Part 360

International disputes: 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; Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982

Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources: copper, phosphates, bromide, potash, clay, sand, sulfur, asphalt, manganese, small amounts of natural gas and crude oil

Land use: arable land: 17% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 40% forest and woodland: 6% other: 32%

Irrigated land: 2,140 sq km (1989)

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 natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic note: there are 202 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 24 in the Gaza Strip, and 26 in East Jerusalem (August 1995 est.)

People ------

Population: 5,421,995 (July 1996 est.) note: includes 127,600 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, 14,800 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 5,000 in the Gaza Strip, and 153,700 in East Jerusalem (August 1995 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 793,712; female 756,735) 15-64 years: 62% (male 1,670,082; female 1,669,481) 65 years and over: 9% (male 230,082; female 301,903) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.11% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 20.31 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.26 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.01 years male: 76.16 years female: 79.96 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.77 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli

Ethnic divisions: Jewish 82% (Israel-born 50%, Europe/Americas/Oceania-born 20%, Africa-born 7%, Asia-born 5%), non-Jewish 18% (mostly Arab) (1993 est.)

Religions: Judaism 82%, Islam 14% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2%, Druze and other 2%

Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.) total population: 95% male: 97% female: 93%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el

Data code: IS

Type of government: republic