Israel's Population Exceeds 10 Million on 77th Independence Day

On the eve of its 77th Independence Day, Israel's population has surpassed 10 million, a twelvefold increase since its founding in 1948. The demographic breakdown includes approximately 7.7 million Jews, 2.1 million Arabs, and around 250,000 foreigners, with a notably youthful society—over a quarter of Israelis are under 14, and more than a third are aged 0-18. Israel's population growth rate of 1.4% in the past year, fueled by high birth rates and ongoing immigration, remains among the highest in the developed world. About 80% of Israeli Jews are now native-born, demonstrating a shift from an immigrant society to one rooted in local generations. Israel now accounts for about 45% of the global Jewish population, compared to just 3% in 1939. Projections indicate the population could reach 15.2 million by the country's 100th Independence Day and 20 million by 2065.