On the eve of the Jewish New Year, Israel’s population stands at 9.246 million people, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported, marking an annual population growth rate of 1.6 percent (150,000 people).
The past year saw the birth of 170,000 babies, as well as the death of around 44,000 people. Another 25,000 people moved to the country, 20,000 of whom were classified as olim, or new immigrants.
According to the CBS, 6.841 million of the people in Israel are Jewish (74 percent of the population), 1.946 million are Arab (21 percent) and 459,000 (5 percent) are members of other groups, such as non-Arab Christians, members of other religions and people without religious classification.
The CBS predicted that Israel’s population will reach 10 million people by the end of 2024, 15 million people by the end of 2048 and 20 million by the end of 2065.
Also in 2019, and prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, 88.8 percent of the Israeli public over the age of 20 reported satisfaction with their life and financial situation. During the lockdown, however, 34.4 percent reported feeling stressed and anxious.
This article first appeared in Israel21c.