The population of Israel on the eve of its 62nd Independence Day is 7.577 million – 9.4 times higher than it was when independence was proclaimed, 62 years ago. The United States’ population, by comparison, stands at 309 million, or only 2.1 times higher than it was in 1948.

Just over a fifth of the population is Arab, and just over three-quarters – 5.726 million – are Jewish.

Israel’s population grew by 1.8% over the past year – about double the rate of the United States.

Over the past year, 159,000 babies were born in Israel, and 37,000 people died – 4.3 births per death. (By contrast, the U.S. Bureau of the Census estimates that three babies are born for every two deaths – meaning nearly three times more births per death in Israel than in the U.S. Various explanations have been put forward.)

Some 16,000 people made Aliyah, and another 9,000 registered as citizens or new immigrants; 10,000 people were removed from the rolls for having lived abroad more than a year consecutively.

The Central Bureau of Statistics reports that over 70% of the Jewish population in Israel are tzabbarim (‘Sabras’), meaning they were born in Israel. In 1948, this proportion was only about 35%.

In 1948, only one city – Tel Aviv-Yafo – had more than 100,000 residents. Today, there are 14 such cities. Five cities have more than 200,000 – Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon LeTzion, and Ashdod – and Petach Tikvah is straddling that number. (IsraelNationalNews.com)