As Israel Celebrates 70th Birthday, Population Approaches 9 Million

Israel’s population has increased tenfold since its establishment seventy years ago, from 806,000 in 1948 to approximately 8,850,000 today. According to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the population grew by 1.9 percent—or about 163,000 people—over the past year, after 177,000 births, 41,000 deaths and the absorption of 28,000 immigrants. Jerusalem is Israel’s largest city, with nearly 883,000 residents. The census found that Jews make up just under three-quarters of Israel’s total population (75.4%), with Arabs comprising just over one-fifth (20.9%) and other religious groups accounting for the rest. Average life expectancy for Israeli men was pegged at 80.7 years and 84.2 years for Israeli women, an increase of almost four years for both genders since the turn of the millennium. The CBS predicts that Israel’s population will reach 15.2 million by its centennial in 2048.