Israel�s Central Bureau of Statistics has released many interesting facts and figures pertaining to 2008.

There are 7.4 million people living in Israel, with two-thirds classified as Jews, 16% Muslims and 2% Christians. The average Jewish family has two children, and lives in a three or four bedroom home and has two cellular telephones.

Jewish women average 2.1 children, Muslim women 3, Druse woman 2.7 and Christians 2.2. Those listed as �other religions� average 1.4 children.

There are 90,800 Israelis 85 or over and 1 in 10 Israelis has passed the 65-year-old marker. One-third of them are living alone, 13% are still working, and 8% in an institution.

71% of Israelis were born in Israel and 29% abroad. The breakdown is 37.4% (Israel), 12.5% (Asia), 15.8% (Africa), 29.8% (Europe), and 4.4% (America and Oceania). 40% of those not born in Israel arrived from 1990-2002.

8.5% of Israelis have achieved a master�s degree or higher, while 14.4% settled for a bachelor�s. 12% have some post high school schooling and 23.1% stopped after earning a high school matriculation diploma.

33% of Israelis live in a two-bedroom dwelling, 28% three bedroom, 13% four bedroom, the same number as those living in a one bedroom.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)