National composition of Israel for the year. Israel · Population. Immigrants, refugees and their numbers

Hello dear friends. Do you know who the population of Israel consists of? Have you ever wondered, “What are Israelis like?” If yes, then in this article I will try to give you the definition of a typical Israeli.

I will try to cover topics such as:

  • Who does the population of Israel consist of?
  • What are they like, Israelis?
  • How do Israelis behave?
  • By what signs can Israelis be distinguished from citizens of other countries?
  • And much more...

Why did I decide to write an article about the population of Israel, and in particular about the Israelis?

The fact is that every time we travel with our family in different countries, upon arriving home, we begin to discuss not only the population of this or that country. For example:

How they dress, what they eat, whether they are hospitable and polite, how they drive cars, how they look, how they live, etc., etc.

It's human nature to discuss things behind other people's backs.

Being a tourist and staying in the country for several days, it is impossible to objectively judge the population of different countries. In such a short period of time it is simply impossible to understand their mentality, character, culture, attitude towards others, personal interests, etc.

Unlike tourists, I have been living in Israel for 26 years! This is where I went to school and college, where I served in the military, where I have worked for a large company for 16 years, where I got married and raised four children, and where I interact every day with people from all walks of Israeli society. As you understand, I myself am already a typical Israeli and can objectively discuss this topic.

After reading this article, it is possible that your ideas about Israelis will change dramatically, since they in no way correspond to all previously known stereotypes about Jews.

So, let's go...

As you all know, Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. Despite the fact that many claim the opposite, the fact remains a fact!

Yes, the population of Israel consists not only of Jews, but also of Arabs, Druze, Circassians, etc. But still, 75% of Israelis are Jews.

In addition, if you carefully and thoroughly delve into history, and not rely on false statements of anti-Semitic and radical organizations such as Hamas, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Islamic Jihat and even the UN, then this is proven very simply. Here's what it says on Wikipedia:

Quote from Wikipedia that Israel was bequeathed to the Jews by God

Well, how can you argue with that?

As I already said, not only Jews live in Israel, therefore all permanent residents of the country are Israelis, but since they are a minority, this article will mainly talk about Jewish Israelis.

Who does the population of Israel consist of? Or a brief history of immigration to Israel

Despite the fact that God bequeathed the land of Israel to the Jews, the ancient Jews could not stay on it for long. For centuries, Israel has been occupied by various powers, empires and mandates (Persians, Romans, Macedonians, Turks, Arabs, British, etc.).

Pogroms and expulsions of Jews from their historically rightful land were considered « normal» phenomenon. Accordingly, the Jewish people fled to different parts of the world. But the fate of the Jewish people is unchanged and the persecution of Jews by the Christian Church forced many to return to the Promised Land.

The first great immigration wave began in 1881, when Jews were forced to flee pogroms in Eastern Europe.

The next three waves of immigration occurred in the early 1920s, also from Europe. This happened due to a surge in anti-Semitism and Nazi ideology.

Until the early 1950s, Israel consisted mainly of eastern Europeans and Arabs who were originally there.

In the early 1950s, a new wave of Jewish immigration began, but this time it came from the countries of northern Africa and the Middle East (Near East).

The pogroms of Jews in these countries turned out to be no less cruel than in Europe.

And of course, the largest repatriation wave occurred in the early 90s.

Almost a million Jews have repatriated to Israel from 1990 to this day from the CIS countries. Thank God, the reason for this repatriation was not related to the pogroms.

After this history lesson, we can understand who the population of Israel consists of.

So, roughly speaking, the population of Israel is divided like this:

  • Jews - 75%
  • Arabs - 20%
  • National minorities (Circassians, Druze, Armenians, etc.) - 5%

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the population of Israel at the beginning of 2017 is 8 million 615 thousand Human.

Of them 1 million 792 thousand Arabs, 6 million 440 thousand Jews and 384 thousand other minorities.

Jewish population of Israel - who are they and how many are there?

Jewish society in Israel consists mainly of immigrants from Europe, South America, Western Asia and Africa.

  • Almost 11% of Jews came from African and Middle Eastern countries, for example: Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ethiopia, India - 692 thousand.
  • Almost 15% of Jews came from the countries of the former Soviet Union and the CIS - 900 thousand.
  • Almost 10% came from European countries (Romania, Poland, Hungary, France, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia) - 600 thousand.
  • And almost 3% of Jews repatriated from South American countries (Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, etc.) - 190 thousand.
  • More than four million Jews were born in Israel and are considered the country's native inhabitants, but the vast majority are descendants of immigrants.

The size of the Arab population of Israel

Israeli Arabs are divided into two ethno-religious groups:

  1. Muslims (Sunni and Bedouin)
  2. Christians

The number of Arab Muslims is 1 million 400 thousand man and only 125 thousand people are Arab Christians.

There are also many Druze living in Israel, and their number is more than 100 000 Human.

Is it possible to identify a typical Israeli?

Now that you know who the Israeli people are made of, you can try to draw a typical Israeli.

This will be incredibly difficult to do, since all Israelis are different, opposite to each other, and this is not surprising. After all, more than fifty different nations and peoples live in Israel, with different customs and cultures, with different temperaments, upbringing and mentality, with different thinking and reasoning.

In connection with the above facts, a logical question arises: “How, in this case, can Israel remain united, strong, and most importantly, a beloved state for the vast majority of Israelis?”

I don’t know how to answer this question, but I can assume that this most likely happens because of the high motivation, patriotism, Zionism and ideology of the Jews. After all, they finally got their long-awaited independent country.

Jewish Israelis are not Uncle Izya and Aunt Rosa from jokes

Since the times of the Soviet Union, there has been a certain stereotype of a true Jew.

We all remember jokes about Jews in which Uncle Izya and Aunt Rosa, Monya and Sarochka, Efim Moiseevich and Sofochka communicate. By the way, here is one such joke for you:

A Jew must be wimpy, short, with a big nose, beard, sidelocks, Odessa accent, etc. Therefore, most likely you assume that these types of people live in Israel

In fact, there is some truth in this stereotype, but it is negligible.

Israelis practically do not fit the description of a stereotypical Odessa Jew, and now you will understand why...

Israel, country of parallel worlds! Or who are Ashkenazim and Mizrahim

For a relatively long time now, Jewish Israeli society has been divided, as it were, into two communities.

  1. Mizrahim - Sephardim (Jews immigrating from North Africa and the Middle East).
  2. Ashkenazim (Jews immigrating from European countries).

These two communities are radically different from each other in all respects, for example: upbringing, mentality, political views, temperament, modesty, intelligence, ethnic and national culture, music style and appearance.

At the moment, there are practically no conflicts between these communities, but from the 50s to the 80s, the conflict was so critical that the young state of Israel was on the verge of crisis.

I won’t go into details now, since this article is about something else, but if you are very interested, then follow this link.

Roughly speaking, the culture and mentality of the Ashkenazis (Europeans) is very similar to the Soviet one, for example: attitude towards others, level of intelligence, modesty, style of music, appearance, etc.

Mizrahim (African and Eastern Jews), in their Eastern essence, are much more hot-tempered, loud, temperamental, etc.

Despite the fact that there are more European Jews in Israel than Eastern ones, it was Mizrahim who set their specific Eastern tone, thanks to which one can recognize a typical Israeli anywhere in the world. And now I will finally tell you what kind of Israelis they are.

Typical Israelis - what they are like

In this section I will try to describe to you a typical Israeli.

I inherently believe that generalizing the entire people is wrong and dishonest; accordingly, everything you will see now cannot in any way apply to the entire population of Jews in Israel, but you can have a general idea of ​​the character of the Israelis and be mentally prepared when meeting them.

So, let's go...

22 signs by which you can easily identify a typical Israeli

Open soul and heart

  • Israelis are people who can stop a woman with a stroller on a winter day to wake up her child in order to put a hat on him.
  • Israelis are very nervous and impolite, but at the same time they are ready to help anyone at any moment, even when it is pouring rain or complete darkness outside. They won't be bothered by the fact that they are in a hurry at that moment.
  • Israelis are the only people in the world who kiss a person they barely know when they meet and do not understand why he frowns and is embarrassed because of this.
  • Israelis say goodbye for a long time, hugging and kissing with promises that they will definitely continue to keep in touch, although they know in advance that they will meet again in two days.
  • Israelis are too open and sociable people. They will easily butt into someone else's conversation on the street in order to advise something from the heart.

Lack of education, impoliteness and arrogance

Sincere love for the homeland and nation

  • The Israelis check the list of Nobel Prize nominations year after year, solely to make sure that Jewish names are included in the list.
  • Israelis are often dissatisfied with the standard of living in the country, but at the same time call anyone who denigrates it, especially if he is not Jewish, “anti-Semitic.”
  • As far as I know, the Israelis are the only people who always applaud the pilot when the plane lands after returning from abroad to the promised land.
  • It’s a paradox - about 25% of Israelis avoid military service, but in the event of war or other hostilities, they are ready to be the first to go into battle.

This can only happen in Israel

Let me sum it up

The typical Israeli is smart, cocky, self-confident, knowledgeable more than anyone else, funny, loves life, loves his country, hates his country, very close to his family, sympathetic, kind, rude, ill-mannered, inventive, in short - everything, except boring!!!

You probably noticed that in the article I did not mention ultra-Orthodox Jews at all. I did this on purpose, because I believe that the topic related to ultra-Orthodox Jews is very extensive and deserves a separate full-fledged article. So if you are interested in this topic, you will have to wait a little.

That's all.

Friends, tell me in the comments what you imagined the Israelis to be like?

With this I say goodbye to you and see you again.

The number of Jewish people in the world reached 14,310,000 people. 54% of the world's Jewish population lives today outside of Israel, only 46% - in their historical homeland. 98% of Jews are concentrated in 17 countries (including Israel). Here's where the largest Jewish communities exist today, according to Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs:
Among the countries of the American continent, the largest number of Jews live in the USA - 5,700,000,
Canada - 385,000
Mexico – 67,000
Panama – 10,000
Argentina – 230,000
Uruguay – 17,000
Chile – 18,000
The largest community in Europe - 485,000 Jews - lives in France.
UK - 270,000
Spain – 30,000
Switzerland – 19,000
Italy - 28,000
Germany – 100,000
Belgium – 30,000
Holland – 29,900
Sweden – 15,000
Hungary – 47,000
Russia - 186,000
Ukraine – 63,000
Belarus – 11,000
Türkiye - 17,000
Australia - 112,000
South Africa - 70,000.
Of course, this is not the entire list; Jewish communities today exist in many other countries.
As of January 1, 2016, the number of Jews in the world was 14.5 million, which is still less than in 1939 (16.6 million). Moreover, over the 70 post-war years, the Jewish population on planet Earth grew at a rate of 0.33% per year.
At the same time, the number of Jews in the Diaspora has decreased by more than a quarter compared to 1948. At the time of the declaration of independence in 1948, 606 thousand people lived in Israel.
In 1948-1952, when Jews were able to freely enter Israel, the country's Jewish population increased from 600 thousand to 1.5 million people. And as of January 1, 2016, 6.5 million Jews lived in Israel, which is 44% of the total Jewish population.
The Jewish population in Israel grew by an average of 1.9% per year in 2014-2015. Over 5 years (2010-15), the number of Jews in Israel increased by 9.2%, and in the Diaspora it decreased by 0.5%.
From 1990 to 2015, the number of Jews in the Diaspora decreased by 10%, while in Israel their number increased by 60%. If current trends continue, the number of Jews in Israel will equal the number of the Jewish Diaspora by 2026.
Besides the Jewish population in Israel, the other largest community by size is the Jewish community in the United States. Moreover, if the data on the population of Israel are accurate, then the number of the Jewish population in the United States, like any other community, is an estimate.
There are now 5.3 million adult Jews living in the United States (of which 5% were born in the USSR). 1.3 million Jewish children in the United States receive at least partial Jewish education.
35% of American Jews belong to Reform Judaism. 18% are conservative, and 10% are orthodox. 30% of American Jews consider themselves Jews, but do not associate themselves with any religious movement. And 22% of American Jews are atheists of varying degrees of conviction.
If we proceed from the Israeli “Law of Return”, according to which “Everyone who has a Jewish grandparent has the right to acquire Israeli citizenship,” then at least 9 million US citizens have the right to return to their historical homeland in Israel .
At least 90% of American Jews are Ashkenazi. In Israel, it is generally accepted that the number of Ashkenazim and Sephardim in the country is approximately equal. It is hardly possible to accurately calculate this, since marriages between Ashkenazim and Sephardim are an everyday occurrence.
About 130,000 repatriates from Ethiopia live in Israel - both Jews and members of their families, as well as the so-called. "Falashmura", that is, descendants of baptized Ethiopian Jews. Ethiopian men practically do not enter into mixed marriages. Every fifth Ethiopian woman enters into a mixed marriage (with Jewish Israeli citizens of non-Ethiopian origin).
The Ethiopian districts are Kiryat Nordau in Netanya, Kiryat Moshe in Rehovot and Ramat Eliyahu in Rishon Lezion.
The total fertility rate (TFR) for American Jews is 2.1 children per woman. But this is exactly the average temperature for the United States. Because the Orthodox, who have an average of 4.1 children per family in the United States, number half a million in this country. Other American Jews have an average of 1.8 children per woman per family.
Moreover, two thirds of American Jews who do not adhere to religious traditions enter into interethnic marriages.
Most American religious Jews live in New York City. And in New York, mainly in Brooklyn: Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights and Borough Park. Brooklyn's Hasidic communities are growing at a very rapid pace. In religious Jewish families it is customary to have 5-10 children.
The largest community of Bukharan Jews after the Israeli one (50 thousand people) lives in New York. They live compactly in the borough of Queens. In the area of ​​Bukharian Jews there is Sergei Dovlatov way.
As for Israel, in 2014, 75% of Israeli Jews were “sabras” - that is, born in Israel. In 2014, the country's population increased by 162 thousand people (2%). During this time, 176 thousand people were born in Israel, 44 thousand people died, and 32 thousand new immigrants arrived.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, in 2016, for the first time in the history of the Jewish State, the birth rate among Jewish and Arab women was equal. The fertility rate in both sectors is 3.13 children per woman.
In Israel in 2014 there were 14 cities with a population of more than 100,000 people, and six of them had a population of over 200 thousand. These are Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon Lezion, Ashdod and Petah Tikva.
In Israel there are 5 urban agglomerations besides the greater Tel Aviv, which are called “Gush Dan”.
5 settlements that have actually merged into one city and have independent status are:
1. Shfela area (the cities of Ness Ziona, Rehovot, Rishon LeZion, Beer Yaakov and Yavne);
2. The Sharon area (Ramat Hasharon, Herzliya, Raanana, Kfar Saba and Hod Hasharon) - by the way, the most prestigious area of ​​the country;
3. Suburbs of Haifa - “Krayot” (Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Haim and Kiryat Yam);
4. Agglomeration in the south of the Haifa district (Zichron Yaakov, Pardes Hana-Karkur, Harish and Or Akiva).
5. Jerusalem and surroundings.
In 1969-1988, 174 thousand repatriates came to Israel from the USSR. Plus, as of March 1, 2015, about 860 thousand people aged 18 years and older who were born in the former USSR and arrived in Israel for permanent residence in 1989 – 2014 had Israeli citizenship. In this case, we are talking only about Israeli citizens who received Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.
In addition, every year 5 thousand people receive Israeli citizenship by marrying Israeli citizens. The overwhelming majority are citizens (or rather, female citizens) of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
In addition to Jews, national minorities live in Israel. For example, Christians. 161,000 Israelis (2% of the population) profess Christianity. 80% of them are Christian Arabs. In Nazareth (Nazareth) there are about 22.4 thousand people, in Haifa - 14.6 thousand, in Jerusalem - 11.9 thousand, in Shfaram - 9.6 thousand.
In addition to Christians, about 150 thousand Druze live in Israel. But the largest national minorities in Israel are Muslims of different nationalities (Bedouins and Palestinians). Their total number is close to one and a half million. They live compactly in eastern Jerusalem (more than 300 thousand people), as well as in Arab cities in northern Israel: Sakhnin, Bak el-Gharbia, Um el-Fahkm, the Arab part of Nazareth and other smaller ones.
Haifa, Lod and Jaffa have significant Arab communities, although the vast majority of the population in these cities is Jewish.
About 150 thousand Bedouins live in the south of Israel. 60 thousand in the main Bedouin city of Rahat, as well as small Bedouin settlements, mainly around Beersheba.
It is interesting to note that in 2013, the total fertility rate for Muslim women was 3.4 children per woman, compared to 4.7 children per woman in 2000.
Accordingly, the growth rate of the country's Muslim population as a whole is also decreasing: from 3.8% in 2000 to 2.4% in 2013. The highest rates of population growth are observed among the Bedouins, whose number is approaching 200 thousand. The increase in the birth rate among Jews was 1.7%, among Druze 1.5% and among Christians - 1.6%. Living mainly in the north of the country, Palestinians in their demographic behavior are also rapidly approaching the standards of the Jewish population.
The birth rate among Jewish families in Israel is increasing, while among Israeli Arabs it is decreasing. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2013, the total fertility rate in Israel increased by 0.2 percent (a total of 171,207 babies were born). In the Jewish sector, 127,409 children were born last year, which is 1.3% more than in 2012 (125,409). And in families professing Islam, 34,766 children were born, which is 5.5% less than in 2012 (36,766).
Overall, 39,028 Israeli Arab babies were born in 2013, down 3.5% from 40,433 babies born in 2012. In 2013, 2,602 children were born in Arab Christian families, and 2,350 children were born in the Druze sector.
On average, 21 out of every 1,000 Jewish women gave birth in 2013. In 2000, the figure was 18.3 per 1,000. The average birth rate among Arab women, by contrast, fell to its lowest level on record: 24.8 per 1,000, compared with a peak of 35 births per 1,000 women in the same year. year.
The proportion of Jews in the 0-14 age group increased from 25.8% of the total Jewish population in 2000 to 27.2% in 2015. The share of the same age group among Israeli Arabs decreased from 41% in 2000 to 34% in 2015.
The average birth rate in secular Jewish families is two children, in the national-religious camp - 4.3, in the ultra-religious environment - 6.5.
Another, in my opinion, interesting fact. Judea and Samaria are home to 60 thousand settlers who are citizens of the United States of America, which is 15% of their total number. This is despite the fact that a total of 170 thousand repatriates from the United States live in Israel. Every tenth American settler in Judea and Samaria has a Ph.D.
The average life expectancy for women in Israel as of 2012 is 83.6 years, for men - 79.9 years.
There are about 50,000 foreign workers permanently in Israel working in the field of providing care to the sick and elderly. Most of these workers come from the Philippines. There are also a varying number of Thai citizens employed in agriculture and Chinese and other nationals employed in construction.
In addition, tens of thousands of residents of the territories receive the right to work, mainly in construction and agriculture. But their number is constantly changing. And they do not live in Israel, but come to work in the morning and go home in the evening.
In principle, Israel does not accept refugees. Refugees in Israel: 250 Vietnamese when they arrived in the country in the 1970s, a hundred Bosnians in 1993, 112 Albanian Muslims in 1999 and 6,000 Lebanese Christians in 2000.
But approximately 300 thousand illegal immigrants live in the country (not counting illegal immigrants - residents of the territories).
There have been five years in Israel's short history when emigration from the country was greater than repatriation. This happened in 1954, 1976, 1982 and 1986-87.
In recent years, the number of emigrants (people who have not been in Israel for a year, but have previously lived in the country continuously for more than 90 days) from Israel is 0.7 people for every thousand inhabitants - this is a record low for OECD countries.
In 2000, this coefficient for Israel was 3.8 people per thousand inhabitants, for Switzerland it was 6.9, for Ukraine - 10.5 people. As of January 1, 2014, 680 thousand Israeli citizens, Jews and Arabs (who, by the way, make up approximately a third of the emigrant flow), permanently live abroad.
Of these, 280 thousand were born in Israel, and 400 thousand received Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return. Approximately 300,000 Israeli emigrants live in the United States. Of these, 64% are Jews.
The data is being clarified.

Throughout time, Israel, like a magnet, has attracted first conquerors and now immigrants. The country gained independence in 1948; at that time the population was about 800 thousand; it was this event that gave impetus to the return of the Jewish people to their land. 3 million people from around the world immigrated to Israel. This global migration left its mark on the formation of culture, religion, politics and society.

The population of the modern State of Israel is approximately 8 million people(2015), and this despite the small territory. It looks like this - 76% Jews, 20% Arabs, 4% other nationalities. The official languages ​​are Hebrew and Arabic. Due to the diversity of the population, English, Russian, French, Spanish, German, and Ethiopian are widely spoken.

The number has a positive trend every year, this is mainly due to immigration, but the demographic indicator is also growing every year, in 2000 the coefficient was 2.4, these data exceed a number of European countries, the birth rate of new citizens significantly exceeds the death rate. There are 100 deaths for every 360 newborns. Each family has an average of three children, and the largest families are Orthodox Jews, with an average of six children in such families.

Age

Among the Israeli population, there are a large number of young people, the bulk of whom arrived in the country under the return program. The percentage of the population over 65 years of age is very low. The average life expectancy is 75 years for men and 80 years for women, Israelis adhere to a healthier diet, they practically do not smoke and drink very little, and lead an active lifestyle. By gender, the female population is larger than the male population. Jews marry at a more mature age; only among the Arab part, 80% of girls under 18 get married. Also, the number of divorces has increased sharply over the past 6 years.

In recent years, more and more citizens of the country are receiving higher education and increasing their existing level. In 2012, Israel was named the second most educated country in the world. There is a significant concentration of the population in cities, approximately 90%, and urbanization is developed. Rural residents make up about 8%, the rest live in so-called kibbutzim. There are 75 large cities in Israel, with the largest populations in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon LeZion, and Petah Tikva. The highest density is 22 thousand. people/km2 has the city of Bnei Brak. The center occupies about 40% of the population.

Employment

Israelis have the highest income of any Middle Eastern country, but 20% of the population live very poorly. Prices for food and housing are very high. The number of working urban population in Israel is growing every year, but there are also problems with unemployment among new immigrants. The main areas of activity are medicine, economics, construction, industry, banking, tourism and the service sector, and restaurant business.

The family business is developing rapidly. The rural population of Israel is actively developing subsistence farming, livestock farming at a high level, and modern technologies are used. It is also worth noting the production of goods in kibbutzim and moshav. People living in these communities are actively engaged in agriculture, receiving considerable income for this. And this despite the fact that everything is grown in very difficult climatic conditions.

Political views of the Israeli population

Surveys have shown that the population is actively interested in the political life of the country. Opinions about how the government is doing its job are almost evenly divided. The majority of those outraged came from Orthodox Jews, young people and Arabs. Young people speak out against the state’s economic policy, which does not allow them to develop normally and achieve their goals. Arabs are outraged by discrimination in society; in most cases, the problem of unemployment arises among the Arab population, even highly qualified specialists have difficulty finding work.

Religious views of the population

The main religions in Israel are Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Every resident has the right to independently choose their religion. 75% of Israeli residents profess Judaism, 17% Islam, 2% Christianity, the remaining percentage are not affiliated with any of the faiths. Judaism has not been recognized as a state religion to this day due to constant controversy. The sacred scriptures are the Talmud and the Bible, the interpretation of which has a huge influence on the formation of cultural, social, political and everyday norms among the Jewish population. There are even universities in which the study of the Talmud plays a leading role. Islam has created its own movement and is actively developing it in the following directions: national, social and religious. Christians in Israel belong to the main churches: Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Monophysite.

Jews

Jews are the only ethnic group that for 2000 thousand years did not have its own land, but at the same time was able to preserve its language, culture and traditions and property. For a long time, the Jewish people were persecuted from everywhere, they were, as it were, torn off from the land. The Jewish population is divided into several groups: the indigenous or Tsabarim are 65% and repatriates (olim) are 35%. In 2009, the number of native Israelis exceeded the number of Jewish Diaspora.

Demographers also consider the term “extended Jewish society.” It includes Jews from all over the world who have Jewish roots. For the country itself, this concept includes the entire population of Israel and citizens under the return program. The number of such a population is 80%, these percentages include the Jews themselves, as well as other nationalities (mainly Ukrainians and Russians) who entered into a marriage union with Jews, children and grandchildren born in such families who are not Jews by Halakha law. After the proclamation of the “Law of Return”, more than 3 million repatriates returned to the country, Israel opened its doors to all Jews in the world. This figure is growing every year. Every day, 150 repatriates arrive in the country. This law does not apply to persons who have shown intolerance and aggression towards the Jewish nation.

In terms of religion, the following groups can be distinguished: ultra-Orthodox Jews (Hasidim) in the country, about 10%, secular Israelis - 50%, Orthodox - 13%, and those who honor traditions - 27%. Ultra-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews often do not work and do not pay taxes, they only pray daily and study in religious schools. They live on benefits paid by the state for the birth of children. But there are also those who, at a more mature age, actively succeed in the construction market, in the financial field and in diamond processing. They adhere to the teachings of the Torah; by law, every Orthodox Christian must follow a minimum of 613 rules. The order in wearing clothes for men has also been preserved - these are black and white colors, natural fabrics, in terms of hairstyles - these are curls. Women wear closed clothes and shave their heads so as not to attract other men. The Orthodox are unclean, the areas they inhabit are not well maintained, and their houses are unsanitary.

Repatriate groups

Repatriates are also divided into groups. There are 2 groups: Ashkenazim, which is the name given to Jews who came from Europe and America, as well as Australia. The language of communication is Yiddish. Or depends on the country they came from. The second group is Sephardim - Jews who previously lived in Spain and Portugal and moved to Palestine in the Middle Ages, also immigrants from Morocco and Algeria. The language of communication of this group is the old Spanish dialect - Ladino and Arabic. Another rather large category is Eastern Jews, they came from Arab countries. Almost all Jewish communities in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and the mountainous Caucasus moved to Israel. Jews from different countries do not have a common appearance, they are all completely different, and there are also dark-skinned Jews.

Constant military confrontation gave impetus to the creation of an army. The entire population of Israel is liable for military service, with the exception of Orthodox Jews, repatriates, men for health reasons, and students of religious schools. Jewish women also serve in the army, with the only exception being those who married before the start of conscription or for health reasons.

Arabs

Israeli Arabs are the second largest population, also divided into groups, this population group has recently increased significantly. These are nomadic Bedouins, they breed camels in desert areas, engage in agriculture and various crafts, their number is about 150 thousand, they inhabit mainly the south of the state.

There are 120 thousand Christian Arabs, mostly citizens of Jerusalem and Haifa. The majority of Sunni Arabs are approximately 1 million people. They live in the cities of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. The Arabs are a non-military part of the population and are free from taxation, they have their own court and clergy, Arab holidays are recognized by the government as non-working days. Arab youth are increasingly emigrating from Israel, and the birth rate is also declining, with the exception of Bedouin Arabs.

Ethnic minorities

Ethnic minorities: Samaritans, Karaites, Armenians, Circassians and Druze, the total number of such population is about 200 thousand. It should be noted that this is largely a rural population, which is located in the northern mountainous areas of the country.

The Circassians took their place in the north in the villages of Kfakh-Kama, Rehania - this is a mountainous area. The total number is 3 thousand. Human. The Circassian community appeared after the Caucasian War in the 19th century. They profess Islam. Armenians live in the so-called Armenian district in Jerusalem, the language of communication is Arabic, but their religion is Christianity.

The Samaritans are an ethnic group living in the cities of Nablus and Holon. The language of communication is mainly Hebrew, Hebrew (Samaritan letter), and also Arabic. Religion close to Judaism. With a total population of approximately 720 people, the Samaritan community has declined significantly in recent years.

The Druze are very similar to the Muslim Arabs, but are considered a separate religious community. The Druze run their households and do crafts; the younger generation actively takes part in the life of the Israeli community; they have made an invaluable contribution to the creation of the state; many serve in the army. The Druze also have their own education system.

Karaites are a small ethnic group whose faith is Judaism; Karaites deny only the teachings of the Talmud. They inhabit the city of Ramle and surrounding areas. All ethnic minorities preserve and honor their traditions.

Syrian Christians are Maronites, Arameans, Assyrians. The Maronite community numbers about 7,000 people, inhabiting the areas of Haifa and Jerusalem. These are mainly families who previously lived in Palestine. In 2014, Israel recognized the Aramean community, their number reaches 600 people. The number of Assyrians is about 1000 people, they live in Jerusalem and speak Aramaic.

Russian-speaking diaspora

Israel has a very large Russian-speaking diaspora, mostly immigrants from the former countries of the Soviet Union - Ukraine, Russia; it is jokingly called the 16th republic of the union. It has 1 million people, which is almost 15% of the population. The main resettlement took place in the 80-90s of the 20th century. Now the flow of the Russian-speaking population has decreased significantly, no more than 20 thousand people per year. Mostly representatives of the Diaspora are Jews. There are about 70 thousand Russians. Russian Jews played a significant role in the Zionist movement. After 1970, they actively developed the economic and scientific spheres of life. They live their own separate social and cultural life, but also actively take part in the political life of the country.

Israeli cultural life

This is a creative cocktail in which parts of all nationalities of the promised land are mixed. Jewish culture is unique in its own way; it is unlike any other known culture. Jews live according to their own calendar and celebrate their holidays, paying tribute to traditions, honoring and respecting them.

The most significant holidays for Jews are the Jewish new year Rosh Hashanah, Passover (like Easter for Christians), Hanukkah, Independence Day, Judgment Day (Yom Kippur). Shabbat - Saturday, is a holy day, Orthodox Jews do not work on this day, life seems to stand still. Shops and public transport are also closed. The exception is Arabic and Russian shops and cafes.

Cinema and theater, music and dance, sports are developed at a high level, there are a large number of museums and sacred places. Jews cannot imagine their life without books. Arab culture also brings its own flavor to the overall ensemble. The most famous culture is the Druze and Bedouin nomads (Bedouin Association). Arabs are also actively developing theater, poetry, music, and literature. Arabic language days are held.

Israeli cuisine

The cuisine of Israel can also be given a separate place; it is multifaceted, like its population, it combines Arab, Ashkenazi, and Sephardic cuisines. According to the rules, kosher food is prepared. You can eat everything from vegetables and fruits; lamb, veal and poultry are held in high esteem. The fish table is also plentiful; this is facilitated by the maritime proximity. You can eat fish that have scales and gills; shrimp are not included in this group. An interesting feature is that men in Israel cook better than women.

Problems of Israeli society

The main significant problem within Israeli society is the incitement of interracial hatred, strange as it may seem, this happens from an early age. Constant conflicts on the background of religion, territory and economic aspects arise between secular Jews and Orthodox Christians. It’s sad, but the Jewish people themselves are causing a split in the modern Israeli state.

The struggle between religions and the secular world is gaining catastrophic momentum. The Arab-Israeli conflict has a long history and has not yet been settled; fleeting truces and negotiations do not produce results. This is an armed confrontation between Israel and Palestine. The civilian population of both sides suffers. The main cause of the conflict was the struggle for their own territory and the formation of a separate state. There are also different religious views of the parties.

Immigrants, refugees and their numbers

A significant proportion are immigrants; at the time of last count their number was 250 thousand. These are mainly laborers in agriculture and construction who arrived on a work visa from Romania, China, and the Philippines. Among the immigrants there are also many illegal immigrants from African countries, approximately 45 thousand people. About 200 people with refugee status from Bosnia and Kosovo received citizenship and the right to permanent residence in Israel. For such citizens, the government allocates funds to build small towns in the most sparsely populated parts of Israel, mainly in the Negev Desert region.

From all of the above, we can draw a simple conclusion - in the coming years, the population of Israel will grow rapidly and reach 10 million. If the economic situation in the country remains generally favorable, the flow of repatriates will not decrease either. In terms of demographic policy, the government needs to improve the security of citizens in the country, introduce a number of laws that would curb interracial aggression, and strengthen border defense. All this will provide a confident and strong platform for subsequent generations and faith in the happy future of the Israeli state.

By 1948, at the time of the creation of the State of Israel, there were already 650 thousand people living in it, while in those days there were 11.5 million Jews all over the world.
The number of Jews reached the 14 million mark by 1992; now there are 14 and a half million Jews living on the planet. Of these, 6 and a half million are in Israel.
The birth rate in Israel in 2016 was 3.11 per 100 people (181,405 newborns). Since 1980, the birth rate in Israel has increased by 92%. In 2016, 73.9% of newborns were born to Jewish mothers, the average age of women at the birth of their first child is 27.6 years, at the birth of the second - 29.6 years. The third child is born when his mother is on average 31.9 years old.
The number of Jewish people in the world reached 14,310,000 people. 54% of the world's Jewish population lives today outside of Israel, only 46% - in their historical homeland. 98% of Jews are concentrated in 17 countries (including Israel). Here's where the largest Jewish communities exist today, according to Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs:
Among the countries of the American continent, the largest number of Jews live in the USA - 5,700,000,
Canada - 385,000
Mexico – 67,000
Panama – 10,000
Argentina – 230,000
Uruguay – 17,000
Chile – 18,000
The largest community in Europe - 585,000 Jews - lives in France.
UK - 270,000
Spain – 30,000
Switzerland – 19,000
Italy - 28,000
Germany – 150,000
Belgium – 30,000
Holland – 29,900
Sweden – 15,000
Hungary – 47,000
Russia - 186,000
Ukraine – 63,000
Belarus – 11,000
Türkiye - 17,000
Australia - 112,000
South Africa - 70,000.
Of course, this is not the entire list; Jewish communities today exist in many other countries.
As of January 1, 2016, the number of Jews in the world was 14.5 million, which is still less than in 1939 (16.6 million). Moreover, over the 70 post-war years, the Jewish population on planet Earth grew at a rate of 0.33% per year.
At the same time, the number of Jews in the Diaspora has decreased by more than a quarter compared to 1948. At the time of the declaration of independence in 1948, 606 thousand people lived in Israel.
In 1948-1952, when Jews were able to freely enter Israel, the country's Jewish population increased from 600 thousand to 1.5 million people. And in total, since the founding of the Jewish state (from 1948 to 2015), 3.2 million people have repatriated to Israel. Two main waves of repatriation can be distinguished: the first - from 1948 to 1951 and the second - from 1990 to 1999 (1.35 million people, or 42% of all repatriates).
Moreover, from the creation of the state until the end of 2015, about 720 thousand Israelis emigrated from Israel, including those who died abroad.
And as of January 1, 2016, 6.5 million Jews lived in Israel, which is 44% of the total Jewish population.
The Jewish population in Israel grew by an average of 1.9% per year in 2014-2015. Over 5 years (2010-15), the number of Jews in Israel increased by 9.2%, and in the Diaspora it decreased by 0.5%.
From 1990 to 2015, the number of Jews in the Diaspora decreased by 10%, while in Israel their number increased by 60%. The main reason for the decrease in the Jewish population of the Diaspora is growing assimilation. For example, in 1970, 17% of Jewish US citizens entered into interethnic marriages. In 2012 - 58%.
If current trends continue, the number of Jews in Israel will equal the number of the Jewish Diaspora by 2026.
Besides the Jewish population in Israel, the other largest community by size is the Jewish community in the United States. Moreover, if the data on the population of Israel are accurate, then the number of the Jewish population in the United States, like any other community, is an estimate.
There are now 5.3 million adult Jews living in the United States (of which 5% were born in the USSR). 1.3 million Jewish children in the United States receive at least partial Jewish education. The Jewish birth rate in the United States is 1.9%, which is high by European standards. But this is the average temperature in the hospital. The fact is that among religious Jews, a large family is the norm. And there are more religious Jews living in the United States than in Israel.
35% of American Jews belong to Reform Judaism. 18% are conservative, and 10% are orthodox. 30% of American Jews consider themselves Jews, but do not associate themselves with any religious movement. And 22% of American Jews are atheists of varying degrees of conviction.
If we proceed from the Israeli “Law of Return”, according to which “Everyone who has a Jewish grandparent has the right to acquire Israeli citizenship,” then at least 9 million US citizens have the right to return to their historical homeland in Israel .
At least 90% of American Jews are Ashkenazi. The most prominent Sephardic community in the New York area (more than 25,000 Syrian Jews) lives in Brooklyn and New Jersey, most of their ancestors arriving here from Aleb in the early 20th century.
In Israel, it is generally accepted that the number of Ashkenazim and Sephardim in the country is approximately equal. It is hardly possible to accurately calculate this, since marriages between Ashkenazim and Sephardim are an everyday occurrence.
About 130,000 repatriates from Ethiopia live in Israel - both Jews and members of their families, as well as the so-called. "Falashmura", that is, descendants of baptized Ethiopian Jews. Ethiopian men practically do not enter into mixed marriages. Every fifth Ethiopian woman enters into a mixed marriage (with Jewish Israeli citizens of non-Ethiopian origin).
The Ethiopian districts are Kiryat Nordau in Netanya, Kiryat Moshe in Rehovot and Ramat Eliyahu in Rishon Lezion.
The total fertility rate (TFR) for American Jews is 2.1 children per woman. But this is exactly the average temperature for the United States. Because the Orthodox, who have an average of 4.1 children per family in the United States, number half a million in this country. Other American Jews have an average of 1.8 children per woman per family.
Moreover, two thirds of American Jews who do not adhere to religious traditions enter into interethnic marriages.
Most American religious Jews live in New York City. And in New York, mainly in Brooklyn: Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights and Borough Park. Brooklyn's Hasidic communities are growing at a very rapid pace. In religious Jewish families it is customary to have 5-10 children.
The largest community of Bukharan Jews after the Israeli one (50 thousand people) lives in New York. They live compactly in the borough of Queens. In the area of ​​Bukharian Jews there is Sergei Dovlatov way.
As for Israel, in 2014, 75% of Israeli Jews were “sabras” - that is, born in Israel. In 2014, the country's population increased by 162 thousand people (2%). During this time, 176 thousand people were born in Israel, 44 thousand people died, and 32 thousand new immigrants arrived.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, in 2016, for the first time in the history of the Jewish State, the birth rate among Jewish and Arab women was equal. The fertility rate in both sectors is 3.13 children per woman.
In Israel in 2014 there were 14 cities with a population of more than 100,000 people, and six of them had a population of over 200 thousand. These are Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon Lezion, Ashdod and Petah Tikva.
More than 40% of Israel's population lives in the center of the country: 17% in the Tel Aviv district and another 24% in the neighboring districts of Gush Dan and Sharon. The periphery, including the north and south of the country, is home to 31% of the population. Another 28% live in areas considered an intermediate zone between the periphery and the center - these are the areas of Haifa and Jerusalem (each with 12% of the population) and the area of ​​Judea and Samaria, which contains 3% of the population.
In Israel there are 5 urban agglomerations besides the greater Tel Aviv, which are called “Gush Dan”.
5 settlements that have actually merged into one city and have independent status are:
1. Shfela area (the cities of Ness Ziona, Rehovot, Rishon LeZion, Beer Yaakov and Yavne);
2. The Sharon area (Ramat Hasharon, Herzliya, Raanana, Kfar Saba and Hod Hasharon) - by the way, the most prestigious area of ​​the country;
3. Suburbs of Haifa - “Krayot” (Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Haim and Kiryat Yam);
4. Agglomeration in the south of the Haifa district (Zichron Yaakov, Pardes Hana-Karkur, Harish and Or Akiva).
5. Jerusalem and surroundings. Jerusalem is the most populous city in Israel. According to the Central Statistics Service for 2013-2014, the population of Jerusalem was 829,900 people - of which 307,600 were Arabs (37%), 522,300 were Jews (63%). Population growth in 2013, according to the Central Statistics Service, amounted to 14,600 people, while 7,400 people left Jerusalem.
"East Jerusalem" Israel refers to all the Arab neighborhoods of the city. That is, “East Jerusalem” is considered to be Jabl Mukabr and Abu Tor, located in the east of the city, Shuafat, Beit Hanina and Kafr Aqab, located in the north of the city, Silvan in the historical center of the capital of Israel, and even Beit Safafa, located in the south of the city , but north of the Jewish district of Gilo.
However, neither Gilo, nor eastern Talpiot, nor Ramot, nor Pisgat Ze'ev, nor other Jewish neighborhoods built after the Six-Day War in the territories liberated during this war are classified by Israel as “East Jerusalem”.
The Arab population of East Jerusalem are not citizens of Israel, but have the status of “Permanent Residents of Israel,” although in official directories they are included in the column “Arab population of Israel.”
Under certain circumstances, this status can be lost (and along with it, work permits, benefits and health insurance). In total, about 14 thousand people have been deprived of this status since 1967. As of 2014, 300 thousand Arabs (60% of the population of these areas and 99% of the Arab population of Jerusalem) and 20 thousand Jews lived in the areas of Jerusalem annexed in 1967. In Jerusalem as a whole, from the beginning of 2010 to June 15, 2016, 8,964 permits for housing construction were issued, of which about 1,080 were for housing construction in the Arab areas of the city.
In 1969-1988, 174 thousand repatriates came to Israel from the USSR. Plus, as of March 1, 2015, about 860 thousand people aged 18 years and older who were born in the former USSR and arrived in Israel for permanent residence in 1989 – 2014 had Israeli citizenship. In this case, we are talking only about Israeli citizens who received Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.
In addition, every year 5 thousand people receive Israeli citizenship by marrying Israeli citizens. The overwhelming majority are citizens (or rather, female citizens) of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
150 thousand Russian citizens permanently reside in Israel. In this case, we mean persons who simultaneously have both Israeli and Russian citizenship (or Russian citizenship and an Israeli residence permit).
In addition to Jews, national minorities live in Israel. The bulk of Israeli Muslim Arabs (all of them Sunni) live in Wadi Ara. Wadi (lowland) Ara is an area in the lower Galilee in which large Arab cities and towns are located, in particular Umm el-Fahm, Taibeh, Qalansua, Jaljuliyya and others, often merging with one another.
Another minority, Christian Arabs. 161,000 Israelis (2% of the population) profess Christianity. 80% of them are Christian Arabs. In Nazareth (Nazareth) there are about 22.4 thousand people, in Haifa - 14.6 thousand, in Jerusalem - 11.9 thousand, in Shfaram - 9.6 thousand. In general, in Palestine, as throughout the Arab world, the number of Christians is rapidly declining. Christians in Bethlehem after World War II accounted for 85 percent of the population; today they are about 10 percent; in Jerusalem, their numbers have dropped from 55 percent at the beginning of the twentieth century to two percent today; in Nazareth, Christians are now less than 25 percent.
In Israel, there is also a migration of the Christian population from Arab to Jewish settlements. The reason is that they perceive Israel as their own state, whose fate they want to share. Christians have no other choice - Muslims persecute them and do not allow them to exist in their midst. So, either go somewhere to a Christian country or become loyal citizens of Israel.
Arameans. The authorities divide the Israelis who speak Aramaic dialects into three groups: about 10 thousand Maronites (two thousand of them are former Tsadal soldiers), one and a half thousand Orthodox Maronites and about five hundred Catholic Maronites. Aramaic Christians live in the Gush Halav (Jish) region, but separate small communities exist in Haifa, Nazareth, Acre and Jerusalem.
In the old city of Jerusalem there is an Armenian district.
In addition to Christians, about 150 thousand Druze live in Israel. Daliyat al-Karmel (20 thousand people) is the largest Druze city in Israel. It is located in the Haifa district. In addition, 23 thousand Druze live in the Israeli-owned Golan Heights (in 4 villages: Bukata, Masada, Ein Kinya and Majal Shams), but they do not have Israeli citizenship.
In the north of the country there are two villages - Kfar Kama and Rehaniya, where about 3 thousand Circassians live compactly.
Rajar is the only Alawite village in Israel. It was captured, along with four Druze villages, during the Six Day War. The Alawites living in the village willingly accepted Israeli sovereignty and all received Israeli citizenship.
But the largest national minorities in Israel are Muslims of different nationalities (Bedouins and Palestinians). The term itself, “Palestinian people,” was coined in the USSR in 1964, as part of the rationale for the creation of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). According to its authors, the “Arab people of Palestine” meant the Arabs living in Palestine. It was first used in the introductory part of the Palestinian Charter (declaration of political demands), written in Moscow in the same 1964. The charter was approved by 422 members of the Palestinian National Council, who were carefully selected by the KGB."
The “Palestinian people” originally meant the entire Arabic-speaking population of Palestine. Currently, this term refers to the Sunni population of Palestine of non-Bedouin origin.
At the end of 2016, the Muslim population of Israel was 1.52 million (or 17.7% of the total population).
The largest community of Muslims (320 thousand) lives in east Jerusalem, making up 36.2% of the total population of the city and 21% of the Muslim population of Israel, as well as in Arab cities in northern Israel (Wadi Ara region): Sakhnin, Bak al- Gharbia, Um el-Fahkm, the Arab part of Nazareth and other smaller ones.
Haifa, Lod and Jaffa have significant Arab communities, although the vast majority of the population in these cities is Jewish.
About 150 thousand Bedouins live in the south of Israel. 60 thousand in the main Bedouin city of Rahat, as well as small Bedouin settlements, mainly around Beersheba.
In 2013, the total fertility rate for Muslim women was 3.4 children per woman, up from 4.7 children per woman in 2000. In recent years, the overall birth rate among Muslims has decreased: while in 2000, on average, there were 4.7 children per Muslim woman, in 2016 this figure was 3.29 children. But this is still more than in other sectors: there are 3.16 children per Jewish woman, and 2.05 children per Christian woman. The lowest birth rate among the Druze is 2.21 children per Druze woman.
Accordingly, the growth rate of the country's Muslim population as a whole is also decreasing: from 3.8% in 2000 to 2.4% in 2013. The highest rates of population growth are observed among the Bedouins, whose number is approaching 200 thousand. The increase in the birth rate among Jews was 1.7%, among Druze 1.5% and among Christians - 1.6%. Living mainly in the north of the country, Palestinians in their demographic behavior are also rapidly approaching the standards of the Jewish population.
The birth rate among Jewish families in Israel is increasing, while among Israeli Arabs it is decreasing. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2013, the total fertility rate in Israel increased by 0.2 percent (a total of 171,207 babies were born). In the Jewish sector, 127,409 children were born last year, which is 1.3% more than in 2012 (125,409). And in families professing Islam, 34,766 children were born, which is 5.5% less than in 2012 (36,766).
Overall, 39,028 Israeli Arab babies were born in 2013, down 3.5% from 40,433 babies born in 2012. In 2013, 2,602 children were born into Arab families of the Christian faith, and 2,350 children were born in the Druze sector.
In 2015, for the first time, the number of children born to Arab (Israeli citizens) and Jewish mothers was equal. 3.1 children per woman in both groups. Arab fertility is falling, falling to below three children per mother, while Jewish fertility is rising to three and a half. Due to the strong increase in the Jewish population, the number of inhabitants in Israel is growing by a million every seven years. The Arab birth rate in Judea and Samaria has already dropped to 2.7 children per mother and continues to decline.
On average, 21 out of every 1,000 Jewish women gave birth in 2013. In 2000, the figure was 18.3 per 1,000. The average birth rate among Arab women, by contrast, fell to its lowest level on record: 24.8 per 1,000, compared with a peak of 35 births per 1,000 women in the same year. year.
The proportion of Jews in the 0-14 age group increased from 25.8% of the total Jewish population in 2000 to 27.2% in 2015. The share of the same age group among Israeli Arabs decreased from 41% in 2000 to 34% in 2015.
The average birth rate in secular Jewish families is two children, in the national-religious camp - 4.3, in the ultra-religious environment - 6.5.
Another, in my opinion, interesting fact. Judea and Samaria are home to 60 thousand settlers who are citizens of the United States of America, which is 15% of their total number. This is despite the fact that a total of 170 thousand repatriates from the United States live in Israel. Every tenth American settler in Judea and Samaria has a Ph.D.
The average life expectancy for women in Israel as of 2012 is 83.6 years, for men - 79.9 years.
There are about 50,000 foreign workers permanently in Israel working in the field of providing care to the sick and elderly. Most of these workers come from the Philippines. There are also a varying number of Thai citizens employed in agriculture and Chinese and other nationals employed in construction.
In addition, tens of thousands of residents of Israeli-occupied territories are given the right to work, mainly in construction and agriculture. But their number is constantly changing. And they do not live in Israel, but come to work in the morning and go home in the evening.
In principle, Israel does not accept refugees. Refugees in Israel: 250 Vietnamese when they arrived in the country in the 1970s, a hundred Bosnians in 1993, 112 Albanian Muslims in 1999 and 6,000 Lebanese Christians in 2000.
But approximately 300 thousand illegal immigrants live in the country (not counting illegal immigrants - residents of the territories occupied by Israel).
There have been five years in Israel's short history when emigration from the country was greater than repatriation. This happened in 1954, 1976, 1982 and 1986-87.
In recent years, the number of emigrants (people who have not been in Israel for a year, but have previously lived in the country continuously for more than 90 days) from Israel is 0.7 people for every thousand inhabitants - this is a record low for OECD countries.
In 2000, this coefficient for Israel was 3.8 people per thousand inhabitants, for Switzerland it was 6.9, for Ukraine - 10.5 people. As of January 1, 2014, 680 thousand Israeli citizens, Jews and Arabs (who, by the way, make up approximately a third of the emigrant flow), permanently live abroad.
Of these, 280 thousand were born in Israel, and 400 thousand received Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return. Approximately 300,000 Israeli emigrants live in the United States. Of these, 64% are Jews.

Having acquired its independence, the population of this country was only 872 thousand people, of which 716 thousand were Jews, 156 thousand were Arabs. If we take it in percentage terms, then the Jews were 82 percent, while the Arabs were 18%. These data are based on statistics from the first population census conducted in 1948.

Today, more than 7 million people live in modern Israel, and this number does not include illegal immigrants and foreign workers. Today, the percentage of the population of Israel is as follows: 76% are Jews, 20% are Arabs, including Bedouins, Palestinians, Christian Arabs, and 4% are representatives of different nationalities living in Israel.

In recent years, the population of Israel has been growing, but to a greater extent this is not due to the high birth rate in the country, but due to immigration.

In Israel, the official languages ​​are Hebrew and Arabic. These are the languages ​​spoken by the majority of the Israeli population. But, due to the fact that many people from other countries live in the country, languages ​​such as French, Russian, German, and Spanish are popular and widespread in Israel.

According to statistics published by the Israel Statistics Authority last year, the population as of May 2011 is 7.8 million, of which 5.8 million are Jews, representing 75.3% of all residents of the country, 1.6 are Arabs, as a percentage - 20.5%, and 322 thousand representatives of national minorities, which as a percentage is 4.2%.

Israel's population today is 92% urban. Back in 1948, Tel Aviv alone was a city with a population of more than 100 thousand people. Today in Israel there are five cities with a population of more than 200 thousand people - Haifa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion and Ashdod. 28% of the country's residents live in these cities in Israel. The total population of these five cities is about 2 million. 44% live in cities with a population of over 100 thousand people.

As for the rural population, only 8% live in rural settlements. If we talk about numbers, then according to statistics for 2005, about 600 thousand people lived in rural areas, of which 2%, and this is 120 thousand in kibbutzim, Israeli communes. An interesting fact is that in 1948, those living and born in kibbutzim accounted for 6% of the total population of the country.

Jews in Israel are divided into several groups: natives of the country, they are also called Tsabarim, and people from different communities, different ethnic groups. The largest community is the community of immigrants from the countries of the former CIS, as well as from Romania, Morocco, and Poland.

Among the Jewish population of Israel - those born in the country - Tzabarim - 65%, that is, 3.6 million people, and repatriates - 35%, the name of the group of repatriates is olim. It was only in 2009 that the Israeli indigenous population outnumbered the Jewish diaspora.

It must be said that the Russian-speaking population of Israel - immigrants from the former USSR - make up a significant part of the country's population. Today there are 1.2 million people, of which 300 thousand are non-canonical Jews, that is, they arrived in the country under the Law of Return, but are not considered Jews according to the Jewish canon of Halacha. Most of the Russian-speaking repatriates from the former CIS countries arrived in Israel in the 90s of the last century.

Interestingly, in some Israeli cities the Russian-speaking population makes up almost half of the total population. Such cities include Ashdod, Sderot, Beer Sheva, Karmiel.

The second group of the country's population are Arabs. Today the Arab population of Israel is 1.4 million. In turn, the Arabs are divided into ethnographic groups. There are 150 thousand Bedouins living in Israel, whose settlements are located mainly in the south of the country. There are 120 thousand Christian Arabs in Israel who live in Haifa, Jerusalem and Jaffa, as well as in the north of the country.

The largest ethnic group of Arabs living in Israel is the Sunni Arab group, numbering about 1 million today. Sunni Arabs live in the cities of Lod, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Jaffa, and their settlements are located in the north of the country and in the central part of Israel.

Other ethnic groups of the Israeli population include Druze, Armenians, Circassians, etc.

There are about 180 thousand Druze representatives in Israel. They live in northern Israel, in the mountainous countryside. There is also an Armenian quarter in Jerusalem, where Armenians who speak Arabic live. It must be said that Arabic-speaking Armenians are considered Arabs according to Israeli statistics, but by religion they are Christians. Representatives of the Armenian diaspora live in the port city of Jaffa in friendly neighborhoods with Muslim Arabs and Christian Arabs.

Circassians also live in Israel. In the very north of the country there are two villages - Rehaniya and Kfar Kama, where more than 3 thousand Circassians live very compactly. This group of the Israeli population was formed after the Caucasian War in the 19th century. The current inhabitants of Israel - Circassians - are descendants of the Muhajirs. In their everyday life they still preserve the Western dialect of the Adyghe language. Today Circassians profess Islam.

Ashkenazim are Jews who arrived in Israel from Eastern, Central and Western Europe, as well as from North America. The language of communication of this group is Yiddish. The largest part of the Ashkenazi group are repatriates from Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, and this is more than 1.5 million people. There are 250 thousand immigrants from Poland and Romania in Israel.

Sephardim are Jews who came to Israel from Spain and Portugal. The name of the group comes from the name of Spain, which in Hebrew sounds like Sefarad. The main language of communication of the Sephardi group of people is Ladino, which is one of the dialects of the old Spanish language.
Back in 1948, only Tel Aviv was a city in Israel with a population of more than 100 thousand people. Today there are 5 such cities in Israel - Jerusalem, Haifa, Rishon Lezion, Ashdod - 28% of the population of the entire country live in them.



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