Peacemakers in the Holy Land Tour
About Israel
Located on the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel borders Lebanon to the north, Syria and Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area. The West Bank and Gaza Strip are partially administrated by the Palestinian National Authority. With a population of about 7.2 million, the majority of whom are Jews, Israel is the world's only Jewish state. It is also home to Arab Muslims, Christians, and Druze, as well as other religious and ethnic minority groups.
Size: 20,770 sq km, slightly larger than New Jersey
Population: 7.2 million (est. 2007)
The People: Jewish 80%, Arab 20%
Religions: Jewish 80%, Muslim 15%, Christian 2%, Other 3%
Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic (used officially for Arab minority),
English most common foreign language
Literacy rate: 96%
Capitol:
Jerusalem
Note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capitol in 1950, but the U.S. and most nations maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city.