The Central Bureau of Statistics reports on the eve of Israel’s 66th Independence Day the population is 8.180 million residents. The Jewish population is 6.135 million (75%), Christian and Muslim Arabs 1.694 million (20.7%) and ‘others’, non-Arab Christians and other religious as registered by the Ministry of the Interior, 351,000 (4.3%).

When the country was established in 1948 the population was 806,000. The country grew by 157,000 since Independence Day 65. During this time period, 178,000 babies were born and 42,000 people were niftar. 24,000 new immigrants arrived as well.

At the end of 2012, 75% of the Jewish population was born in Israel, with over one half being second generation Israelis.

In 1948 only one city had over 100,000 residents, Tel Aviv/Yaffo. Today there are 14 cities in that category, of which six have over 200,000 residents; Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon L’Tzion, Ashdod and Petach Tikvah.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)