As of May 2025, Israel's population stands at approximately 10,094,000, reflecting a significant increase from its founding in 1948 when it had just 806,000 residents[1]. This growth, over 12-fold in less than eight decades, is driven by high birth rates, immigration, and other demographic factors[1][2]. Below is a detailed breakdown of Israel's population and its composition based on ethnicity, religion, and other key characteristics.
Population Overview
Israel's population has seen consistent growth, with a 1.4% increase (135,000 people) since Independence Day 2024, compared to a 1.2% rise in the previous year[1]. The country ranks as the 100th most populous in the world, with a high population density of 461 people per square kilometer[1]. Urban areas house about 92% of the population, with significant concentrations in central and coastal regions like the Tel Aviv District, which has a density of 22,693 people per square mile[1][3].
Ethnic and Religious Composition
Israel's demographic makeup is diverse, primarily composed of Jewish and Arab populations, alongside smaller minority groups.
- Jewish Population: Approximately 73-76.6% of Israelis are Jewish, totaling around 7,208,000 to 7,732,000 people as of recent estimates[1]. This group includes diverse subcategories such as Ashkenazi (of European descent) and Sephardi (of Spanish, North African, and Middle Eastern descent), with about 70.3% being Israeli-born (sabras) and the rest immigrants from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa[4][2]. Nearly half of Israeli Jews trace their ancestry to European diaspora communities, with a similar proportion descending from Arab countries, Iran, Turkey, and Central Asia[4].
- Arab Population: Arabs constitute about 20.9-21.1% of the population, numbering approximately 2,080,000 to 2,114,000[1]. Most Israeli Arabs are Muslim, though there are also Christian and Druze minorities within this group[2].
- Other Groups: Around 4-5.7% of the population, or roughly 318,000 to 554,000 individuals, are classified as "others." This category includes non-Arab Christians, Baha’i, Samaritans, Karaite Jews, Seventh-day Adventists, Messianic Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and immigrants from the former Soviet Union who identify as Jewish but do not meet the Orthodox definition used for civil procedures[1][3].
In terms of religious affiliation, as of 2023-2025 data, the breakdown is approximately 74% Jewish, 21% Muslim, 2-5% Christian (including Arab and non-Arab Christians), and 1.6% Druze, with smaller percentages of other or unspecified faiths[1][2].
Additional Demographic Insights
- Immigration and Diaspora: Israel’s Law of Return grants citizenship to Jews and those of Jewish descent, contributing to significant immigration waves, particularly post-1948 and during the 1990s from the former Soviet Union[3]. About 45.5% of the world’s 16.8 million Jews reside in Israel, while nearly 10% of Israelis live abroad, forming a notable diaspora in countries like Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom[1][4].
- Foreign Residents and Migrants: Israel hosts around 248,000 foreigners, alongside an estimated 203,000-250,000 migrant workers and asylum seekers, many from Africa, Asia, and South America, some of whom reside illegally[1][3][5].
- Fertility and Growth Rates: The overall fertility rate is 2.86 children per woman as of 2024, with Jewish women averaging 3.06, down from 4.02 in 1951[1]. This high fertility rate, among the highest in developed countries, alongside immigration, sustains population growth despite a recent decline in immigration numbers[1][2].
Geographic Distribution
The population is unevenly distributed, with denser concentrations in central and coastal areas[1]:
- Tel Aviv District: 1,507,300 residents, density of 22,693 per square mile.
- Jerusalem District: 1,239,300 residents, density of 4,912 per square mile.
- Central District: 2,347,700 residents, density of 4,698 per square mile.
- Haifa District: 1,124,400 residents, density of 3,368 per square mile.
- Northern District: 1,542,100 residents, density of 894 per square mile.
- Southern District: 1,422,700 residents, density of 259 per square mile.
- Judea and Samaria District: 478,600 residents, with no specific density provided.
This distribution highlights the urban-centric nature of Israel’s population, with growth rates varying by region, such as 1.8% annually in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area[1].
Israel’s demographic landscape reflects a complex mosaic of ethnic, religious, and cultural identities, shaped by historical immigration patterns and ongoing social dynamics.
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- https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/latest-population-statistics-for-israel
- https://study.com/learn/lesson/israel-population-ethnic-groups-demographics.html
- https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/israel
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelis
- https://www.statista.com/topics/9064/demographics-of-israel/
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