7.8 million residents in Israel


The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) in the State of Israel publishes its estimate of the population of the State of Israel each year towards the beginning of the new year. Towards 2012, the estimate was 7836000 people.

According to the CBS, 75.3% of the residents in Israel are Jews (circa 5901000). 20.5% of the residents are Arabs (circa 1610000). 4.2% are defined as others (i.e. neither Jewish nor Arab, the majority being immigrants from the former USSR) (circa 325000).

During the course of 2011, the population grew by 1.8%.

Circa 166800 babies were born and 17500 new immigrants arrived.

It is noteworthy that the CBS published a special survey with regard to the Christians on the occasion of Christmas and therein it was stated:

In Israel, there are 154500 Christians, constituting about 2% of the population.

80.4% of the Christians are Arabs and the others are mostly immigrants from the ex-USSR.

The towns that have the largest Christian populations are: Nazareth (circa 22200), Haifa (13800), Jerusalem (11600), Shefamr (9300).

The average number of children up to 17 years of age in Christian families is lower than in Jewish and Muslim families.

It is important to note that these numbers do not include more the 200000 migrants – foreign workers and asylum seekers living in Israel.

The estimate includes the residents of East Jerusalem.

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