The country of Israel, located in the
Middle East, was founded in 1948. It
was the first homeland for the Jewish
people in nearly 2,000 years. Because
Israel lies in territory claimed by Arabs,
it has faced conflict with neighboring
Arab countries. Israel has also experienced
violence between Jews and Arabs
(known as Palestinians) living within its
borders. Israel claims Jerusalem as its
capital.
Geography
Israel borders Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and
Lebanon. The Mediterranean Sea lies to
the west. Israelis and the Arabs of the
region have long disagreed about the
limits of Israel’s territory.
Along the coast is a narrow plain. Hills
rise in northern and central Israel. The
country’s highest point, Mount Meron,
is in the mountains of Galilee in the
north. Several valleys run the length of
Israel in the east. In the south is a dry,
rugged region called the Negev.
In the east the Jordan River flows southward
into the freshwater Sea of Galilee
and the salty Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is
the lowest place on Earth. It is 1,312
feet (400 meters) below sea level. Israel
generally has mild, wet winters and hot,
dry summers.
Plants and Animals
Modern Israelis have planted millions of
trees to replace forests that were cut
down long ago. Shrubs cover the hills.
Desert scrub grows in the Negev. Citrus
trees grow on the coastal plain.
Israel’s animals include wildcats, wild
boars, gazelles, ibex, jackals, hyenas, and
badgers. Among its reptiles are lizards
and vipers. Birds include partridges,
tropical cuckoos, and desert larks.
The dry region known as the Negev takes
up a large part of Israel.
168 Israel BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
People
Jews make up more than three fourths
of the population. Jews from all over the
world began settling in the region even
before Israel became an independent
country in 1948. Most of the rest of the
people are Arabs. Judaism is the main
religion, but the majority of the Arabs
follow Islam. Hebrew and Arabic are the
main languages. Many people also speak
English. Most people live in cities,
mainly along the coast.
Economy
The economy of Israel is based on services,
including banking, government
work, and tourism. Manufacturing is
also important. The country is a top
producer of cut and polished diamonds.
Other products include electronics,
computer software, machinery, transportation
equipment, chemicals, metals,
processed foods, paper products, and
clothing.
Only a small number of people work in
agriculture, but Israel’s farms produce
much of the country’s food. Crops
include potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
wheat, grapes, apples, olives, and cotton.
The main livestock are sheep and cattle.
History
The territory now known as Israel is part
of a region called Palestine. The area was
the ancient homeland of the Jews. Long
ago it came under the control of other
rulers, though some Jewish people continued
to live there. In the 600s it
became part of the Muslim world. In the
late 1800s Jews began a movement,
called Zionism, to re-create a Jewish
state. The Arabs in Palestine opposed
the movement.
In 1918 the British occupied Palestine.
AfterWorldWar II (1939–45) the British
asked the United Nations to help
settle the disagreements between the
Jews and the Palestinian Arabs. In 1947
the United Nations voted to divide the
region into separate Jewish and Arab
states. Arab leaders refused to accept that
decision. The State of Israel declared its
independence in 1948.
The Arab-IsraeliWars
Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq
immediately declared war on Israel.
Israel won the war. It was the first of
several Arab-Israeli wars. In 1949 Israel
took control of three fourths of Palestine,
twice as much land as proposed by
the United Nations.
Israel gained more territory in the Six-
DayWar of 1967. It took the eastern
A worker unloads a bucket full of melons on
a moshav in Israel. A moshav is a kind of
cooperative farm. This means that many
people work together to farm the land. A
kibbutz is another form of cooperative farm
in Israel.
Facts About
ISRAEL
Population
(2008 estimate)
7,018,000
Area
8,367 sq mi
(21,671 sq km)
Capital
Israel claims
Jerusalem as its
capital
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Jerusalem, Tel
Aviv-Yafo, Haifa,
Rishon LeZiyyon,
Ashdod,
Beersheba
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Israel 169
part of Jerusalem and theWest Bank
from Jordan, the Sinai Peninsula and the
Gaza Strip from Egypt, and the Golan
Heights from Syria. In 1973 Egypt and
Syria launched a surprise attack on
Israel. Israel lost many soldiers but eventually
won the war.
In 1979 Israel and Egypt signed a peace
treaty. However, Israel’s relations with
other Arab countries remained poor. In
1982 Israel invaded Lebanon. It wanted
to drive out Palestinian fighters
belonging to a group known as the
Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO). In 1987 Palestinians living in
the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
began a violent protest (intifada in
Arabic) against Israel.
The Troubled Peace Process
Peace talks between Israel, the Arab
countries, and Palestinians began in
1992. The following year Israel agreed
to give the Palestinians some control of
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
