Background
Following World War II, the British
withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN
partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an
arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the
Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without
ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The
territories Israel occupied since the 1967 war are not
included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise
noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai
pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. In keeping
with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in
October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted
between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria
to achieve a permanent settlement. Israel and Palestinian
officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of
Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords")
guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule.
Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan
were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty
of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew
unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied
since 1982. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in
conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the
"Quartet" - took the lead in laying out a
roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005,
based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to
two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However,
progress toward a permanent status agreement was
undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between
September 2003 and February 2005. In the summer of 2005,
Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip,
evacuating settlers and its military while retaining
control over most points of entry into the Gaza Strip. The
election of HAMAS to head the Palestinian Legislative
Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian
Authority (PA). Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March
2006 and presided over a 34-day conflict with Hizballah in
Lebanon in June-August 2006 and a 23-day conflict with
HAMAS in the Gaza Strip during December 2008 and January
2009. OLMERT, who in June 2007 resumed talks with PA
President Mahmoud ABBAS, resigned in September 2008. Prime
Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU formed a coalition in March
2009 following a February 2009 general election. Direct
talks launched in September 2010 collapsed following the
expiration of Israel's 10-month partial settlement
construction moratorium in the West Bank. Diplomatic
initiatives to revive the negotiations through proximity
talks began at the end of 2010.
Geography
::Israel
Location:
|
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Egypt and Lebanon
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
31 30 N, 34 45 E
|
|
|
Area:
|
total: 22,072
sq km
country
comparison to the world: 152
land: 21,642
sq km
water: 430
sq km
|
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller than New Jersey
|
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 1,017
km
border countries: Egypt
266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon
79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
|
|
Coastline:
|
273 km
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
territorial sea: 12
nm
continental shelf: to
depth of exploitation
|
|
Climate:
|
Current
Weather
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern
desert areas
|
|
Terrain:
|
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain;
central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
|
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Dead
Sea -408 m
highest point: Har
Meron 1,208 m
|
|
Natural resources:
|
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate
rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand
|
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 15.45%
permanent crops: 3.88%
other: 80.67%
(2005)
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
1,940 sq km (2003)
|
|
Total renewable water resources:
|
1.7 cu km (2001)
|
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
total: 2.05
cu km/yr (31%/7%/62%)
per capita: 305
cu m/yr (2000)
|
|
Natural hazards:
|
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer;
droughts; periodic earthquakes
|
|
Environment - current issues:
|
limited arable land and natural fresh water
resources pose serious constraints;
desertification; air pollution from industrial and
vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from
industrial and domestic waste, chemical
fertilizers, and pesticides
|
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine
Life Conservation
|
|
Geography - note:
|
Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important
freshwater source; there are about 355 Israeli
civilian sites including about 145 small outpost
communities in the West Bank, 41 sites in the
Golan Heights, and 32 in East Jerusalem (2010
est.)
|
People
::Israel |
Population:
|
7,353,985 (July 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 96
note: approximately
296,700 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank
(2009 est.); approximately 19,100 Israeli settlers
live in the Golan Heights (2008 est.);
approximately 192,800 Israeli settlers live in
East Jerusalem (2008 est.)
|
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 27.9%
(male 1,031,629/female 984,230)
15-64 years: 62.3%
(male 2,283,034/female 2,221,301)
65 years and over: 9.9%
(male 311,218/female 402,289) (2010 est.)
|
|
Median age:
|
total: 29.3
years
male: 28.6
years
female: 30
years (2010 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate:
|
1.628% (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 75 |
|
Birth rate:
|
19.51 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 98 |
|
Death rate:
|
5.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 177 |
|
Net migration rate:
|
2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 38 |
|
Urbanization:
|
urban population: 92%
of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.7%
annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
|
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03
male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78
male(s)/female
total population: 1
male(s)/female (2010 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 4.17
deaths/1,000 live births
country
comparison to the world: 203
male: 4.34
deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.99
deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 80.86
years
country
comparison to the world: 16
male: 78.7
years
female: 83.12
years (2010 est.)
|
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.72 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 76 |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.1% (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 122 |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
5,100 (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 123 |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 111 |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Israeli(s)
adjective: Israeli
|
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%,
Europe/America-born 22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%,
Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab)
(2004)
|
|
Religions:
|
Jewish 75.5%, Muslim 16.8%, Christian 2.1%, Druze
1.7%, other 3.9% (2008)
|
|
Languages:
|
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab
minority, English most commonly used foreign
language
|
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.1%
male: 98.5%
female: 95.9%
(2004 est.)
|
|
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary
education):
|
total: 15
years
male: 15
years
female: 16
years (2008)
|
|
Education expenditures:
|
6.4% of GDP (2007)
country
comparison to the world: 30
|
Government
::Israel
Country name:
|
conventional long form: State
of Israel
conventional short form: Israel
local long form: Medinat
Yisra'el
local short form: Yisra'el
|
|
Government type:
|
parliamentary democracy
|
|
Capital:
|
name: Jerusalem
geographic coordinates: 31
46 N, 35 14 E
time difference: UTC+2
(7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr,
begins last Friday in March; ends the Sunday
between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom
Kippur
note: Israel
proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950,
but the US, like all other countries,
maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
|
|
Administrative divisions:
|
6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz);
Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern,
Southern, Tel Aviv
|
|
Independence:
|
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate
under British administration)
|
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note -
Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948,
but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the
holiday may occur in April or May
|
|
Constitution:
|
no formal constitution; some of the
functions of a constitution are filled by
the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the
Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and
the Israeli citizenship law; note - since
May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and Justice
Committee of the Knesset has been working on
a draft constitution
|
|
Legal system:
|
mixture of English common law, British
Mandate regulations, and in personal matters
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
|
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President
Shimon PERES (since 15 July 2007)
head of government: Prime
Minister Binyamin NETANYAHU (since 31 March
2009)
cabinet: Cabinet
selected by prime minister and approved by
the Knesset
elections: president
largely a ceremonial role and is elected by
the Knesset for a seven-year term (one-term
limit); election last held 13 June 2007
(next to be held in 2014 but can be called
earlier); following legislative elections,
the president, in consultation with party
leaders, assigns the task of forming a
governing coalition to a Knesset member who
he or she determines is most likely to
accomplish that task
election results: Shimon
PERES elected president; number of votes in
first round - Shimon PERES 58, Reuven RIVLIN
37, Colette AVITAL 21; PERES elected
president in second round with 86 votes
(unopposed)
|
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral Knesset (120 seats; political
parties are elected by popular vote and
assigned seats for members on a proportional
basis; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last
held on 10 February 2009 (next scheduled
election to be held in 2013)
election results: percent
of vote by party - Kadima 23.2%, Likud-Ahi
22.3%, YB 12.1%, Labor 10.2%, SHAS 8.8%,
United Torah Judaism 4.5%, United Arab List
3.5%, National Union 3.4%, Hadash 3.4%, The
Jewish Home 3%, The New Movement-Meretz 3%,
Balad 2.6%; seats by party - Kadima 28,
Likud-Ahi 27, YB 15, Labor 13, SHAS 11,
United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 4,
National Union 4, HADASH 4, The Jewish Home
3, The New Movement-Meretz 3, Balad 3
|
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court (justices appointed by
Judicial Selection Committee - made up of
all three branches of the government;
mandatory retirement age is 70)
|
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Balad [Jamal ZAHALKA]; Democratic Front for
Peace and Equality (HADASH) [Muhammad
BARAKEH]; Kadima [Tzipora "Tzipi"
LIVNI]; Labor Party [Ehud BARAK]; Likud
[Binyamin NETANYAHU]; National Union [Yaakov
KATZ]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; The Jewish
Home (HaBayit HaYehudi) [Daniel HERSCHKOWITZ];
The New Movement-Meretz [Haim ORON]; United
Arab List-Ta'al [Ibrahim SARSUR]; United
Torah Judaism or UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN];
Yisrael Beiteinu or YB [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]
|
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
B'Tselem [Jessica MONTELL, Executive
Director] monitors human rights abuses;
Peace Now [Yariv OPPENHEIMER, Secretary
General] supports territorial concessions in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip; YESHA Council
of Settlements [Danny DAYAN, Chairman]
promotes settler interests and opposes
territorial compromise; Breaking the Silence
[Yehuda SHAUL, Executive Director] collects
testimonies from soldiers who served in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip
|
|
International organization participation:
|
BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), CICA,
EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD (accession
state), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner),
Paris Club (associate), PCA, SECI
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael OREN
chancery: 3514
International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1]
(202) 364-5500
FAX: [1]
(202) 364-5607
consulate(s) general: Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco
|
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador
James B. CUNNINGHAM
embassy: 71
Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903
telephone: [972]
(3) 519-7575
FAX: [972]
(3) 516-4390
consulate(s) general: Jerusalem;
note - an independent US mission,
established in 1928, whose members are not
accredited to a foreign government
|
|
Flag description:
|
white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed
linear star) known as the Magen David
(Shield of David) centered between two equal
horizontal blue bands near the top and
bottom edges of the flag; the basic design
resembles a Jewish prayer shawl (tallit),
which is white with blue stripes; the
hexagram as a Jewish symbol dates back to
medieval times
|
|
National anthem:
|
name: "Hatikvah"
(The Hope)
lyrics/music: Naftali
Herz IMBER/traditional, arranged by Samuel
COHEN
note: adopted
2004, unofficial since 1948; used as the
anthem of the Zionist movement since 1897;
the 1888 arrangement by Shmuel COHEN is
thought to be based on the Romanian folk
song "Carul cu boi" (The Ox Driven
Cart)
|
Economy
::Israel
Economy - overview:
|
Israel has a technologically advanced
market economy. It depends on imports
of crude oil, grains, raw materials,
and military equipment. Despite
limited natural resources, Israel has
intensively developed its agricultural
and industrial sectors over the past
20 years. Cut diamonds,
high-technology equipment, and
agricultural products (fruits and
vegetables) are the leading exports.
Israel usually posts sizable trade
deficits, which are covered by large
transfer payments from abroad and by
foreign loans. Roughly half of the
government's external debt is owed to
the US, its major source of economic
and military aid. Israel's GDP, after
contracting slightly in 2001 and 2002
due to the Palestinian conflict and
troubles in the high-technology
sector, grew about 5% per year from
2004-07. The global financial crisis
of 2008-09 spurred a brief recession
in Israel, but the country entered the
crisis with solid fundamentals -
following years of prudent fiscal
policy and a series of liberalizing
reforms - and a resilient banking
sector, and the economy has shown
signs of an early recovery. Following
GDP growth of 4% in 2008, Israel's GDP
grew by 0.5% in 2009 and is expected
to expand in 2010. The global economic
downturn affected Israel's economy
primarily through reduced demand for
Israel's exports in the United States
and EU, Israel's top trading partners.
Exports account for about 45% of the
country's GDP. The Israeli Government
responded to the recession by
implementing a modest fiscal stimulus
package and an aggressive expansionary
monetary policy - including cutting
interest rates to record lows,
purchasing government bonds, and
intervening in the foreign currency
market. The Bank of Israel began
raising interest rates in the summer
of 2009 when inflation rose above the
upper end of the Bank's target and the
economy began to show signs of
recovery.
|
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$206.9 billion (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 51
$206.5 billion (2008 est.)
$197.8 billion (2007 est.)
note: data
are in 2009 US dollars
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$195.4 billion (2009 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
0.2% (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 113
4.4% (2008 est.)
5.4% (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$28,600 (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 48
$29,000 (2008 est.)
$28,300 (2007 est.)
note: data
are in 2009 US dollars
|
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 2.6%
industry: 32%
services: 65.4%
(2009 est.)
|
|
Labor force:
|
3.015 million (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 103 |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 2%
industry: 16%
services: 82%
(September 2008)
|
|
Unemployment rate:
|
7.6% (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 77
6.1% (2008 est.)
|
|
Population below poverty line:
|
23.6%
note: Israel's
poverty line is $7.30 per person per
day (2007)
|
|
Household income or consumption by
percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 24.3%
(2008)
|
|
Distribution of family income -
Gini index:
|
39.2 (2008)
country
comparison to the world: 67
35.5 (2001)
|
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
16.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 125 |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $51.52
billion
expenditures: $61.51
billion (2009 est.)
|
|
Public debt:
|
77.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 17
75.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
3.3% (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 113
4.6% (2008 est.)
|
|
Central bank discount rate:
|
1% (31 December 2009)
country
comparison to the world: 130
2.5% (31 December 2008)
|
|
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
|
3.73% (31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 138
6.06% (31 December 2008 est.)
|
|
Stock of narrow money:
|
$33.73 billion (31 December 2009)
$25.13 billion (31 December 2008)
|
|
Stock of broad money:
|
$208.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$195.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
|
|
Stock of domestic credit:
|
$158.7 billion (31 December 2009)
country
comparison to the world: 41
$156.8 billion (31 December 2008)
|
|
Market value of publicly traded
shares:
|
$188.7 billion (31 December 2009)
country
comparison to the world: 29
$134.5 billion (31 December 2008)
$236.4 billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Agriculture - products:
|
citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef,
poultry, dairy products
|
|
Industries:
|
high-technology products (including
aviation, communications,
computer-aided design and
manufactures, medical electronics,
fiber optics), wood and paper
products, potash and phosphates, food,
beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda,
cement, construction, metals products,
chemical products, plastics, diamond
cutting, textiles, footwear
|
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
-0.2% (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 73 |
|
Electricity - production:
|
54.5 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 46 |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
46.38 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 48 |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
2.081 billion kWh (2007)
|
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh (2008)
|
|
Oil - production:
|
3,806 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 99 |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
231,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 52 |
|
Oil - exports:
|
69,580 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 74 |
|
Oil - imports:
|
318,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 34 |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
1.94 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 95 |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 62 |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
1.19 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 88 |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 168 |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 160 |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
30.44 billion cu m (1 January 2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 70 |
|
Current account balance:
|
$7.637 billion (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 27
$1.648 billion (2008 est.)
|
|
Exports:
|
$45.9 billion (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 48
$57.16 billion (2008 est.)
|
|
Exports - commodities:
|
machinery and equipment, software, cut
diamonds, agricultural products,
chemicals, textiles and apparel
|
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 35.05%, Hong Kong 6.02%, Belgium
4.95% (2009)
|
|
Imports:
|
$45.99 billion (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 47
$64.4 billion (2008 est.)
|
|
Imports - commodities:
|
raw materials, military equipment,
investment goods, rough diamonds,
fuels, grain, consumer goods
|
|
Imports - partners:
|
US 12.35%, China 7.43%, Germany 7.1%,
Switzerland 6.94%, Belgium 5.42%,
Italy 4.49%, UK 4.03%, Netherlands
3.98% (2009)
|
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and
gold:
|
$60.61 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 27
$42.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
|
|
Debt - external:
|
$86.78 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 36
$86.08 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment
- at home:
|
$58.82 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 50
$56.93 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment
- abroad:
|
$55.02 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 28
$54.55 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
|
|
Exchange rates:
|
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US
dollar - 3.93 (2009), 3.588 (2008),
4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877
(2005)
|
Communications
::Israel
Telephones - main lines in
use:
|
3.25 million (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 47 |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
9.022 million (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 70 |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: most
highly developed system in the
Middle East although not the
largest
domestic: good
system of coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay; all
systems are digital; four
privately-owned mobile-cellular
service providers with
countrywide coverage
international: country
code - 972; submarine cables
provide links to Europe, Cyprus,
and parts of the Middle East;
satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Indian Ocean) (2008)
|
|
Broadcast media:
|
state broadcasting network,
operated by the Israel
Broadcasting Authority (IBA),
broadcasts on 2 channels, one in
Hebrew and the other in Arabic;
5 commercial channels including
a channel broadcasting in
Russian, a channel broadcasting
Knesset proceedings, and a music
channel supervised by a public
body; multi-channel satellite
and cable TV packages provide
access to foreign channels; IBA
broadcasts on 8 radio networks
with multiple repeaters and
Israel Defense Forces Radio
broadcasts over multiple
stations; about 15
privately-owned radio stations;
overall more than 100 stations
and repeater stations operating
(2008)
|
|
Internet country code:
|
.il
|
|
Internet hosts:
|
1.689 million (2010)
country
comparison to the world: 35 |
|
Internet users:
|
4.525 million (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 51
|
Transportation
::Israel
Airports:
|
48 (2010)
country
comparison to the world:
92 |
|
Airports - with paved
runways:
|
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 6
(2010)
|
|
Airports - with unpaved
runways:
|
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 14
(2010)
|
|
Heliports:
|
3 (2010)
|
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 176 km; oil 442 km;
refined products 261 km
(2009)
|
|
Railways:
|
total: 949
km
country
comparison to the world:
92
standard gauge: 949
km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
|
|
Roadways:
|
total: 18,096
km
country
comparison to the world:
116
paved: 18,096
km (includes 146 km of
expressways) (2008)
|
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 10
country
comparison to the world:
114
by type: cargo
2, container 8
registered in other
countries: 51
(Bermuda 3, Cyprus 1,
Georgia 1, Honduras 1,
Liberia 31, Malta 5,
Marshall Islands 1,
Moldova 4, Panama 1, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines
3) (2010)
|
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Ashdod, Elat (Eilat),
Hadera, Haifa
|
|
|
|
|
|
Military ::Israel
Military branches:
|
Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces
(IN), Israel Air Force (IAF) (2010)
|
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes)
and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians)
military service; both sexes are obligated to
military service; conscript service obligation -
36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for
enlisted women, 48 months for officers; pilots
commit to 9 years service; reserve obligation to
age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2010)
|
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 1,771,661
females age 16-49: 1,687,698
(2010 est.)
|
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 1,496,542
females age 16-49: 1,425,537
(2010 est.)
|
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age
annually:
|
male: 61,613
female: 58,679
(2010 est.)
|
|
Military expenditures:
|
7.3% of GDP (2006)
country
comparison to the world: 6
|
Transnational
Issues ::Israel
Disputes - international:
|
West Bank and Gaza Strip are
Israeli-occupied with current status
subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim
Agreement - permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation;
Israel continues construction of a
"seam line" separation barrier
along parts of the Green Line and within
the West Bank; Israel withdrew its
settlers and military from the Gaza Strip
and from four settlements in the West Bank
in August 2005; Golan Heights is
Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the
Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); since
1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN
Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
headquartered in Jerusalem monitor
ceasefires, supervise armistice
agreements, prevent isolated incidents
from escalating, and assist other UN
personnel in the region
|
|
Refugees and internally displaced
persons:
|
IDPs: 150,000-420,000
(Arab villagers displaced from homes in
northern Israel) (2007)
|
|
Illicit drugs:
|
increasingly concerned about ecstasy,
cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in
country from Lebanon and, increasingly,
from Jordan; money-laundering center
|
|
|
|