Ethnic groups in the Palestinian territories
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demographic Demography () is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings. Demographic analysis examines and measures the dimensions and dynamics of populations; it can cover whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as edu ...
features of the population of the area which is commonly described as Palestinian territories and includes information on
ethnicity An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of that population. According to a commonly used definition as relating to an application of the
1949 Armistice Agreement The 1949 Armistice Agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt,green line Green Line may refer to: Places Military and political * Green Line (France), the German occupation line in France during World War II * Green Line (Israel), the 1949 armistice line established between Israel and its neighbours ** City Line ( ...
, the Palestinian territories have contributory parts of the West Bank (including
East Jerusalem East Jerusalem (, ; , ) is the sector of Jerusalem that was held by Jordan during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, as opposed to the western sector of the city, West Jerusalem, which was held by Israel. Jerusalem was envisaged as a separat ...
) and the
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...
. The Palestinian National Authority, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly, the European Union, the International Court of Justice, and the International Committee of the Red Cross use the terminology "Palestinian territories" or "occupied Palestinian territories". Israel refers to the administrative division encompassing Israeli-controlled Jewish-majority civilian areas of Area C of the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, as Judea and Samaria Area ( he, אֵזוֹר יְהוּדָה וְשׁוֹמְרוֹן, ''Ezor Yehuda VeShomron'').


Overview

The demographic statistics of '' The World Factbook'' and the
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics ( he, הלשכה המרכזית לסטטיסטיקה, ''HaLishka HaMerkazit LiStatistika''; ar, دائرة الإحصاء المركزية الإسرائيلية), abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli government ...
estimated that the collective Palestinian Arab population in the region of
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
, including Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, amounted to 5.79 million people in 2017. Thereof, 2.16 million Arabs live in the West Bank, 1.84 million Arabs live in Israel, and 1.79 million Arabs live in the Gaza Strip. The demographic statistics of ''The World Factbook'' and the
Israel Central Bureau of Statistics The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics ( he, הלשכה המרכזית לסטטיסטיקה, ''HaLishka HaMerkazit LiStatistika''; ar, دائرة الإحصاء المركزية الإسرائيلية), abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli government ...
estimated (2017) that the collective population in the Palestinian territories amounted to 4,543,126 people in 2017. Thereof, 2,155,743 Arabs live in the West Bank, 1,795,183 Arabs live in the Gaza Strip, and 391,000 Jews live in the West Bank. Approximately 214,600 Jews live in East Jerusalem. East Jerusalem, once administered by Jordan, came under Israeli occupation after the 1967 Six-Day War. In the Palestinian territories, c. 86% of the population is Arab (predominantly
Sunni Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
), c. 13% is Jewish, other <1% (cf. Israel: Jewish 74%, Arab 21%, other 5%). According to the UN, the population in the
State of Palestine Palestine ( ar, فلسطين, Filasṭīn), Legal status of the State of Palestine, officially the State of Palestine ( ar, دولة فلسطين, Dawlat Filasṭīn, label=none), is a state (polity), state located in Western Asia. Officiall ...
was c. 4.9 million in 2017, resulting in an estimated population density of 817 capita per km2. According to the
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS; ar, الجهاز المركزي للإحصاء الفلسطيني) is the official statistical institution of the State of Palestine. Its main task is to provide credible statistical figures a ...
(PCBS), the number of Palestinians in the Palestinian Territory was 3,935,249 in 2009, resulting in a calculated population density of 654 capita per km2, of which 433 capita/km2 in the West Bank including Jerusalem and 4,073 capita/km2 in
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...
.Palestine in Figures 2009
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS; ar, الجهاز المركزي للإحصاء الفلسطيني) is the official statistical institution of the State of Palestine. Its main task is to provide credible statistical figures a ...
, May 2010
In the mid-2009, the share of population less than 15 years was 41.9% and above 65 years 3%. Out of 224 listed countries and territories, the West Bank ranked 48th with a total fertility rate (TFR) of 3.2, and the Gaza Strip ranked 31st with a TFR of 3.97 according to ''The World Factbook'' in 2018. In 2018, the West Bank had an estimated population growth rate of 1.81% (country comparison to the world: 56th) and the Gaza Strip had a population growth rate of 2.25% (35th).


Vital statistics


UN estimates


Births and deaths


Population pyramids

Census (01/12/2007) : Estimates (01/07/2013) : Source:


Palestinian Central Bureau

Source:


Life expectancy

Average life expectancy at age 0 of the total population.


Demographics of the West Bank

The following demographic statistics are from ''The World Factbook'', unless otherwise indicated.


Population

Total 2,939,418 (July 2018 est.); 71.72% of the population is Arab (predominantly Sunni), 28.28% is Jewish (cf. Israel: Jewish 74%, Arab 21%, other 5%; and
Gaza Gaza may refer to: Places Palestine * Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea ** Gaza City, a city in the Gaza Strip ** Gaza Governorate, a governorate in the Gaza Strip Lebanon * Ghazzeh, a village in ...
: Arab 99%) * Palestinian Arab 2,155,743 (July 2017 est.), 71.72% * Israeli Jew 850,481 (2016, 2020 est.), 28.28% ** approximately 475,481 Israeli Jews thereof live in the West Bank (2020) ** approximately 375,000 Israeli Jews thereof live in East Jerusalem (2016)


Age structure

0–14 years: 36.1% (male 518,376/female 491,676) 15–24 years: 21.8% (male 302,474/female 289,852) 25–54 years: 34.5% (male 489,559/female 475,402) 55–64 years: 4.7% (male 68,317/female 64,233) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 44,662/female 53,943) (2018 est.)


Population growth rate

1.81% (2018 est.)


Birth rate

26 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)


Mortality rate

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)


Net migration rate

-4.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)


Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0–14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15–24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 25–54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 55–64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)


Infant mortality rate

total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)


Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.4 years
male: 73.4 years
female: 77.6 years (2018 est.)


Total fertility rate

3.2 children born/woman (2018 est.) * Jewish population: 5.07 children born/woman (West Bank alone)


Nationality

''noun:'' Arabs: Palestinian


Ethnic groups

Palestinian Arab: 83%
Israeli Jewish and other: 17%


Religions

Muslim 80–85% (predominantly Sunni)
Jewish 12–14%
Christian 1.0–2.5%, (mainly Greek Orthodox)
Other religious minorities include
Palestinian Metawalis Palestinian Metawalis are a Palestinian Shiite community. Louis Lortet and Ernest Renan believe that Metawalis are Kurds, who migrated from Iraq to Palestine in the 13th century. During the time of Mandatory Palestine, Palestinian Metawalis had ...
,
Palestinian Druze Druze in Israel, Palestinian Druze were people in Mandatory Palestine who belonged to the Druze ethnoreligious group. During the first census of the British mandate, Druze were one of eight religious demographic groups who were categorized, The se ...
and
Palestinian Baha'is Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...
.


Languages

Arabic, English (compulsory in schools, widely spoken by Palestinians), and Hebrew (spoken by Israeli Jews in the West Bank, and spoken by many Palestinians) are commonly known.


Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.9%
male: 98.6%
female: 95.2% (2016 est.)


Demographics of the Gaza Strip

The following demographic statistics are from ''The World Factbook'', unless otherwise indicated.


Population

Current: 1,836,713 (July 2018 est.) In 2010 approximately 1.6 million Palestinians lived in the Gaza Strip, almost 1.0 million of them UN-registered refugees. The Strip's population has continued to increase since that time, one of the main reasons being a total fertility rate of 4.24 children per woman (2014 est). In a ranking by total fertility rate, this places Gaza 34th of 224 regions.


Age structure

0–14 years: 44.1% (male 415,746/female 394,195)
15–24 years: 21.3% (male 197,797/female 194,112)
25–54 years: 28.5% (male 256,103/female 267,285)
55–64 years: 3.5% (male 33,413/female 30,592)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 24,863/female 22,607) (2018 est.)


Population growth rate

2.25% (2018 est.)


Birth rate

30.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)


Mortality rate

3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)


Net migration rate

-5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)


Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0–14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15–24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25–54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
55–64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)


Infant mortality rate

total population: 16/1,000 live births
male: 17.1/1,000 live births
female: 14.9/1,000 live births (2018 est.)


Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.4 years
male: 72.7 years
female: 76.2 years (2018 est.)


Total fertility rate

3.97 children born/woman (2018 est.)


Nationality

''noun:'' Palestinians
''adjective:'' Palestinian


Ethnic groups

Arab (Palestinian) 98.7%


Religions

Sunni Muslim Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagree ...
98–99%,
Arab Christians Arab Christians ( ar, ﺍَﻟْﻤَﺴِﻴﺤِﻴُّﻮﻥ ﺍﻟْﻌَﺮَﺏ, translit=al-Masīḥīyyūn al-ʿArab) are ethnic Arabs, Arab nationals, or Arabic-speakers who adhere to Christianity. The number of Arab Christians who l ...
0.2% (2,000 to 3,000 est.), other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1.0% (2012 est.).Middle East Christians: Gaza pastor
BBC News, 21 December 2005


Languages

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many older Gaza Palestinians), English (widely understood)


Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.9%
male: 98.6%
female: 95.2% (2016 est.)


See also

* Demographic history of Palestine (region) *
Demographics of Israel The State of Israel had a population of approximately 9,506,100 inhabitants as of May 2022. Some 73.9% were Jews of all backgrounds (about 7,021,000 individuals), 21.1% were Arab of any religion other than Jewish (about 2,007,000 individuals), ...
* Demographics of the Middle East * Economy of the Palestinian territories * Genetic history of the Middle East * Palestinian National Authority (PNA) *
Politics of the Palestinian National Authority The politics of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) take place within the framework of a semi-presidential multi-party republic, with a legislative council, an executive president, and a prime minister leading the cabinet. Political develop ...
*
Population statistics for Israeli West Bank settlements The population statistics for Israeli settlements in the West Bank are collected by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. As such, the data contains only population of settlements recognized by the Israeli authorities. Israeli outposts, which a ...


References


External links


''The World Factbook''
* Forbes, Andrew, and Henley, David, ''People of Palestine'' (Chiang Mai: Cognoscenti Books, 2012), ASIN: B0094TU8VY

1995 paper by Arjun L. Adlakha, Kevin G. Kinsella and Marwan Khawaja. Available at Population Bulletin of
ESCWA The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA; ar, الإسكوا) is one of five regional commissions under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The role of the Commission is to promote e ...
's website. {{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of The Palestinian Territories Palestinian territories Demographics of the Middle East Palestinian territories Society of the State of Palestine