Official Name: State of Israel (Medinat Yisrael)
Capital: Jerusalem (Yerushalayim)
Government type: Parliamentary Democracy
Head of State: President
Head of Government: Prime Minister
Legislative: Knesset (Parliament), which is a unicameral house
Cabinet: Selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset
List of Political Parties: Balad; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH); Kadima; Labor Party; Likud; National Union; The Jewish Home (HaBayit HaYehudi); SHAS; The New Movement-Meretz; United Arab List-Ta’al; United Torah Judaism; Yisrael Beiteinu
Administrative Divisions: 6 Districts (Mehozot) - Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
Judicial: Supreme Court
Military Branches: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF), Israel Air Force (IAF)
Key Cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa
Population: Approximately 7.2 million (figures include israelis in the West Bank and Golan Heights)
Ethnic Groups: Jewish (76%); Non-Jewish (24% – Mostly Arab) – The Arabic population consists of 83% Muslim (mostly Sunni), 8.5% Christian, 8.3% Druze, 0.2% other. 62% of Arab Israeli citizens would prefer to remain Israeli citizens, rather than become citizens of a future Palestinian state. Only 41% of Israeli Arabs are willing to recognize the country’s right to exist as a “Jewish and Democratic” state; numbers are continuing to slowly drop. 53.7% believe Israel has a right to exist just as an independent country.
Language: Hebrew (Official), Arabic, English
Religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity
Currency: New Israeli Sheqel (NIS)
Literacy: 97%
Economy and Natural Resources: Fisheries, Agriculture (Citrus Fruits, Wheat, Barley, Olives, Cotton, Grapes, and Peanuts), Livestock (Sheep, Goats, Cattle, Horses, and Donkeys), Minerals (Copper, Iron, Potash, Phosphates, Rock Salt, Oil, and Natural Gas), and Tourism.