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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)

Political

- Political system: Parliamentary Democracy

- Parliament: Knesset, 120 seats

- Prime Minister: Benyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu

- President: Isaac Herzog

Demographic

- Population: ~9 million, incl. ~75% Jews, ~21% Muslims

- Density: ~400 per km2 (it is double in non-desert areas)

- Demographic growth: +1.9% (OECD is 0.2% in 2021)

- Fertility: 2.9 children per woman (2020)

- Age: ~28% are up to 14 ; ~13% are 65 or older (2021)

- Life expectancy: 82.7 years (2020)

Economy

- GDP: $480 billion -- GDP per capita: $51,400 (2021)

- GDP growth: +6.3% (OECD is 3.3%) expected in 2022

- GDP by sector: agriculture 2%, industry 27%, svcs 70%

- Expenditure on civilian R&D: 4.3% of GDP

- Venture Capital investment per capita: ~$28,000

- Debt to GDP ratio: 68% (2021, Covid)

- Unemployment: 5% (2021)

- Minimum wage: 5300 NIS (~1500 Euros) per month

- Inflation: 1.5% (2021)

- VAT: 17% (no VAT to tourists for hotels, rentals, etc.) 

- Credit rating (Standard & Poor's): AA-, stable

- Main industries: high-tech (see list of inventions), pharmaceuticals, potash & phosphates, metallurgy, chemicals, diamond cutting, financial services, etc.

Religious Dates in Israel

Main religious dates in 2023

 

- Epiphany: 6 January

- Orthodox Nativity: 7 January

- Baptism of Jesus: 9 January

- Orthodox New Year: 14 January

- Tu Bishvat: 6 February

- St. Valentine: 14 February

- Isra and Mi'raj: 18 February

- Ash Wednesday and Lent: 22 February

- Purim: 6-7 March

- Shushan Purim (walled cities): 8 March

- Ramadan: 22 March - 21 April

- Annunciation: 25 March

- Palm Sunday: 2 April

- Passover (Pesach): 5 - 13 April

- Good Friday: 7 April 

- Easter (Resurrection): 9 April

- Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Day): 17 April

- Laylat al-Qadr: 18 April

- Eid el-Fitr (end of Ramadan): 21-22 April

- Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day): 25 April

- Yom HaAtzmaut (Independance Day): 26 April

- Lag BaOmer: evening of 8 May

- Ascension of Jesus: Thursday 18 May

- Yom Yeroshalayim (Jerusalem Day): 19 May

- Shavuot: 25-27 May

- Pentecost: Monday 29 May

- Visitation of Mary: 31 May

- Corpus Christi: 8 June

- The Hajj: 26 June - 1 July

- Eid al-Adha: 28 June - 2 July

- Muharram begins (New Year): 19 July

- Tisha BeAv: 27 July

- Ashurah (10 Muharram): 28 July

- Transfiguration: 6 August

- Assumption of Mary: 15 August

- Nativity of Mary: 8 September 

- Rosh Hashana: 15-17 September

- Yom Kippur: 25 September

- Sukkot: 29 September - 6 October

- Simchat Torah: 7 October

- All Saints' Day: 1 November

- Advent (first Sunday): 3 December

- Immaculate Conception: 8 December

- Hanukkah: 7-15 December

- Christmas Eve: 24 December

- Christmas: 25 December

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