ISRAEL GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon Geographic coordinates:

31 30 N, 34 45 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 20,770 sq km land: 20,330 sq km water: 440 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: 1,017 km border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km Coastline: 273 km Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley Natural resources: timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes PEOPLE The name Israel has historically been used, in common and religious usage, to refer to both the Land of Israel and the entire Jewish nation. According to the Bible, the name "Israel" was given to the patriarch Jacob (Standard Yisrael, Isrl; Septuagint Greek: ; "persevere with God") after he successfully wrestled with an angel of God. Population: 6,276,883 Nationality: Israeli(s)

Ethnic Groups: Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%, Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab) (1996 est.) Religions: Jewish 76.5%, Muslim 15.9%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2003) Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
Rosenberg, M. (2005). Geography and Map of Israel. United of States of America

PALESTINE GEOGRAPHY The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim SelfGovernment Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Location: eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is located to the south of Lebanon and to the west of Jordan. Palestine Geography consists of four regions in the country. The four regions of Palestine Geography are Jordan valley and Ghawr, coastal and inner plains, Mountain and Hills and Southern Desert. The coastal plains of Palestine are divided by Saruunah plain, Mount Carmel plain and the Acre plain. In the category of the geography of Palestine the location of Jordan Valley is below the sea level and Ghawr. It results in the quality of the soil to be of very high standard but the resource of water is very limited. The climate of Palestine results in the growing of such types of vegetables in the last phase of winter season, which usually are grown in the summer season. The hills and the mountains of Palestine have rocky features and terraces are made in the mountains so that the tress can grow. The geography in Palestine supports the growth of olive trees to a large extent. In some of the parts of Palestine patches of plain land are found which helps in the growth of barley, wheat, lentils. There are many rivers in Palestine and the weather of Palestine remains pleasant for the maximum part of the year.
PEOPLE The name "Palestine" is the associated of an ancient word meaning "Philistines" or "Land of the Philistines"

Religion: Islam, Christian, Druze, Judaism, Samaritanism

Nationality: Palestinian Population: 11,000,000

Language: Palestinian Arabic

Rosenberg, M. (2005). Geography and Map of Israel. United of States of America