Demographics of Israel

note: includes about 207,800 Israeli settlers in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem), and about 7,300 in the Gaza Strip. [2] (http://194.90.153.197/shnaton54/st02_07x.pdf)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28% (male 825,443; female 787,159)

15-64 years: 63% (male 1,831,142; female 1,820,424)

65 years and over: 9% (male 248,695; female 329,591) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate

(2001-2002 annual averages) [3] (http://194.90.153.197/shnaton54/st02_02.pdf)

overall: 2.0%

Jewish population: 1.8% (of which 32.8% are due to immigration balance)

Arab population: 3.1% (almost entirely due to natural increase)

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 ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Birth rate

19.32 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate

3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 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 (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.57 years

male: 76.57 years

female: 80.67 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.6 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun: Israeli(s)

adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups

Jewish: 80.9%, Arab: 19.1% (end of 2002).

Note: The figure for "Jewish" includes people who are not classified as "Jewish" by religion. These are mainly immigrants from the former USSR which are either Christian or of unclassified religion.

Among Jews, 63% are Israeli-born. 27% are immigrants from the West, and 11% are immigrants from developing countries in Asia and Africa, including Arab countries and the African nation of Ethiopia: see Ethiopian Jews. [4] (http://www.cbs.gov.il/shnaton53/st02_21x.pdf)

Traditionally, Jews are grouped into:

Ashkenazim - Jews whose ancestors lived in Germany and eastern-Europe. Most immigrants to Israel from North and South America, Russian, South Africa and Australia are Ashkenazim.
Sephardim- Jews whose ancestors lived in Spain, Portugal, and North Africa. This category also includes Near-eastern or Oriental Jews, people who descend from ancient Jewish communities in Islamic lands.
Yemenite Jews - Jews whose ancestors lived in Yemen.

However, this grouping is becoming less and less accurate due to cultural assimilation and intermarriage.

Religions

Jewish 76.8%, Muslim 15.7% (mostly Sunni), Christian 2.1%, Druze 1.6%, other 3.7% (end of 2002). [5] (http://194.90.153.197/shnaton54/st02_01.pdf)

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" (orthodox); 34% consider themselves "traditionalists" (not strictly adhering to Jewish halacha); and 51% are "secular". Among the seculars, 53% say they believe in God. [6] (http://www.geocities.com/demokratya/dat/shavit.htm)

Languages

Hebrew and Arabic (official), English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy

(1992 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 97%

female: 93%

Education between ages 5 and 16 is free and compulsory. The school system is organized into kindergartens, 6-year primary schools, 3-year junior secondary schools, and 3-year senior secondary schools, after which a comprehensive examination is offered for university admissions. There are seven university-level institutions in Israel.