Growing steadily (archive)
Photo: Amit Magal
Israeli population at 7,509,000 at end of decade
Central Bureau of Statistics figures reveal 160,000 births and 39,000 deaths in past year. Three-quarters of population are Jewish, and 20% is Arab
At the end of the December 2009, there are some 7,509,000 residents in the State of Israel, according to figures published by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday ahead of the civil new year.
The figures do not include foreigners staying in Israel.
According to the figures, 75.4% of Israel's population is Jewish, 20.3% is Arab, and 4.3% is defined as "other" – immigrants who are not registered as Jews, non-Arab Christians, and residents without a religious classification.
In the past year, the population of Israel grew 1.8%. The CBS noted that the population growth rate has been stable since 2003. Some 160,000 babies were born in the past year, and 39,000 people died.
The population in 2009 grew by 135,000 people. At the beginning of 2009, the population in Israel was 7,373,000.
According to the CBS, 14,500 new immigrants arrived in Israel throughout 2009, a figure similar to last year's numbers. However, just a few days ago, the Absorption Ministry announced that the number of immigrants to Israel increased by 17% in the past year.
Four years ago, the country crossed the 7 million mark in terms of population.
