May 9, 2011, Updated September 14, 2012

As Israel celebrates its 63rd anniversary, the country’s population is nearing eight million residents.

According to the country’s Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS), Israel’s population stands at 7.746 million people. That’s a two percent rise (150,000 people) compared to Independence Day 2010.

Back on May 14, 1948 when the state was founded, the population rang in at just 806,000 residents.

Israel’s Jewish population comprises about 5.837 million (75.3%) of the total populace, while Israeli Arabs make up about 1.587 million (20.5%) of the total inhabitants. The remaining 322,000 residents (4.2%) are immigrants and their children, who are not listed as Jewish by the Interior Ministry.

According to the report, 24,500 new immigrants made Aliya since last Independence Day while 12,000 people chose to leave the country.

It was a ‘baby boom’ year for Israel since last Independence Day. The country logged the births of some 178,000 babies, and recorded 43,000 deaths.

Today, there are 14 cities in Israel with more than 100,000 residents. Of them, six cities — Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Haifa, Rishon Letzion, Ashdod, and Petah Tikvah — are home to more than 200,000 residents. Rewind 63 years and in 1948 the city of Tel Aviv was the only metropolis with more than 100,000 residents.

Happy Birthday Israel.

 

 

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