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Interesting Israel Facts That Will Probably Surprise You!

Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle Eastern country of Israel is considered the Biblical Holy Land by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. There are so many interesting Israel facts to share with you!

The country’s most sacred sites are located in Jerusalem, which Old City plays host to the Temple Mount. The well-revered site is home to such iconic structures as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Dome of Rock Shrine, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the historic Western Wall.

The Lowest Point in the World Is Located In Israel

The first of interesting facts about Israel is that the Dead Sea, which lies placidly between this country and Jordan, is considered the lowest point in the world. The water, which is rich in salt and mineral deposits, is 416 meters or 1,365 feet below sea level.

Because of the sea’s high mineral and salt content, animals and plants cannot thrive or grow in the sea or the adjacent area.

1/3 of Israelis Were Not Born In The Country

One of the most interesting facts about Israel is that not all of the local residents (about two-thirds of the population) were born in the country. All of the other Israelis come from as many as 100 different countries.

Israeli Jews live lifestyles similar to North Americans and Europeans. While 75% of the population is Jewish, the remainder is Arab. Israeli-occupied Palestine territories are inhabited by about 3.5 million people, made up of an 11% Jewish population and 89% Palestinian people.

Over half of Israelis live on a narrow coastal plain close to the Mediterranean Sea on the west.

Israel Is One Of The Most Expensive Countries In The World

Another of the interesting Israel facts is that the country ranks #8 on the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The winner is Switzerland, followed by Norway and Iceland.

Israelis Love Wine

Even though Israel is not the biggest exporter of wine in the world, the wine produced in this country is really delicious. There are 200+ wineries in Israel.

Fields in the country are used to grow grapes that produce vintage, red, white, and sparkling wines.

Both Google And Facebook Where Founded By Jews

One of the Israel facts that are not necessarily connected with the country itself, is that the Jews are brilliant people.

We can thank them for Facebook (Mark Zuckerberg) and Google (Sergey Brin) among many other things we use every day.

The Life Expectancy in Israel Is Above Average

One of the Israel facts that are worth knowing is that the citizens of this country live long.

The average life expectancy in Israel for women is 82 years of age while it is 78.5 years old for men.

The Agricultural Output In Israel Is Astounding

Over the past 25 years, the amount of food harvested has increased sevenfold with barely a negligible increase in the amount of total water used, and that fact is backed up by palm tree production in the country.

While the average date palm harvests about 17 kilograms of dates each year, Israeli palm trees are prolific producers by comparison. The palms produce 182 kilograms or over 10 times the amount of the average date palm. Not only that, Israel is the only country anywhere that recorded a net gain in trees in the 21st century. Another agricultural feat concerns a green pepper that was grown in Moshav Ein Yahav. The large vegetable weighed in at half a kilogram or one pound.

However, plants are not the only agricultural sources that produce significant quantities of food. Israeli cows also produce more milk than almost any other country with the exception of South Korea. What’s interesting, traditional Israeli food recipes don’t contain milk! At the end of the day, you don’t need milk to make hummus or falafel, right?

Israeli Women Serve in Combat Roles

Also, beginning in 1995, women started being recruited to combat positions in the Israeli Defense Forces or IDF.

That made Israel one of the few countries in the world with compulsory military service for women. The other countries that require women to serve in the army are Armenia, Singapore, Norway, Eritrea, Cape Verde, North Korea, Chad, and Sweden.

People in Israel Are Enterprising

If you want to hire the best employment talent, you may want to confine your search to Israel.

Approximately 24% of the country’s workforce holds university degrees while 12% are holders of advanced degrees. As a result, Israel ranks third in the industrialized world among holders of degrees, ranking behind the U.S. and Holland.

In addition, the country is rated third-highest in entrepreneurship with the highest number of women and people over 55 pursuing entrepreneurial activities in the world.

Israel Is an Innovator in the Field of Technology

Credit Israel for the invention of the firewall in computer technology. The Israeli country Check Point, which is known the world over for its IT security products, is the inventor of the firewall product. Indeed, Israel has been a trailblazer when it comes to recent technological advances as it is also home to 3,000+ high-tech businesses.

For example, voicemail technology was developed in Israel and Pentium MMX chip technology was established at Intel, also in the country. Also, most of the Windows NT OS was developed and produced in Israel at its Microsoft facilities. As noted, Israel also has the highest concentration of high-tech enterprises in the world, aside from Silicon Valley. The country also has the highest percentage of home computers per capita of any country in the world.

Israel’s Climate Is Very Diversified

Needless to say, Israel is a diverse and interesting country from both a cultural and historical standpoint. It is also a country that is notable in terms of tourism, technology, and agriculture.

The land area of Israel is about the size of the USA state of New Jersey. With a diverse climate, the country features a hot and arid desert in its southern section while showcasing snow-capped mountains in the north.

In fact, the Negev Desert in southern Israel only receives 32 mm or one inch of rain annually. However, Galilee, to the north, is home to the most fertile farmland in the country. Syria, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority border Israel on the east, while Egypt lies to the south and Lebanon, serves as the northern boundary of the country.

Birds Are Flying Over Israel Like Crazy

According to statistics, Israel also has one of the highest amounts of bird traffic worldwide. Over 500 million birds migrate over the country’s airspace annually.

Israeli Money Features Braille for Visually Impaired People

Israel circulates banknotes that have braille on them for people who are blind or who are visually impaired, an action that helps people become more self-sufficient.

Some Names In Israel Are Highly Popular

In addition, the latest statistics show that Yitzhak and Chaim are popular names, especially for aspiring Presidents. Since the establishment of the state, two Presidents have been named Yitzhak and Chaim.

The name Noam is currently a popular name for both boy and girl babies.

Jews Didn’t Have The Country For Thousands Of Years

It may be quite obvious Israel fact but some of you may not know that Jews didn’t have their own country since the 1st-2nd century!

They have been living in diaspora until their country in 1948 was formed.

Bonus Basic Israel Facts

Established on May 14, 1948, Israel is the Middle East’s only liberal democracy and is also the one sole Jewish state in the world. It is also the world’s youngest state.

Official languages in Israel are Hebrew and Arabic.

Almost 9 million people live in Israel.

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If you are looking for the best tours & places to stay in Israel, check out Abraham Company. We spent an amazing 2 weeks with them, traveling around the country and visiting Petra.

5 Responses

  1. Amazing country Israel, I just love the County because they care their people, they have the best anti-missile system all over the country. I Just love this country and want to live there.

  2. I am desperate to go to this wonderful country, my father is Jewish, I don’t think I would come back. Love the people, food and diversity.

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