Israel
The only Jewish state in the world, Israel is located on the eastern
fringe of the Mediterranean Sea.
When after the World War II Britain withdrew from its mandate of Palestine,
the UN divided the territory area into Arab and Jewish states. This
arrangement, however, did not find favour with the Arabs.
This resulted in the long drawn battles between the Arabs and the
Israelis. In 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty was signed which required
Israel to withdraw from the Sinai. In 1993, a Declaration of Principles,
also referred to as the "Oslo Accords" was signed between
Israel and Palestinian. The treaty gave the Palestinian people the
right of self-rule. Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty in 1994 resolved all
the outstanding disputes. In 2000, an initiative was taken by Israel
in restoring the cordial environment when the Jews unilaterally decided
to withdraw from southern Lebanon, which was under the Israeli occupation
since 1982.
However, the Palestine problem is defying permanent solution thanks
to the intermittent Israeli-Palestinian violence. The coming to power
of the Hamas in early 2006 has once again soured relations between
the two countries.
Travel Overview
The only Jewish state in the world, Israel is the birthplace of Jesus
Christ. The holy land of the Jews is famous for its old cities and
modern metropolises. Sacred to three religions Judaism, Christianity
and Islam, Jerusalem is the Holy City famous for the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre. Other town Jericho is considered to be the world’s
oldest inhabited areas. Tel Aviv is known for the Museum of the Diaspora
located on the university campus and Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra.
Even without these holy places, and even to a non-believer, Israel
has much to offer activities such as fishing, surfing, sailing, water-skiing,
swimming and yachting.
Other attractions of Israel include the Dead Sea, Lake Tiberias (the
Sea of Galilee), Mount Sodom and the famed archaeological site of
Tzippori. The Banias Nature Reserve is a must visit for the wildlife
enthusiast. For all its bucolic charm and fondness for the historical
days, the holy town of Bethlehem is worth visiting.
Also pay visit to the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, and
Deir Quruntal.
Capital: Jerusalem
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt
and Lebanon
Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Total Area: 20,770 sq km
Total Population: 6,426,679
Population Growth Rate: 1.154%
Sex Ratio: 0.994 male(s)/female
Literacy: 97.1%
Ethnic Groups: Jewish, non-Jewish
Irrigated land: 545,960 sq km
Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic, English
Time Zone: UTC+2
Currency: new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Neighbouring countries: Egypt, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria,
West Bank
Type of govt.: parliamentary democracy
Head of Govt.: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Major Political Parties: Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH)
, GIL (Pensioners) , Kadima, Labor Party , Likud Party, Meretz-YAHAD,
National Democratic Assembly (Balad) , National Union (NU)/National
Religious Party (NRP) , SHAS , Torah and Shabbat Judaism , United
Arab List , Yisrael Beiteinu Participation in International Organizations:
BIS, EBRD, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IADB, IAEA, ICC, IDA, ILO, IMF, IMO, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, IOM, IPU, ISO, UNESCO,
UNHCR, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNWTO, WIPO, WMO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WTO
Major Agricultural Products: citrus, beef, poultry, vegetables, cotton,
dairy products
Natural Resources & Minerals: timber, potash, phosphate rock,
copper ore, natural gas, magnesium bromide, clays and sand.
Industry & Transport: Aviation, computer-aided design and manufactures,
communications, medical electronics, wood and paper products, food,
beverages, and tobacco, potash and phosphates, caustic soda, metals
products, cement, construction, chemical products, textiles, footwear
plastics, diamond cutting,
Airports: 53
Railways: 853 km
Roadways: 17,446 km
Major Trade Partners: US, Belgium, Germany, UK, Switzerland, China,
Hong Kong
Exports: $42.86 billion
Imports: $47.8 billion
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