Albert Tours
Private Tour Guide in Israel
Bible - History - Archaeology
+972 (0)52-6436124
licensed tour guide Israel
licensed tour guide Israel
About Israel
Facts & Figures
- Area: ~22,000 km2
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Official languages: Hebrew, Arabic, English
- Currency: New Israeli Shekel (NIS)
- Independence Day: 5 Iyyar (Hebrew calendar)
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Political
- Political system: Parliamentary Democracy
- Parliament: Knesset, 120 seats
- Prime Minister: Benyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu
- President: Isaac Herzog
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Demographic (2024)
- Population: ~10.0 million, incl. ~77% Jews, ~21% Muslims
- Density: ~400 per km2 (it is double in non-desert areas)
- Demographic growth: +1.1%
- Fertility : 2.9 children per woman
- Age: ~28% are up to 14 ; ~12% are 65 or older
- Life expectancy: 83.7 years
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Economy (2024, impacted by war)
- GDP: $540 billion -- GDP per capita: $54,177
- GDP growth: +1%
- Expenditure on R&D: 5.4% of GDP
- Debt to GDP ratio: 69%
- Unemployment: 3.0% (historical low)
- Minimum wage (2024): 5880 NIS (~1500 Euros)
- Inflation: 3.1%
- VAT: 18% (no VAT to tourists for hotels, rentals, etc.)
- Credit rating (Standard & Poor's): A
- Main industries: high-tech (here's a list of inventions), pharmaceuticals, potash & phosphates, metallurgy, chemicals, diamond cutting, financial services, etc.
Religious Dates in Israel
Main religious dates in 2026
- Epiphany: 6 January
- Orthodox Nativity: 7 January
- Baptism of Jesus: 11 January
- Orthodox New Year: 14 January
- Isra and Mi'raj: 16 January
- Tu Bishvat: 2 February
- St. Valentine: 14 February
- Ramadan: 17 February - 19 March
- Ash Wednesday: 18 February
- Purim: 3 March
- Shushan Purim (walled cities): 4 March
- Laylat al-Qadr: 16 March
- Saint Joseph's Day: 19 March
- Eid el-Fitr (end of Ramadan): 19 March
- Annunciation: 25 March
- Palm Sunday: Sunday 29 March
- Passover (Pesach): 1-9 April
- Lent: 2 April
- Good Friday: Friday 3 April
- Easter (Resurrection): Sunday 5 April
- Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Day): 14 April
- Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day): 21 April
- Yom HaAtzmaut (Independance Day): 22 April
- Lag BaOmer: evening of 4 May, and 5 May
- Ascension of Jesus: 14 May
- Yom Yeroshalayim (Jerusalem Day): 15 May
- Shavuot: 22-23 May
- Pentecost: 24 May
- Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca): 24-29 May
​- Eid al-Adha: 27 May
- Visitation of Mary: 31 May
- Corpus Christi: 4 June
- Muharram begins (New Year): 16 June
- Ashurah (10 Muharram): 26 June
- Tisha BeAv: 23 July
- Transfiguration: 6 August
- Assumption of Mary: 15 August
- Mawlid al-Nabi (birth of Muhammad): 26 August
- Nativity of Mary: 8 September
- Rosh Hashana: 12-13 September
- Yom Kippur: 21 September
- Sukkot: 25 September - 2 October
- Simchat Torah: 3 October
- All Saints' Day: 1 November
- Advent (first Sunday): 29 November
- Hanukkah: 4-12 December
- Immaculate Conception: 8 December
- Christmas Eve: 24 December
- Christmas: 25 December
