It is one of the most anticipated records in the Israeli calendar: each year, just before the country celebrates its independence, the Central Bureau of Statistics presents the country’s latest statistics. The first numbers date back to the founding year when the country counted 806.000 residents in 1948. Today, the population has risen to 8.522.00 million – with an increase of 2.2% since last year’s statistical survey.
The increase is rooted in the birth of 195.000 babies against 47.000 people who died. Immigration brought 36.000 new immigrants, mainly from France (25%), Ukraine (24%), Russia (23%) and the US with 9%.
Israel’s 8.522.00 million are comprised of 6.377.000 Jews (74.8%), 1.771.000 Arab Israelis (20.8%) and 374.000 others (4.4%) including non-Arab Christians, Christians and other minorities.
The data published a year ago showed a population growth of 2 percent or 162.000 people, comprised of 176.000 births, 32.000 new immigrants and a death rate of 44.000.
Israel’s economy spurts growth of around 2.5 percent – solid figures in the second consecutive year – while the GDP per capita shows just a slight increase of 0.4% to NIS 134.000.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics the population is estimated to reach ten million by 2025 and 11.3 million by 2035.
