On its 67th Independence Day, Israel can be proud of its booming population and thriving economy. 

The Central Bureau of Statistics released its traditional statistics report on the citizens of Israel in honor of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day.

Israel boasts 8,345,000 citizens, almost 10 times as many as the 806,000 at the time of the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. The Jewish population stands at 6,251,000 million, 75 percent of the entire population. Israel’s Arab citizens constitute 20.7 percent of the total population, numbering approximately 1,730,000. Non-Arab Christians and other religious groups constitute 4.4 percent of the population.

Since last year’s Independence Day, Israel’s population grew by 160,000, constituting a two-percent growth, including 176,000 newborn babies; 44,000 people have passed away.

Israel welcomed 32,000 new immigrants, a sharp increase over last year’s numbers. Some 3.5 million people have made aliyah (immigration to Israel) since 1948, making up 42 percent of the total population.

At the conclusion of 2014, 75% of the population were Israeli-born – known as “sabras” – half of them second-generation. In 1948, only 35% were sabras.

At the time of the establishment of the State of Israel, only one city had more than 100,000 residents – Tel Aviv-Yaffo. Today, 14 cities have over 100,000 residents; six of them have more than 200,000. They are Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Haifa, Rishon Letzion, Ashdod and Petach Tikvah. Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, is the most populated city, with 815,300 residents – almost 10 percent of the population.

Israeli Industry – A World Leader

The Ministry of Economy released a report on the growth of the Israel economy in honor of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, pointing to the massive leap that the country has made in this realm within a comparatively short time.

The number of direct workers in Israeli industry has grown from 65,000 in 1948 to almost 400,000 – almost six times as many.

The number of production plants has jumped similarly since the state’s establishment, from around 2,300 factories in 1948 to 124,000.

Industrial export (excluding diamonds) has increased from roughly $5 million in 1948 to around $47 billion over the past year, accounting for 40 percent of industrial sales.

Over 1,000 Israeli manufacturers mark their products with a “Made in Israel” symbol, compared to 760 in 2013. Of these, 706 businesses appear in an online catalogue, compared to 500 in 2013.

The economy ministry’s deputy director-general, Yinon Elroy, head of the Blue and White Division (products made in Israel), noted that “the blue and white industry is one of the State of Israel’s strategic assets and is represented in almost every industry. Israeli industry has become a world leader thanks to its creativity, enterprise, innovation and advanced technology.”

By: Max Gelber, United with Israel