Israel

Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs.
Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip) and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement.
On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. On 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

border countries: Egypt, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank .
related countries: Germany, United Kingdom United States of America

Official Name:
Medinat Yisra'el
short form: Yisra'el
int'l long form: State of Israel
int'l short form: Israel

ISO Country Code: il

Time:
Local Time = UTC +2h
Daylight Saving Time (DST) April - Oktober (UTC +3).

Country Calling Code: +972

Capital City: Jerusalem
(Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950. But nearly all countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.)

Other Cities:
Haifa, Nazareth, Tel Aviv

Government:
Type: Parliamentary democracy
Independence: 14 May 1948
Constitution: no formal constitution

Geography:
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon.
Area: 20,325 sq. km.1 (7,850 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Plains, mountains, desert, and coast.

Climate: Temperate, except in desert areas.

People:
Nationality: Israeli(s)
Population: 6 million
Ethnic groups: Jewish 5.2 million; non-Jewish 1.2 million
Religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Druze
Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic (official), Russian, English
Literacy: total population 95% (female 93%; male 97%).

Natural resources: Timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand.

Agriculture products: Citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products.

Industries: High-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting.

Currency: (New) Israeli Sheqel (ILS)

Israel in numbers
Israel key statistical data.