Demographics of Israel

This article discusses the demographics of Israel.

Population

(October 2006)

Total: 7,082,000 [1]

note: includes over 200,000 people in East Jerusalem, about 250,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and about 20,000 in the Golan Heights (July 2006 est.)

Age structure

2004

0-14 years: 28.4%

15-64 years: 61.7%

65 years and over: 9.9%

Source: http://www.cbs.gov.il/publications/isr_in_n05e.pdf

Population growth rate

overall: 1.7% (2006 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.

The growth rate of the Israeli Arab population is 2.5%, while the growth rate of the Israeli Jewish population is 1.4%. The growth rate of Israeli Arab population is slowing down (from 3.3% in 1999 to 2.5% in 2006).

Crude birth rate

20.8 births/1,000 population (2005)

Crude death rate

6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate

3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.46 years

male: 77.33 years

female: 81.7 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.84 children born/woman (2005.)

Citizenship

noun: Israeli(s)

adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups

According to the 2005 Israeli census, Israel's population of 6,990,700 is broken down into the following ethnic groups:

**Ethnic Makeup of Israel**
Ethnic group	Population	% of total
Jewish	5,313,800	76.0%
Israeli Arab	1,377,100	19.6%
Unaffiliated Many of which Are Ethnically Jewish*	300,000	4.3%

Most unaffiliated persons are non-jewish immigrants from the former USSR)

This data includes legal citizens of the State of Israel, not including any Jewish, Muslim, Christian, or other citizen living under the Israeli lands administrated by the Palestinian Authority. ^[1]

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.[2]

Traditionally, Jews are grouped into:

Ashkenazim - Jews whose ancestors came from Germany, France, and Eastern Europe. Most Ashkenazi Jews that settled in Israel were from Russia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Italy (mainly Milan and Trieste), North America, South Africa and Australia.
Sephardim - Jews whose ancestors lived in Spain and Portugal until 1492, and sometimes until later, then spread to Greece, Italy, England, the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, as well as into the Ottoman Empire. Many Sephardi Jews that settled in Israel from Morocco, Turkey, North Africa and the Mediterranean area are descendents from migrants from Spain and Portugal. In modern Israeli Hebrew usage, this category often includes Mizrahim (see next group).
Bené Roma - Jews whose ancestors lived mainly in central Italy. Due to its history and geographical position, Rome hosted the most ancient continuous Jewish community in Western Europe, dating back to the Roman Empire. Northern Italy hosted for centuries large Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities.
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.
Beta Israel of Ethiopia who were initially brought to Israel during Operation Solomon and Operation Moses Today 100,000 live in the country.
Indian Jews - Jews from five distinct communities in India and also Burma, each with very different origins.

Note: In Israel, Jews with origins in Western (Christian) countries are called Ashkenazi though many are not: the Georgian are Gruzinim or Qartveli Ebraeli; 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 by their Ashkenazi counterparts, though the majority does not descend from Iberian Jews and are best described as Mizrahi. The Jews of Iran and Iraq are always called Mizrahi and the Yemenite and Omani are Temani or also Mizrahi.

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

Arabs in Israel include descendants of those who remained within Israel borders during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Palestinians who immigrated to Israel (especially since 1993) as well as Druze and Bedouins. About 9% of Israeli Arabs are Christians of various denominations, mostly Catholics and Orthodox.

Circassians

In Israel, there are also a few thousand Circassians, living mostly in Kfar Kama (2,000) and Reyhaniye (1,000).^[2] These two villages were a part of a greater group of Circassian villages around the Golan Heights. The Circassians in Israel enjoy, like Druzes, a status aparte. Male Circassians (at their leader's request) are mandated for military service, while females are not.

Religions

Two Israeli soldiers chat with Israeli Arabs in the Galilee, 1978

Religious Makeup of Israel
Religion	Population	% of total
Jewish	5,313,800	76.0%
Muslim	1,140,600	16.3%
Christian	146,000	2.1%
Druze	115,200	1.7%
Unclassified by Choice	272,200	3.9%

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 a 2004 Israel Central Bureau of Statistics Study on Israelis aged over 20, 8% 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); 12% consider themselves "religious-traditionalists" (mostly adhering to Jewish Halakha); 27% are "non-religious traditionalists" (only partly respecting the Jewish Halakha), and 43% are "secular". Among the seculars, 53% say they believe in God(s). Due to the higher natality rate of religious and traditionalists over seculars, the share of religious and traditionalists among the overall population is even higher.

Languages

Due to its immigrant nature, Israel is one of the most multicultural and multilinguistic societies in the world. Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages, while Russian, Yiddish, Romanian, Ukrainian, Amharic, French, German, Vietnamese, and Polish are the most commonly used foreign languages.^{[citation needed]} English is spoken virtually universally, and is the language of choice for many Israeli businesses. Courses on English Language and Arabic are mandatory in the Israeli school system, and many schools offer French, Spanish, and Esperanto. Daily papers are available in most of these languages.The Holy See has established a Catholic bishop for Hebrew speaking Catholics in Latroun.

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.4%

male: 97.3%

female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

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.

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