Demographics of Israel
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Template:Israelis
This article discusses the demographics of Israel.
Contents |
Population
(July 2005)
Total: 6,921,000 note: includes about 260,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem), and about 9,000 in the Gaza Strip (prior to the expulsion of Jewish residents of Gaza in the summer of 2005). [1]
Age structure
0-14 years: 26.5% (male 851,415; female 812,095)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,010,888; female 1,986,256)
65 years and over: 9.8% (male 264,708; female 351,521) (2005 est.)
Population growth rate
overall: 1.2% (2005 est.)
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 high population growth rate among certain Jewish groups, especially adherents of Haredi Judaism.
Birth rate
18.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate
6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate
Template:Jew 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.32 years
male: 77.21 years
female: 81.55 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Nationality
noun: Israeli(s)
adjective: Israeli
Ethnic groups
Image:Israeli soldiers and Arabs .jpg
According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2004, of Israel's 6.9 million people, 76.2% were Jews, 19.5% Arabs, and 4.3% "others".[2]
Jews
- See also: Jewish ethnic divisions
Among Jews, 68% were Sabras (Israeli-born), mostly second or third generation Israelis, and the rest are olim — 22% from Europe and the Americas, and 10% from Asia and Africa, including the Arab countries.[3]
Traditionally, Jews are grouped into:
- Ashkenazim - Jews whose ancestors lived in from Germany, France, and Eastern Europe. Most Jewish immigrants to Israel from Russia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, North America, South Africa and Australia are Ashkenazim.
- Sephardim - Jews whose ancestors lived in Spain and Portugal. Most Jewish immigrants to Israel from Morocco, Turkey, and many from other North African and Mediterranean areas are Sephardim. In modern Israeli Hebrew usage, this category often includes Mizrahim (see next group).
- Mizrahim - Jews whose ancestors lived in Arab or Muslim lands, but did not live in Spain or Portugal. Most Jewish immigrants to Israel from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria are considered Mizrahim.
Note: In Israel, Jews with origins in Western (Christian) countries are called Ashkenazi though many are not. The Jews of Italy are Bené Roma; the Georgian are Gruzim; the Greek are Romaniotes; and many of the Bulgarian and Latin American are Sephardic. These groups claim distinct cultures and histories.
Those with origins in Muslim and Arab lands are commonly called Sephardi though many are not. The Jews of Iran and Iraq are Mizrahi and the Yemenite and Omani are Temani. None of these groups include the Beta Israel of Ethiopia who were brought to Israel during Operation Solomon and Operation Moses, as well as other groups.
For a complete list and thorough discussion of Jewish ethnic groups, see Jewish ethnic divisions.
However, this grouping is becoming used less due to cultural assimilation and intermarriage.
Arabs
Template:Main article Arabs in Israel include descendants of Palestinians who remained within Israel borders during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, as well as Druze and Bedouins. About 9% of Israeli Arabs are Christian.
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Religions
According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2004, 76.2% of Israelis were Jews by religion. Muslims made up 16.1% of Israelis, 2.1% were Christian, 1.6% were Druze and the remaining 3.9% (including Russian immigrants and some Jews) were not classified by religion.[4]
Official figures do not exist as to the number of atheists or otherwise non-affiliated individuals, who may comprise up to a quarter of the population referred to as Jewish. According to one study, 6% of Israeli Jews define themselves as haredim (or Ultra-Orthodox); an additional 9% are "religious" (predominantly orthodox, also known in Israel as: Zionist-religious, national-religious and Kepot Srogot); 34% consider themselves "traditionalists" (not strictly adhering to Jewish Halakha); and 51% are "secular". Among the seculars, 53% say they believe in God. [5]
Languages
Hebrew (official), Arabic (official), Russian, Yiddish, English most commonly used foreign language
Literacy
(2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.4%
male: 97.3%
female: 93.6%
Education between ages 5 and 16 is free and compulsory. The school system is organized into kindergartens, 6-year primary schools, and either 6-year secondary schools or 3-year junior secondary schools + 3-year senior secondary schools (depending on region), after which a comprehensive examination is offered for university admissions. There are seven university-level institutions in Israel.
See also
- Jew
- Jewish ethnic divisions
- Israeli Arab
- Religion in Israel
- Languages of Israel
- Population groups in Israeles:Demografía de Israel
fr:Démographie d'Israël he:דמוגרפיה של ישראל ru:Население Израиля