Israeli population approaches 10 million on Independence Day
Israel’s population stands at 9.72 million, according to figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of Independence Day.
Israeli Air Force planes fly over Jerusalem on Independence Day, April 26, 2023. Photo by Rivka Benson/TPS
Of those, 7,145,000 are Jewish, or 73.5 %. Arabs make up 21% of the population, while other minorities, such as Druze, Bedouins and Circassians make up 5.5% of the population.
Since last Independence Day, Israel’s population has increased by 216,000, or 2.3% over the previous year. This included the births of 183,000 babies, the arrival of approximately 79,000 immigrants and the deaths of 51,000 people.
The bureau also noted that 46% of world Jewry was living in Israel as of the end of 2021.
According to the bureau’s projections, the Israeli population will number 11.1 million in 2030, 13.2 million in 2040 and 15.2 million in 2048 when the country celebrates its 100th anniversary.
The first Israeli census in November 1948 counted 806,000 citizens. Today’s population is 12 times that size. According to the bureau, about 60,000 Israeli citizens alive today were born in 1948, and more than 3,300 are over 100 years old.
Since 1948, more than 3.3 million people have immigrated to Israel, of which 1.5 million (43.7%) arrived after 1990.
28% of the current Israeli population is aged 14 or younger, while 12% are over the age of 65.
Israel is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
