Israel is located in the Middle East and is smaller in area than Småland. It is a modern country with a rich history. Three world religions have emerged here, and the country has many places that are sacred in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
| Capital: | Jerusalem |
| Biggest city: | Jerusalem |
| State: | republic |
| Language: | Hebrew, Arabic |
| Religion: | Judaism, Islam |
| Surface: | 20 770 km² |
| Population: | 8.1 million (2013) |
| Population density: | 348 residents per km² |
| Life expectancy: | 81 years |
| Illiteracy: | 3% |
| Currency: | shekel (ILS) 1 shekel = 2.39 kr |
| GDP per capita: | $ 28,900 (2010) |
| Time difference: | +1 hour |
| Electricity: | 220 V AC, 50Hz |
| National Day: | 14 May |
| Country area code: | 972 |
| 2-Letter country abbreviation: | IL (See more abbreviations on Abbreviationfinder) |
| Business: | service sector 75%, industry 21%, agriculture 4% |
| Climate: | temperate along the coast; hot and dry in the south and east |
Israel is a country that offers many exciting environments. Exotic Bedouin camps, the world’s lowest point – the Dead Sea – with its health spas, Red Sea coral reefs, archeological remains and Tel Aviv’s bustling nightlife. It is even possible to ski in the far north.
Israel was founded in 1948 as the nation state of the Jews. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years, and was previously part of the British Palestine Mandate. The UN had decided in advance that the area would be divided between Arab Palestinians and Jews.
All the Arab neighbors declared war on Israel, but Israel emerged victorious from the conflict. At the same time, they seized most of the area intended for the Palestinians. In the following years, Israel fought several wars against its neighbors, and its borders are still disputed. Israel has designated Jerusalem as its capital, but this has not been recognized by any other countries.
Despite war and lack of water and natural resources, Israel is today the Middle East’s most industrialized country. The social conditions are considered good, but the country has large socio-economic differences between different population groups. For the Arabs in the occupied territories, conditions are still difficult.
The Citizenship Law and the Law of Return give all the Jews of the world the right to move to Israel, as well as to obtain Israeli citizenship immediately. A right not assigned to any other groups.
The films “Schindler’s List”, “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Omen” are all largely shot in Israel.
WORLD HERITAGE
The following objects in Israel are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The year in which the item was added to the list is indicated in parentheses.
- Old Jerusalem and its walls (1981)
- Masada, hard-to-climb rock with ancient fortress (2001)
- The old city center of Acre (2001)
- White City, Tel Aviv (2003)
- The Biblical Tales of Megiddo, Hazor, and Beer Sheva (2005)
- Rökelsevägen with the desert cities in the Negev (2005)
- Baha’i Sacred Sites in Haifa and Western Galilee (2008)
- Nahal Me’arot, four caves in Mount Carmel (2012)
- Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park (2014)
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
Electricity and electrical outlets in Israel
Voltage: 230 V
Frequency: 50 Hz
Type of plug: C, H
Need an adapter: No, you do not need an adapter.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather in Jerusalem
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average temperature °C | 8 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 10 |
| Day °C | 12 | 13 | 16 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 19 | 14 |
| Night °C | 4 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 6 |
| Rain (mm) | 90 | 90 | 50 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 60 |
| Rainy days | 12 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 |
| Soltim / day | 7 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
Eilat
Eilat is a tourist resort in southern Israel, located on the Red Sea. It is Israel’s southernmost city and has a population of about 55,000. The strategic location on the Red Sea was particularly important for imports of, among other things, oil until 1979, when Israeli ships were not allowed to operate the Suez Canal. From Eilat there are border crossings to both Jordan and Egypt.
The location by the desert provides a dry and warm climate. In winter the temperature stays around 25 degrees warm and in summer it rises to at least 35 degrees warm. In the waters off Eilat there is a coral reef which is a popular destination for divers, and south of the city, on the border with Egypt, is an aquarium with tropical fish.
The city’s beaches, nightlife and desert landscape make it a popular destination.
Haifa
Haifa is Israel’s third largest city and is located in northern Israel on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a university and port city. The city also has the country’s only metro.
Haifa has become known as an example of functioning coexistence between different religious groups in the region. About 82 percent of the population is Jewish and there is a significant minority of Muslims and Christians. On Mount Carmel is the Báb Shrine and the World Center of the Bahá’ís.
Jerusalem
According to Countryaah, Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel since 1949, and has 732,100 residents (2007). The city is one of the oldest in the world, with a history dating back to around 4000 BC. Jerusalem is the holiest city for the world’s Jews and also has great religious significance for Christians. It is also considered the third holiest city in Islam. Although the Old Town has only an area of 0.9 square kilometers, it houses a number of places of religious significance, among them the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Rock Dome and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
During its history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and conquered and recaptured 44 times. Today, Jerusalem is one of the issues in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, with 65,500 residents (2007). 185,000 residents live in the entire metropolitan area. According to the New Testament Gospels, Jesus grew up in Nazareth. Traditionally, many places there are associated with Jesus’ childhood, including the Annunciation Church, Joseph’s House, and the Fountain of Mary. The city is an important place of pilgrimage.
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is Israel’s second largest city and is located on the Mediterranean Sea. The city is also the center of the most populated part of Israel, the Gush Dan area, and has 390,100 residents (2008). 3.1 million residents live in the entire metropolitan area.
The city was founded in 1909 by Jewish immigrants. For an eight-month period in 1948, before Israeli troops conquered western Jerusalem, Tel Aviv served as the capital of Israel. Although the Israeli capital, Jerusalem, is home to the government and parliament, all countries with diplomatic relations with Israel have their embassies in Tel Aviv or in other coastal cities. The UN does not see Jerusalem as the country’s capital, but Tel Aviv.
The Bauhaus sites in Tel Aviv have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2003.