Israel Key Facts
Location
Time
Area
Population
Population Density
Capital
Geography
Although only the size of Wales or Massachusetts, Israel contains a great variety of terrain and four climate zones. The north of the country is the fertile hill region of Galilee, rising to Mount Hermon and Golan in the northeast. The fertile Plain of Sharon runs along the coast, while inland, parallel to the coast, is a range of hills and uplands with relatively barren stony areas to the east. The country stretches southwards through the Negev Desert to Eilat, a resort town on the Red Sea. The Great Rift Valley begins beyond the sources of the River Jordan in the north and extends south through the Dead Sea (the lowest point in the world), into the Red Sea, continuing on into Eastern Africa. Israel's largest freshwater lake, the Kinneret (also known the Sea of Galilee) is an important source of drinking water for the country.
Government
Head of State
Head of Government
Recent History
Whoever emerges victorious in the elections must address urgent issues, not the least of which is the revival of the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Conflict is heaviest in and around Gaza, which Israel has blockaded since the summer of 2006. The blockade has caused food and fuel shortages in Gaza yet Hamas remains defiant and continues to launch rockets on Israeli towns lying just outside the strip. A rift between Hamas and the secular Fatah, which rules the West Bank, has helped to thwart peace efforts with Israel.
Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres is now the ninth president of Israel. The 83-year-old was elected in June 2007 and will serve a seven-year term. His predecessor, Moshe Katsav, was forced to resign after admitting charges of sexual harassment and abuse of authority.
Language
Religion
Electricity
Social Conventions
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