Northern District (Israel)

The Northern District ( he, מחוז הצפון, ''Mekhoz HaTzafon''; ar, منطقة الشمال, ''Minṭaqat ash-Shamāl'') is one of Israel's six administrative districts. The Northern District has a land area of 4,478 km², which increases to 4,638 km² when both land and water are included. The district capital is Nof HaGalil and the largest city is Nazareth.

The Golan Heights has been run as a sub-district of the North District of Israel since the 1981 Golan Heights Law was passed, although the claim is only recognized by the United States while United Nations Security Council Resolution 497 condemns the annexation but does not enforce it. The Golan Heights covers a land area of 1,154 km² and the remainder of the Northern District covers 3,324 km² (3,484 km² including water).

Demographics

According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics data for 2016:
* Total population: 1,390,900 (2016)
* Ethnic:
** Arabs: 746,600 (53.7%)
** Jews: 599,700 (43.1%)
** Others: 44,600 (3.2%)

In the Israeli census, no distinction is made between Arab citizens of Israel and Syrian inhabitants of the Golan Heights, many of whom are not citizens of Israel, but of Syria.

* Religious:
** Jews: 599,700 (43.1%)
** Muslims: 540,600 (38.9%)
** Druze: 111,400 (8%)
** Arab Christians: 93,100 (6.7%)
** Not classified: 40,000 (2.9%)
* Density: 311/km²

The Northern District is the only district of Israel where the majority of inhabitants are Arabs.

Administrative local authorities

See also

* Galilee
* Arab localities in Israel
* List of cities in Israel

References

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