TOEFL Test Centers in Israel

EDU February 16, 2019

Israel Overview

Israel is a state in the Middle East, on the east coast of the Mediterranean. The capital is Jerusalem. With a good 22,000 km², the country is only slightly larger than Slovenia. Behind the coastal plain rises a dry mountainous area, which slopes steeply in the east to the Jordan Rift valley with the Dead Sea. The south of Israel is taken over by the desert-like Negev. The coast has a Mediterranean climate. To the east and south it becomes increasingly drier.

Israel is the only country on earth where Jews make up the majority (75%) of the population. Two thirds of the Jews were born in Israel, one third immigrated from different countries of origin. About 20% of the population of Israel are Islamic Arabs. Hebrew has been Israel’s only official language since 2018, while Arabic only has a special status.

After the expulsion from Palestine (587 BC) the Jews lived all over the world in the diaspora. In 1948 the State of Israel was founded with the support of the United Nations. In the decades after the founding of the state, over two million Jews immigrated, mainly from Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. In the course of its history there have been repeated military clashes with neighboring Arab countries (Middle East conflict). The conflict over the occupied land and the status of the divided city of Jerusalem has been going on for decades and the goal of an independent Palestinian state is currently a long way off.

Israel has the highest standard of living in the Middle East and is a member of the OECD. The most important branch of the economy is the service sector. The industry is technologically highly developed. The most important industrial sectors are electronics, aviation and device construction. The economy is being strengthened by foreign investments, especially from the USA.

Egypt and Jordan are the only two neighboring countries with which Israel has signed peace treaties. The USA is the most important foreign policy partner. There are also close political, economic and cultural relations with Germany.

Country facts

• Official name: State of Israel
• License plate: IL
• ISO-3166: IL, ISR (376)
• Internet domain:.il
• Currency: 1 new shekel (NIS) = 100 agorot
• Area: 22,070 km²
• Population (2019): 9.1 million
• Capital (internationally controversial; recognized by the USA and Guatemala): Jerusalem
• Official language: Hebrew
• Form of government: Parliamentary republic
• Administrative division: 6 districts (Mechosot)
• Head of State: President Reuven Rivlin
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett
• Religions (2018): 74% Jews, 18% Muslims, 2% Christians, 2% Druze, 4% other / not specified
• Time zone: Central European Time +1 hour
• National holiday: Ijjar 5 (from mid-April to mid-May)

Location and infrastructure

• Location (geographical): Middle East
• Position (coordinates): between 29 ° 30 ‘and 33 ° 20’ north latitude and 34 ° 20 ‘and 35 ° 40’ east longitude
• Climate: Warm, summer-dry Mediterranean climate, in the south desert climate
• Highest mountain: Har Meron (1 208 m)
• Road network (2017): 19 555 km (paved)
• Railway network (2014): 1,384 km

Population

• Annual population growth (2021): 1.5%
• Birth rate (2021): 17.5 per 1000 inh.
• Death rate (2021): 5.1 per 1000 pop.
• Average age (2020): 30.4 years
• Average life expectancy (2021): 83.2 years (women 85.2; men 81.3)
• Age structure (2020): 26.8% younger than 15 years, 12% older than 65 years
• Literacy rate (15 year olds and older) (2011): 97.8%
• Mobile phone contracts (pre-paid and post-paid) (2019): 127 per 100 pop.
• Internet users (2019): 87 per 100 pop.

Economy

• GDP per capita (2019): US $ 43,603
• Total GDP (2019): US $ 395 billion
• GNI per capita (2019): US $ 43,110
• Education expenditure (2017): 6.1% of GDP
• Military expenditure (2019): 5% of GDP
• Unemployment rate (15 years and older) (2019): 3.9%