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Major cities
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| Tel Aviv metropolitan | 1.5 million |
| Tel Aviv | 390,000 |
| Petah Tiqwa | 200,000 |
| Holon | 170,000 |
| Bat Yam | 150,000 |
| Bene Baraq | 150,000 |
| Ramat Gan | 140,000 |
| Jaffa | 80,000 |
| Haifa metropolitan | 960,000 |
| Haifa | 280,000 |
| Jerusalem | 700,000 |
| Ashdod | 230,000 |
| Rishon Le Ziyon | 220,000 |
| Beer Sheva | 190,000 |
| Netanya | 170,000 |
| Ashkelon | 110,000 |
| Rehovot | 110,000 |
Important towns
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| Eilat | 60,000 |
| Nazareth | 60,000 |
| Akko | 50,000 |
| Tiberias | 25,000 |
All figures are 2005 estimates.
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Status
| Independent republic, but not recognized by a most countries in the Middle East (neighbouring Egypt and Jordan are exceptions). Israel is divided into 6 districts (mohoz-ot).
ARTICLE: Is Israel a state?
Day of independence: May 14, 1948.
| Government
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Head of state: President Moshe Katzav.
Prime minister: Ehud Olmert. The number of ministries varies from every new formation of a government. Sharon's government has 20 ministries.
National Assembly (Knesset): 120 members.
| Geography
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Inhabitants: 7.4 million (2009 estimate). About 400,000 Israeli citizens live in Palestine.
Population growth rate: 1.5%
Total area: 20,770 kmē
Density: 341 per kmē
Water: 440 km²
Border: 1,017 km (Palestine 358 km, Egypt 266 km, Jordan 238 km, Syria 76 km, Lebanon 79 km).
Coastline: 273 km.
Highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m
Lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
Arable land: 17%
Capital: Jerusalem (official), Tel Aviv (internationally recognized).
| Human Development Index
| World rank (of 177): 23
Index (1.0 max): 0.927
Explanation
| Demography
| Ethnic groups: Jews of different racial mixtures (mainly Eastern European, Berber, original Levantine and Ethiopian), Arabs (Palestinians).
Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic (official), Armenian, English.
Religions: Judaism, Sunni Islam, Christianity, Druze.
| Economy
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Currency: New Shekel (ILS)
1 New Shekel=US$0.28. US$1=3.52 New Shekels (September 2008)
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