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Israel

The State of Israel was established in 1948 as a homeland for the Jewish people, Israel lies at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, it is bordered by Egypt on the southwest. Jordan on the east, Syria on the northeast, and Lebanon on the north until the early 1990s Israel was in conflict with its Arab neighbors, including five wars from 1948 to 1982. Israel also has had to forge a nation from diverse Jewish people from all parts of the world, while trying to integrate a large Arab minority. While striving to perpetuate the religious and cultural traditions that contributed to the Zionist rebirth, the tiny nation was also forced to become a first-rate military power.

Israel has a diversity of landforms. The highest areas are found in the mountainous regions of Galilee in the north, where Har Meron at 3, 963 feet is the highest point in the country. South of Galilee are the rocky limestone terraced hills and valleys of Samaria and Judea. The mountains of Galilee are separated from the hills of Samaria and Judea by the Plain of Esdraelon. Samaria's highest mountain is Mount Ebal at 3, 084 feet, while Judea's highest is Tall Asur at 3, 333 feet. The Negev, a partly mountainous triangular desert, makes up 60 percent of Israel's land area and extends southward from Judea to the Red Sea and the Sinai Peninsula

In the east the Jordan River flows southward through the Great Rift Valley from the Hula Panhandle through the Sea of Galilee and the central Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea, which is 1, 315 feet below sea level, is the lowest place on Earth.

The climate is Mediterranean is mild, moist winters and hot, dry summers. Its subtropical desert, the Negev, is hot and dries year-round. The northern mountainous areas have great temperature variations with some freezing and even occasional snow.

Parts of the south may receive but 1 inch of rain annually. However, the coastal and Upper Galilee regions receive from 25 to 45 inches.

Israel's plant life is among the world's richest. The hills produce vegetation that includes six kinds of natural forests with pine and oak the most common. Citrus trees are grown along the coast and on the coastal plain. More than 1000 plant species thrive in the Negev and Sinai deserts. In the Jordan Valley there are at least 40 varieties of tropical plants.

Israel's animal life includes elements from several geographic regions and thousands of species, among them leopards, hyenas, polecats, wolves, jackals - coneys - ibex, porcupines, antelopes, and wild boars. Reptiles include agamas and gecko lizards and vipers. Birds include partridges, cuckoos, bustards, sand grouse, and desert larks. Eagles ospreys, and vulture's nest in the mountain crags. There are more than 500 rare tropical marine species.

Population is unevenly distributed. The central and Tel Aviv coastal districts have 46 percent of the population, the northern hill and valley districts 16 percent, the Haifa district 14 percent, Jerusalem 12 percent, and the south 12 percent. Despite Israel's many small rural settlements, almost 90 percent of the people live in cities. In 1909 Jewish immigrants built Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean. In 1950 Tel Aviv and Yafo to the south merged; the 1986 estimate of population was 322800. Haifa, 50 miles to the north with a population of 224600, is a seaport and heavy industrial center.

Jerusalem has had a Jewish majority for the last century. The Jewish population now makes up more than 70 percent of the 1992 estimate of 544200. In 1967 Israel reunited Jerusalem, which had been split into two parts-one controlled by Jordan, the other by Israel. Since then the Jewish population of the eastern section has grown to more than 50, 000, compared to an Arab population of 117, 000. Jerusalem has been proclaimed Israel's capital since 1967.

The 1993 population of Israel was 5451000 of which 82 percent was Jewish. The remainder was largely Arab. Although Judaism is the principal religion, Muslim, Christian, Druze, Sunni Muslim, Samaritan, and other religions have freedom of worship

The Chief Rabbinical Council, which is the highest Jewish religious authority, has two chief rabbis-one each for the Ashkenazic, or European, and Sephardic, or Eastern-Oriental, communities. About 77 percent of the non-Jewish population is Arab Muslim. The next largest grouping is Arab Christian, especially Greek Melkite and Greek Orthodox. The Druze, about 1 7 percent of the non-Jewish population, are a 1 11th-century non-Muslim Arab religious sect.

Hebrew is the main language of Israel Arabic is the second language, and English is widely used Israel is a major publisher of books and has a growing motion-picture industry. There are 80 museums, 30 official archaeological and historical sites, 750 public libraries, six major theatrical companies, a number of orchestras and dance groups, and two music academies. Sports are a national pastime, with soccer and basketball the most popular.

A National Insurance system provides old-age pensions and industrial injury, maternity, and other benefits. The Histadrut, or General Federation of Labor, includes most Israeli workers. More than a trade union, its health system, called Kupat Holim, insures 83 percent of the population and, along with the government, runs most of the hospitals. It also owns factories, banks, and construction companies as well as wholesales and retail cooperatives.

Economy

Agriculture

The three types of agricultural settlement systems are the kibbutz, or collective; moshav, or cooperative; and moshava or private farmstead. Kibbutzim, the plural form of the word, total 270, with a population of 130. 000. They are communal settlements with property owned in common, work done without direct payment, and all members' needs met from common income. Probably the world's most successful example of voluntary socialism, the kibbutz has achieved a high standard of living that provides group housing, dining, education, culture, recreation, health, child rearing, and other sends. While the kibbutz began as a Zionist-pioneering instrument of agriculture-and advanced scientific agriculture remains a mainstay-many kibbutzim now owe much of their prosperity to modem high-technology industry and tourism. Approximately 20 percent of Israel's industrial exports come from kibbutz-owned production facilities.

The moshav, or cooperative system, consists of 410 moshavim, with a population of 155, 000. Every family has a share of the village but owns its own home, farms its own plot, and manages its own budget. Machinery, purchase of supplies, and marketing are cooperatively organized.

The moshava is a traditional farm village based on individually owned farmsteads. The total population of the moshavot is 10, 600. Many moshavot have developed into towns and even cities.

Israeli agriculture is highly intensive, based on irrigation, water recycling, hothouses, scientific experimentation, crop management, mechanization, and marketing Only 3 percent of the nation's population work in agriculture, but yields are very high. Citrus fruits are the leading export. Flowers, subtropical fruits, vegetables, and wines are also exported The country is self-sufficient in cotton-the most extensively grown crop-and dairy products, poultry, potatoes, and olives. It is nearly self-sufficient in meat and fish.

Manufacturing

Active Holidays

Skin and aqualung diving are especially popular along the Gulfof Eilat, where the season extends throughout the year. The area is usually free of large and strong waves; currents and tides are moderate, with variations of up to 80 cm between high and low tides. These variations do not affect the diver's movement. Visibility is generally excellent, ranging from 15 to 40 meters and even more. Water temperatures range from 21 °C in February to 27 °C in August. A dozen diving schools serve the Red Sea. Prices are comparable to similar undertakings elsewhere in the world.

Apart from diving in the Red Sea, the Mediterranean also offers the possibility of combining diving with archaeological exploration. Underwater Roman ruins are amongst the destinations offered by the diving schools in Ahziv, Acco, Ashkelon and Caesarea.

The Mediterranean has two good diving seasons: autumn and spring. Visibility on good days averages 10 meters, with calm waters. Water temperatures range from 16 °C in February to 29 °C in August.

Basketball