5%, royalties and interest 2.7%). Expenditures: NIS 164,400,000,000 (1996; defense 22.3%, labour and social welfare 16.8%, education and culture 16.2%, interest on loans 16.2%). Public debt (1995): U.S.$23,950,000,000. Gross national product (1996): U.S.$90,310,000,000 (U.S.$15,870 per capita). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1997): watermelons 450,000, tomatoes 440,000, grapefruit 390,000, potatoes 260,000, wheat 140,000, seed cotton 131,000; livestock (number of live animals) 410,000 cattle, 340,000 sheep, 94,000 goats, 23,000,000 chickens; roundwood (1995) 113,000 cu m; fish catch (1995) 20,564. Mining and quarrying (1996): phosphate rock 2,450,000, potash 2,500,000. Manufacturing (1996): cement 6,723,000; polyethylene 144,147{5}; sulfuric acid 130,000{5}; cardboard 113,278; paper 114,403; chlorine 34,630; wine 12,733,000 litres{5}. Construction (1996): residential 7,010,000 sq m; nonresidential 2,380,000 sq m. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 28,315,000 (27,985,000); coal (metric tons; 1994) none (6,026,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 1994) 29,000 (88,682,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) 10,589,000 (8,122,000); natural gas (cu m; 1994) 22,025,000 (22,025,000). Population economically active (1996){6}: total 2,157,000; activity rate 38.9% (participation rates: over ages 15, 53.7%; female 43.5%; unemployed 6.7%). Household income and expenditure (1996). Average household size 3.6; monthly income per household{7}{8} NIS 6,125 (U.S.$2,034); sources of income (1993){7}: salaries and wages 63.4%, allowances and assistance 18.9%, self-employment 14.6%, other 3.1%; expenditure (1996): housing 22.6%, food, beverages, and tobacco 21.8%, household durable goods 7.3%, clothing, footwear, and personal goods 5.9%, transportation 4.1%, energy 4.0%. Tourism (1995): receipts U.S.$2,784,000,000; expenditures U.S.$3,148,000,000. Foreign trade{9} Imports (1996): U.S.$29,949,000,000 (investment goods 17.7%; diamonds 14.1%; consumer goods 13.2%; fuel and lubricants 7.1%). Major import sources: U.S. 20.0%; Belgium 12.1%; Germany 9.4%; U.K. 8.8%; Italy 7.6%. Exports (1996): U.S.$20,510,200,000 (machinery and transport equipment 29.5%; diamonds 25.6%; chemicals 11.8%; apparel 4.9%; food, beverages, and tobacco 3.9%; rubber and plastic 3.9%). Major export destinations: U.S. 30.6%; U.K. 6.7%; Japan 5.9%; Belgium 5.4%; Hong Kong 5.2%. Transport Transport. Railroads (1996): route length 610 km; passenger-km 267,000,000{10}; metric ton-km cargo 1,176,000,000{10}. Roads (1995): total length 14,700 km (paved 100%). Vehicles (1997): passenger cars 1,174,000: trucks and buses 272,000. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 58; total deadweight tonnage 723,418. Air transport (1996){11}: passenger-km 11,511,000,000; metric ton-km cargo 1,113,000,000; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 7. Education and health Educational attainment (1991). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 6.7%; primary 22.5%; secondary 39.6%; postsecondary, vocational, and higher 31.2%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 95.6%; males literate 97.7%; females literate 93.6%. Health (1997): physicians (1996) 27,000 (1 per 206 persons); hospital beds 34,200 (1 per 165 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births 8.0. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 3,271 (vegetable products 81%, animal products 19%); 127% of FAO recommended minimum. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 175,000 (army 76.6%, navy 5.1%, air force 18.3%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 9.6% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$1,646. {1} Includes population of Golan Heights (31,500) and East Jerusalem. {2} Excludes Israelis in Jewish localities (pop. 138,600) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. {3} January 1. {4} Jewish population only. {5} 1993. {6} Excludes armed forces; includes Israelis in occupied territories. {7} Urban population only. {8} 1995. {9} Import figures are c.i.f. in balance of trade; import and export figures are net gross for commodities and trading partners. {10} March. {11} El Al only.