Western Asia · Asia

Israel

Discover Israel - a tiny nation where 4,000 years of biblical history meets cutting-edge tech startups, world-class cuisine, and the Dead Sea.

Where Is Israel?

Israel is a country in Western Asia. It designates Jerusalem as its capital, with limited international recognition; most embassies are in Tel Aviv.

Where Israel isWestern Asia · Capital Jerusalem (limited recognition)

Capital Jerusalem (limited recognition)
Population 10.1M
Area 20,770 km²

Israel packs an almost absurd amount of history, innovation, and intensity into a country roughly the size of New Jersey. This is where three of the world's major religions trace their roots, where the Dead Sea sits at the lowest point on Earth, and where a startup ecosystem rivals Silicon Valley on a per-capita basis. More than 4,000 years of history live alongside cutting-edge technology in a country where ancient Jerusalem and ultramodern Tel Aviv are just an hour apart.

The contrasts are staggering. Tel Aviv is a secular, Mediterranean party city with world-class restaurants, Bauhaus architecture, and a tech scene that produces more startups per capita than almost anywhere on Earth. Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in continuous existence, is sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam simultaneously. The Negev Desert blooms with agricultural innovation. The Dead Sea lets you float without trying. And the food - a dizzying fusion of Middle Eastern, North African, and European traditions - is having a global moment. Israel is a place where nothing is simple, everything is debated, and the energy never stops.

At a glance

Language

Hebrew & Arabic

Currency

Israeli New Shekel (ILS)

Calling Code

+972

Drives On

Right

Internet

.il

Timezone

IST (UTC+2)

Script

Hebrew & Arabic

Government

Parliamentary Democracy

Independence

1948

By population

Largest cities in Israel

Jerusalem

One of the world's oldest cities, sacred to three religions, where the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Al-Aqsa Mosque stand within walking distance

970,000

Tel Aviv

Mediterranean coastal city known for its Bauhaus White City, legendary nightlife, startup culture, and some of the best food in the Middle East

460,000

Haifa

Port city on Mount Carmel known for coexistence, the stunning Baha'i Gardens, and a thriving tech sector

285,000

Be'er Sheva

Capital of the Negev desert and growing tech hub, home to Ben-Gurion University and increasingly called the cyber capital of Israel

210,000

Eilat

Resort city on the Red Sea with year-round sunshine, coral reefs, and a border crossing to Jordan's Aqaba

52,000

People

Famous people from Israel

Albert Einstein
Science
Was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, his connection to the country helped establish its scientific foundations
Natalie Portman
Film
Israeli-American actress who won the Academy Award for Black Swan, born in Jerusalem
Amos Oz
Literature
Internationally acclaimed novelist and essayist whose works explored Israeli society and the quest for peace
Daniel Kahneman
Science
Israeli-American psychologist who won the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on behavioral economics and decision-making
Ada Yonath
Science
First Israeli woman to win the Nobel Prize, awarded in Chemistry for studies of the structure of the ribosome

Food

Traditional cuisine of Israel

Hummus: Creamy chickpea and tahini dip elevated to an obsession, served warm with olive oil and eaten with fresh pita at dedicated hummusiyot
Shakshuka: Eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, served sizzling in the pan, the ultimate Israeli breakfast dish
Falafel: Crispy fried chickpea balls stuffed into pita with salads, tahini, and pickles, the iconic Israeli street food
Sabich: Iraqi-Jewish pita sandwich of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, and amba mango pickle, a Tel Aviv street food legend
Israeli Salad: Finely diced cucumbers and tomatoes with lemon and olive oil, served at almost every meal and chopped with near-religious precision

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Israel

Dead SeaLake: The lowest point on Earth at 430 meters below sea level, so salty you float effortlessly on its mineral-rich surface
Negev DesertDesert: Vast desert covering more than half the country, home to dramatic craters, Bedouin communities, and innovative desert agriculture
Ramon CraterCanyon: The world's largest erosion crater at 40 km long, a geological wonder in the heart of the Negev with otherworldly landscapes
Sea of GalileeLake: Freshwater lake of immense religious significance, the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and a vital water source
Coral Beach Nature ReserveMarine: Red Sea reef near Eilat with extraordinary biodiversity, one of the northernmost coral reef ecosystems in the world

Sport

Sports in Israel

Football: The most popular spectator sport, with Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv competing in European competitions
Basketball: Maccabi Tel Aviv has won six EuroLeague titles, making Israel a legitimate European basketball power
Judo: Multiple Olympic medals including golds, judo is one of Israel's most successful Olympic sports

Facts

Did you know?

Israel has more startups per capita than any other country and is known as the Startup Nation
The Dead Sea is shrinking by about one meter per year, making its preservation an urgent environmental challenge
Hebrew was revived as a spoken language in the late 19th century after being used mainly for prayer for nearly 2,000 years
Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with more trees than it had at the start of the 20th
Tel Aviv's White City contains over 4,000 Bauhaus-style buildings, the largest collection in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The country has won 13 Nobel Prizes despite having a population of under 10 million

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