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Health Ministry Lifts Most Mediterranean Swimming Warnings

The Health Ministry lifted its warning against swimming at most of Israel's Mediterranean bathing beaches on Wednesday, November 11. The warning remains in effect at Charles Clore Beach in Tel Aviv, all beaches in Herzliya, and Mei Ami Beach in Ashdod.

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  30. Tel Aviv Honors Boy George for His Support for Israel and the LGBTQ Community

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Inside Israel

Cities
83
83 localities hold formal city (ir) status, including the five Judea & Samaria cities — the newest, Giv'at Ze'ev, became a city in July 2026.
Local authorities
259
259 local authorities: 83 municipalities, 122 local councils, and 54 regional councils. Two of the local councils, Neot Hovav and Migdal Tefen, are industrial councils without residents.
Districts
6+1
Six administrative districts (mehoz) plus the Judea & Samaria area, following Israel's official administrative division.
Population
10.305M
CBS estimates 10.305 million residents for Rosh Hashanah 5787 in September 2026, including about 304,000 foreign residents. The estimate is provisional.
Urban share
91.6%
World Bank / UN estimates put 91.6% of Israel's population in urban areas in 2025.
Total area (km²)
22,072
CBS reports 22,072 km²: 98% land and 2% inland water, in its September 2026 release.
Sources:123456

City populations

Provisional CBS resident estimates for the end of August 2026, rounded to the nearest thousand.

  • JerusalemJerusalem district1.07M
  • Tel Aviv-YafoTel Aviv district496K
  • HaifaHaifa district294K
  • Petah TikvaCentral district272K
  • Rishon LeZionCentral district262K
  • Bnei BrakTel Aviv district242K
  • NetanyaCentral district237K
  • AshdodSouthern district230K
  • Beer ShevaSouthern district227K
  • Beit ShemeshJerusalem district193K
  • HolonTel Aviv district190K
  • AshkelonSouthern district176K
  • Ramat GanTel Aviv district174K
  • RehovotCentral district155K
  • Bat YamTel Aviv district128K
  • HerzliyaTel Aviv district113K
  • Modi'inCentral district103K
  • Kfar SabaCentral district99K
  • NazarethNorthern district74K
  • EilatSouthern district57K
  • TiberiasNorthern district54K
Sources:1

Population by district

Population at 31 December 2025, including foreigners, in the six administrative districts and the Judea & Samaria area.

  • Central district2.4M24%
  • Northern district1.6M16%
  • Southern district1.6M15%
  • Tel Aviv district1.6M15%
  • Jerusalem district1.4M13%
  • Haifa district1.2M11%
  • Judea & Samaria area525K5%
Sources:1

Local authority types

Israeli local government runs through 259 authorities: cities, local councils, and regional councils. Two of the local councils govern industrial zones.

Cities (Iriya)
83
City status is conferred by the Interior Ministry; in Judea & Samaria, the IDF Central Command signs the order. Each municipality is run by an elected mayor and council.
Local councils (Mo'atza Mekomit)
122
Local authorities that are not municipalities or regional councils, including Efrat, Yeruham, Zikhron Ya'akov, Mevaseret Zion, and Omer. The count includes the two industrial councils.
Regional councils (Mo'atza Ezorit)
54
Cover rural areas, kibbutzim, moshavim, and small communities grouped by region. Eshkol, Misgav, Gush Etzion, the Jordan Valley, and others.
Industrial local councils
2
Two of the 122 local councils, Neot Hovav and Migdal Tefen, govern industrial zones rather than residential towns.
Sources:1234

From the Dead Sea to the hills of Jerusalem

CBS average elevations for 21 major cities plus Neve Zohar on the Dead Sea shore; each figure describes the whole locality, not every neighborhood, hilltop, or shoreline.

  • Jerusalem715 m
  • Nazareth347 m
  • Beit Shemesh302 m
  • Beer Sheva291 m
  • Modi'in209 m
  • Eilat163 m
  • Haifa96 m
  • Kfar Saba52 m
  • Rehovot51 m
  • Rishon LeZion41 m
  • Herzliya38 m
  • Ramat Gan37 m
  • Ashkelon36 m
  • Holon33 m
  • Petah Tikva31 m
  • Netanya28 m
  • Bnei Brak26 m
  • Ashdod22 m
  • Bat Yam22 m
  • Tel Aviv-Yafo17 m
  • Tiberias8 m
  • Neve Zohar (Dead Sea)-371 m
Sources:1

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