Israel Overview

Country Profile

Israel is located in Western Asia. According to the 1947 United Nations resolution on the partition of Palestine, the State of Israel’s area is 14,900 square kilometers. Israel has a population of 6.75 million, of whom 76.7% are Jewish, with the rest Arabs, Druze, and others. Most of the residents are Jewish. Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages, and English is also spoken. NIS is the currency. At founding, the capital was Tel Aviv, but it moved to Jerusalem in 1950.

Israel National Flag

The white flag has blue bands at top and bottom. White and blue come from the colors of the Jewish prayer shawl. In the middle is the Star of David, a king of ancient Israel.

History Summary

Jewish ancestors are the offshoot of ancient Semitic Hebrews, originated about 4000 in Mesopotamia, after the result of a migration to avoid natural disasters in the eastern Nile Delta in Egypt. In 13 BC, the world began to move to Palestine from Egypt. In 1917, the British occupied Palestine, and, on July 24, 1922, the League of Nations gave the British “Mandate Instructions” on Palestine, providing for the establishment of a “Jewish national home.” On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing the Palestinian Arab and Jewish States. On May 14, 1948, Israel was established.

On July 30, 1980, the Knesset passed a bill declaring that Jerusalem is Israel’s “eternal and indivisible” capital. (The status of Jerusalem and its attribution to the Arab States and Israel have always been controversial.) For the majority of countries with diplomatic relations with Israel, their embassies are still located in Tel Aviv. At the founding of Israel, its area was 1.49 million square meters, but after the 1948 and 1973 wars, Israel actually controls about 25,000 square kilometers.

Economy and Culture Overview

Israel’s economy is of mixed type and is relatively developed, one of the largest industrial countries in the Middle East. In agriculture, industry, technology, and higher levels of the military, the private sector owns a large proportion, but there is strict government control of key sectors. Military and diamond processing industries are most prominent. Israel has the world’s most advanced diamond processing technology, and its output of small polished gems ranks first in the world. As with all small economies, the domestic market is not large. Economic growth depends mainly on export-driven expansion, and Israel has been very creative in developing export trade. Because of the long period of hostility with all the surrounding Arab countries, much of its foreign trade is into distant markets. The main trade partners are Europe, the United States, and Japan.

Israel terrain is narrow, mostly plateau and desert territory. The plateau on the Mediterranean coastal plain is of varying size. This is Israel’s major agricultural area. Agricultural products are citrus fruits, wheat, cereals, vegetables, fresh produce, dairy, poultry, and fish.

Jewish people are experts in business and financial management. Diaspora Jews around the world only 1500 people, gathered a small number of Que enormous wealth, the world economy has greatly affected; Israel per capita income, behind only Japan among Asian countries, Hu Shao Shu oil-rich countries, the successful secret Zaiyu Jewish ethnic diaspora in the long run, the formation of a unique business culture. In general, Israelis’ personality is impatient and tired of etiquette, but frank and honest.

The Israeli government attaches importance to education; the number of books per capita ranks first in the world. Israelis love music and archeology. A variety of large and small archaeological, artistic, and history museums are all over the country. Archaeology is a major leisure activities of many Israelis.
Smoking is allowed in public places in Israel. It is forbidden to take pictures in the Jewish settlements, especially for foreign workers which can be taboo.

Jerusalem

Located in the Palestinian area on the central plateau, 790 meters above sea level, the city’s Old Townis east with West, North, and South Metro areas. Residents are mainly Jews and Arabs. Christianity holds that the city was the center of the life of Jesus, with his evangelism, martyrdom and resurrection taking place here or near here; Muslims believe that Mohammed ascended to heaven from here. Jews believe that King Solomon built the ancient Jewish temple here. From the religious point of view, no city in the world can be compared to this ancient city in the Middle East on the eastern Mediterranean. The world’s three major religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, consider Jerusalem to be a holy place. The three major religions all have many legends about Jerusalem. Israel declared Jerusalem to be its “permanent capital” in 1980. In November 1988, a Palestinian state was proclaimed, with Jerusalem as its capital as well.

Bethlehem

Threshold of the world’s Jewish and Christian holy sites, Bethlehem is an important pilgrimage and tourist center. In Christian legend, the “savior” Jesus was born here. In the legend of the Kingdom of King David, the Jewish homeland of Israel. Bethlehem’s most famous religious monument is the Christmas Cathedral, the world’s oldest existing Christian Church. It is located in Bethlehem in a cave on Mahe De Plaza. Bethlehem is also the center of religious souvenir production, rich in olive wood and pearl shell, used as the raw material for sacred objects and embroidery crafts. Local residents have their own traditional clothing, with a unique style of color and embroidery pattern.

Wailing Wall

Also known as the Western Wall, the Wailing Wall is a shrine of Judaism, located on the eastern outskirts of the Old City of Jerusalem. The wall is about 19 meters, twelve stories of stone blocks. In the 10th century BC, in the ancient Kingdom of Israel, King David’s son Solomon, built the first Jewish temple on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, which gradually became their religious, political, social, and cultural center. Rome completely destroyed the temple in 135 AD, and the vast majority of Jews were expelled into the Diaspora in Europe. Later, only the ruins of the temple building remainded, a wall. After thousands of years, the Jews scattered in a situation of misery around the world, especially during World War II when the German fascists brutally destroyed over six million Jews. Many of these painful historical experiences are etched into the hearts of the Jews. Therefore, this is the “Wailing Wall” in the name of history.

Lowest city in the world – Jericho

Jericho has had 1,000 years of history. It is located 10 km NATO Hercynian dead, seven kilometers west of the Jordan River. Lying 250 meters below sea level, barren land in vast green space, known as “God’s Garden.” It produces herbs, with incense especially famous. Dates, rich tropical fruits, and vegetables are also grown. Cold winter resorts.

Israel Map