1,068 km of land border against just 273 km of coast — this country faces its neighbors far more than it faces the sea.
coastline 273 km · 133rd/229 · land borders 1,068 km · 122nd/230 CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
Population
9,053,300
Natural Earth population estimate.
Area
21,937 km²
Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 22,033 km².
Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP per capita (PPP)
$47,300
Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
median
Median age30.2 years136th of 224 · median 32.6 years
Life expectancy83.1 years16th of 224 · median 76.2 years
Fertility rate2.89 children per woman49th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
Population9,053,30097th of 235 · median 5,454,073
Total area21,937 km²151st of 228 · median 83,736 km²
Coastline273 km133rd of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Geography
Between Egypt and Lebanon, Palestine borders the Mediterranean Sea. Its terrain includes the Negev desert in the south, a low coastal plain, central mountains, and the Jordan Rift Valley. Timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, and sand are natural resources.
Lake Tiberias, also called the Sea of Galilee, is an important freshwater source. Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave, while the hill has multiple salt layers beneath a veneer of rock. Mitspe Shlagim is the highest named point, while an unnamed dome slightly west is the actual highest point; both lie on the northeastern border, along the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. The Dead Sea marks the country's lowest point.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
The climate is temperate, with hot, dry conditions in southern and eastern desert areas. Droughts occur, and sandstorms may occur during spring and summer.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
The form of government is a parliamentary democracy. Its legal system is a mixed system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious laws. It has no formal constitution; some functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws, and the Law of Return (as amended). The country gained independence on 14 May 1948, following League of Nations mandate under British administration. Independence Day, 14 May (1948), is the national holiday.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Flag and symbols
White with a blue hexagram known as the Magen David, the flag places the six-pointed linear star between two equal horizontal blue bands near its top and bottom edges. Its design resembles a traditional Jewish prayer shawl (tallit), which is white with blue stripes, while the hexagram as a Jewish symbol dates back to medieval times. The national symbols are the Star of David (Magen David) and the menorah, a seven-branched lampstand.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
GDP (nominal)
$540.38 billion
Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP (PPP)
$472.18 billion
Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP per capita (PPP)
$47,300
Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
GDP growth
+0.9%
Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Inflation (consumer prices)
3.1%
Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Unemployment
3.2%
Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Exports
$153.25 billion
Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Imports
$140.44 billion
Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
Life expectancy
83.1 years
Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Median age
30.2 years
Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Birth rate
18.89 per 1,000
Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Death rate
4.89 per 1,000
Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Fertility rate
2.89 children per woman
Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Population growth
+1.59% a year
Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Urban population
92.9%
Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Languages
Hebrewofficial
Arabic
English
Field “People and Society → Languages → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Religions
Jewish73.5%
Muslim18.1%
Christian1.9%
Druze1.6%
other4.9%
Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
Total area
21,937 km²Land 21,497 km² · Water 440 km²
Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Coastline
273 km
Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land borders
1,068 km
Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Mean elevation
508 m
Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Israel