Largest Cities in Israel

Facts about Israel

Official languages: Hebrew, Arabic, English
Capital: Jerusalem
Area: 20,770 km²
Population: 7.4 million residents
Population density: 354.07 residents per km²
Currency: ILS
Internet TLD: .il
ISO codes: IL, ISR , 376
The dialing code for Israel is +972

Flag of Israel

The Israeli flag consists of two blue stripes along the top and bottom edges, a blue six-pointed star in the middle, all on a white background. White and blue are meant to express the purity of Zionist ideals and the sky. The star is associated with more than 700 years old Jewish symbolism and is otherwise called the “Star of David”. The motif was found on King Solomon’s ring and is therefore also known as “Solomon’s Seal”. The blue stripes were inspired by the Jewish prayer shawl “talit”. The shape of the flag began to take shape in the late 19th century, when the Zionist movement attempted to establish a Jewish state in Palestine. The flag was adopted in 1948 together with the creation of the State of Israel.

Israel is a state in the Middle East. It is the only state in the world in which Jews form a majority of the population. Legitimated under international law by a resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1947, Israel was founded as a parliamentary republic on May 14, 1948 after the British mandate over Palestine had ended; the country is considered the only democracy in the Middle East. The UN’s plan to divide Palestine into an Israeli and an Arab-Palestinian state was the starting point of the multi-layered Middle East conflict, some of which continues to this day.

The need to transform a relatively barren, underdeveloped country into a modern industrial state has been decisive for its scientific and technical development since the foundation of Israel. Water scarcity, desert-like landscape and lack of labor also led to the development of novel agricultural methods.

Israel has a technologically highly developed market economy with a large state share. A major employer is the civil service, which employs 33% of Israeli workers. The official working week in Israel begins on Sunday (Hebrew “Yom Rishon”, “first day”) as the first day of the week. During the Sabbath from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening, most of the shops in many places are closed and almost no services are offered.

The Israeli armed forces are considered to be the strongest armed forces in the region. Israel never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and is widely believed to have had nuclear weapons since the 1960s.

Biggest Cities of Israel by Population

Israel is a country located in the Middle East, with a population of over 8.7 million people. Its capital city is Jerusalem which is the largest city in Israel and home to more than 800,000 people. The city is an ancient one with many holy sites and monuments, making it a popular destination for pilgrims and tourists alike.

Other major cities in Israel include Tel Aviv located near the Mediterranean Sea and known as ‘the City That Never Sleeps’; Haifa located near the Sea of Galilee and known for its Baha’i Gardens; or Beersheba located near the Negev Desert and known as ‘the Capital of the Negev’.

Israel also contains some smaller cities such as Ashdod located on the south-west side of Israel and home to many archaeological sites; Nazareth located near Galilee and home to the Church of the Annunciation; or Tiberias located on the north-west side of Israel and known for its hot springs.

Throughout Israel there are plenty of attractions to explore including holy sites, historical monuments, museums, parks and beaches. Visitors can also enjoy activities such as camel riding or exploring caves or take part in water sports on Lake Kinneret.

Israel: Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the main shrine of three world religions: the Christians, the Jews and the Muslims. All three religions are present here and all lay claim to the “holy city” as Jerusalem is often called. Not only do many cultures meet here, but also the modern and the past. Few cities in the world have to live with so many contrasts as Jerusalem.

Neighboring countries of Israel

• Egypt
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• Palestinian Territories
• Syria