Geography
Area: 20,770 sq km
Capital: Jerusalem
Landscape: the Negev desert, low coastal plains, central mountains, Jordan Rift Valley, the Jordan River
Environmental problems: shortage of fresh water and arable land, air and water pollution
Climate: moderate, dry and hot in the southern and eastern parts

People
Population: 6,9 million inhabitants
Growth rate: 1,91% (1998)
Average life expectancy: 78,4 years
Ethnic groups: Jewish – 82%, non-Jewish – 18%
Languages: Hebrew, Arabic (officially used by Arab minority), English as a most frequently used foreign language
Religions: Judaism (82%), Islam (14%), Christian (2%), Druze and other (2%)
Compulsory education: 5-16 years; free (2004)

Government
Name: The State of Israel (parliamentary democracy)
President: Moshe Katzav (since July 2000) – the chief of the state
Prime Minister: Ehud Olmert (since May 2006) – the head of the government

Communication and Transportation
Telephone: 3 million lines in use (2004)
Internet: 3.2 million users (2005)
Roadways: 17,237 km
Railroads: 640 km
Airfields: 51 (2005)

Economy
Currency: New Israeli shekel
GDP growth rate: 5.2% (2005)
Inflation rate: 1.3% (2005)
Employment: agriculture, forestry, fishing, manufacturing, construction works, commerce, transport, storage, communications, finance and business, services.
Export: fruit, vegetable, cut diamonds, high-tech equipment
Import: grains, military equipment, crude oils, raw materials
Natural resources: copper ore, natural gas, timber, potash, clays, sand, phosphate rock