Israel 🇮🇱
Israel is a country in Asia with a population of 9,038,309. Its capital is Jerusalem. The official currency is ILS, and the main languages are Hebrew, Arabic.
Quick facts
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Continent: Asia
- Population: 9,038,309
- Area: 20,770 km²
- Density: 435 people per km²
- Currency: ILS
- Languages: Hebrew, Arabic
- ISO code: IL
Where Israel sits
Israel 🇮🇱 is one of 48 countries in Asia, with its capital at Jerusalem. It covers 20,770 square kilometres — 150th in the world — and is home to about 9,038,309 people, 98th globally.
The countries it shares a continent with include China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh. If you are learning geography region by region — which works far better than alphabetically, because memory for places is spatial — those are the ones to learn alongside it.
How Israel compares
Raw figures are hard to hold on their own, so it helps to anchor them. In population, Israel sits closest to Austria and Togo. In land area, its nearest counterparts are El Salvador and Slovenia.
At 435 people per square kilometre it is about 7.3 times the world average of 59.4. It ranks higher by population than by area, so it is more crowded than its size alone suggests.
Hebrew is listed as official in Israel alone. The ILS is shared with 1 other country, including Palestine.
To see Israel next to every other country, sort the country rankings by population, area or density; its currency and languages are listed alongside every other country's in world currencies and world languages.
How to remember Israel
Wikipedia describes Jerusalem as Israel's government seat and proclaimed capital, with limited international recognition, while Tel Aviv is its largest urban area. The quiz answer is Jerusalem. For the flag, picture a white prayer shawl with blue stripes and the Star of David between them.
The flag of Israel: blue and white
🇮🇱 The flag is a white flag with two horizontal blue stripes near the top and bottom and a blue six-pointed Star of David in the centre. The design looks like a tallit, the traditional Jewish prayer shawl, which is white with blue stripes. The Star of David has been a Jewish symbol since medieval times.
Region and neighbours
Israel is a country in West Asia at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, whose southern tip reaches the Red Sea, with the Negev desert in the south. It shares land borders with 5 countries: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Palestine. The border with Palestine runs along the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
- Lebanon 🇱🇧 — capital Beirut
- Syria 🇸🇾 — capital Damascus
- Jordan 🇯🇴 — capital Amman
- Egypt 🇪🇬 — capital Cairo
- Palestine 🇵🇸 — capital Ramallah
Three facts about Israel
- The shore of the Dead Sea, on Israel's eastern side, is the lowest point on land on Earth.
- Hebrew is the official language, and Arabic has a special status.
- Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world and is a holy city for Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Sources: Wikipedia: Israel, Wikipedia: Flag of Israel, Wikipedia: Jerusalem, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Israel
- Asian capitals quiz — match Israel to Jerusalem
- Asian flags quiz — spot the Israel flag among its neighbours
Quizzes that include Israel
Three angles are worth covering for any country — where it is, what its flag looks like, and what its capital is. For Israel those are:
- Asia map quiz — place it on a blank map
- Asia flags quiz — identify its flag among its neighbours
- Asia capitals quiz — match it to Jerusalem
- Israel capital quiz — five quick questions starting with Israel
- Daily Map Challenge — five countries to find on a blank world map, the same five for everyone each day
Doing all three for one continent before moving on is far more efficient than learning flags globally, then capitals globally, then the map.
Read more about Israel
- Capital of Israel: Jerusalem — the capital in detail, with size and density rankings
- All 48 countries of Asia
Nearby countries
- Afghanistan 🇦🇫 — capital Kabul
- Armenia 🇦🇲 — capital Yerevan
- Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 — capital Baku
- Bahrain 🇧🇠— capital Manama
- Bangladesh 🇧🇩 — capital Dhaka
- Bhutan 🇧🇹 — capital Thimphu
- Brunei 🇧🇳 — capital Bandar Seri Begawan
- Cambodia 🇰🇠— capital Phnom Penh
- China 🇨🇳 — capital Beijing
- Georgia 🇬🇪 — capital Tbilisi
- India 🇮🇳 — capital New Delhi
- Indonesia 🇮🇩 — capital Jakarta
Frequently asked questions
What are the colours of the Israel flag?
The flag of Israel is a white flag with two horizontal blue stripes near the top and bottom and a blue six-pointed Star of David in the centre. The design looks like a tallit, the traditional Jewish prayer shawl, which is white with blue stripes. The Star of David has been a Jewish symbol since medieval times.
Which countries border Israel?
Israel shares land borders with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Palestine. The border with Palestine runs along the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
How can I remember the capital of Israel?
Wikipedia describes Jerusalem as Israel's government seat and proclaimed capital, with limited international recognition, while Tel Aviv is its largest urban area. The quiz answer is Jerusalem. For the flag, picture a white prayer shawl with blue stripes and the Star of David between them.