1. Israel By: Sean Murphy

2. Economy GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): – $247.9 billion (2012 est.) – country comparison to the world: 51 GDP (Real Growth Rate): – 2.9% (2012 est.) – country comparison to the world: 115 GDP (Per Capita) – $32,200 (2012 est.) – country comparison to the world: 41

3. Economics cont’d Unemployment rate: – 6.3% (2012 est.) – country comparison to the world: 65 Population below poverty line – 23.6%

4. Communications Telephones - main lines in use: – 3.5 million (2011) – country comparison to the world: 47 Telephones - mobile cellular: – 9.2 million (2011) – country comparison to the world: 81 Telephone system: – general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East – domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital; four privately-owned mobile- cellular service providers with countrywide coverage

5. Internet Internet hosts: – 2.483 million (2012) – country comparison to the world: 36 Internet users: – 4.525 million (2009) – country comparison to the world: 51

6. People and Society Nationality: – Israeli Ethnic Groups: – Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-born 22.6%, Africa- born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab) (2004) Languages: – Hebrew (official), Arabic (used officially for Arab minority), English (most commonly used foreign language) Religions: – Jewish 75.6%, Muslim 16.9%, Christian 2%, Druze 1.7%, other 3.8% (2008) Population: – 7,590,758 (July 2012 est.) – country comparison to the world: 97 Life Expectancy: – total population: 81.07 years – country comparison to the world: 18

7. Government Government type – Parliamentary Democracy Capital – Jerusalem Independence – 14 May 1948 No formal Constitution

8. Early Background Israel was formed when many Jews fled to Palestine after World War II The state was divided into two territories: – Palestine- Arab – Israel- Jewish The Palestinians were never in favor of this, and relations between the two have always been tense While there have been attempts at peace, violence always breaks out

9. Israel Today Today, Israel is still having problems with many of its neighbors Most notably right now, Syria Both Israel and Syria have bombed each other in recent months Because of these bombings and our strained relationship with Israel, President Obama is currently visiting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

10. Israel Today cont’d The most recent bombing was January 30 th, 2013 Israel launched the attack to try to preemptively keep Syria’s civil war from spilling over to them This situation is far from over and will need to be monitored closely in the upcoming months

11. Bibliography http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacade mic/?verb=sf&sfi=AC01NBSimplSrch http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacade mic/?verb=sf&sfi=AC01NBSimplSrch http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02- 05/obama-set-to-make-first-trip-to-israel-as- president-this-year.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02- 05/obama-set-to-make-first-trip-to-israel-as- president-this-year.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/geos/is.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/geos/is.html