Geography

Land, borders, regions, climate.

Major Cities

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Haifa, and Be'er Sheva - history, population, function.

Israel's Major Cities

An essential guide to the unique identity, histories, and economic engines of Israel's primary urban centres. Explore how major cities like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba have bridged millennia of tradition and global innovation.

5 min7 sources

Regions

The Galilee, the Negev, the Coastal Plain, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

1 piece

Israel's Natural Regions

Despite its small size, Israel packs an extraordinary range of landscapes into a single compact territory. This article explores the country's four distinct natural regions, traversing the bustling Coastal Plain, the historic Central Hills, the deep Jordan Rift Valley, and the expansive Negev Desert.

4 min5 sources

Borders

Internationally recognised borders, armistice lines, and contested boundaries.

1 piece

Israel's borders: recognised lines, armistice lines, and contested boundaries

Israel has internationally recognised borders with Egypt (since the 1979 peace treaty) and Jordan (since the 1994 Wadi Araba treaty). Its northern borders with Syria and Lebanon are based on 1949 armistice lines that were never converted into peace treaties. The West Bank and Gaza Strip are not internationally recognised as part of Israel - their final status is subject to unresolved negotiations.

6 min12 sources

West Bank & Gaza

Status, administration, population, and key legal questions.

1 piece

The Gaza Strip and West Bank

The Gaza Strip and West Bank are central to Israel's story of resilience, security needs, and hopes for peace. These areas represent the ancient Jewish homeland, modern defensive victories, and repeated efforts at compromise amid ongoing threats.

5 min6 sources

Jerusalem

The city, its municipality, and its contested status.

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Jerusalem: City, Municipality, Contested Status

For thousands of years, Jerusalem has been the spiritual heart of the Jewish people. This explainer looks at the city's ancient roots, its path to reunification after 1967, and how it thrives today as Israel's modern, unified capital.

5 min5 sources