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🇵🇸 West Bank

Middle East

Page last updated: July 24, 2024

Introduction

Background

The landlocked West Bank -- the larger of the two Palestinian territories -- is home to some three million Palestinians. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the area currently known as the West Bank has been dominated by a succession of different powers. In the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. The West Bank fell to British forces during World War I, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Transjordan (later renamed Jordan) captured the West Bank and annexed it in 1950; Israel then captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under the Oslo Accords -- a series of agreements that were signed between 1993 and 1999 -- Israel transferred to the newly created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for the many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank, as well as the Gaza Strip.

In addition to establishing the PA as an interim government, the Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three areas, with one fully managed by the PA (Area A), another fully managed by Israel (Area C), and a third with shared control (Area B) until a permanent agreement could be reached between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. In 2000, a violent intifada, or uprising, began across the Palestinian territories, and in 2001, negotiations for a permanent agreement between the PLO and Israel on final status issues stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start direct negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the area.

The PA last held national elections in 2006, when the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and to HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. In 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court dissolved the PLC. In recent years, Fatah and HAMAS have made several attempts at reconciliation, but the factions have been unable to implement agreements.

Geography

Location

Middle East, west of Jordan, east of Israel

Geographic coordinates

32°00' N, 35°15' E

Map references

Middle East

Area

Total : 5,860 km²

Land: 5,640 km²

Water: 220 km²

Note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Area - comparative

Slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries

Total: 478 km

Border countries (2): Israel 330 km; Jordan 148 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

None (landlocked)

Climate

Temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain

Mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the east

Elevation

Highest point: Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m

Lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m

Natural resources

Arable land

Land use

Agricultural land: 43.3% (2018 est.)

Arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)

Permanent crops: 11% (2018 est.)

Permanent pasture: 24.9% (2018 est.)

Forest: 1.5% (2018 est.)

Other: 55.2% (2018 est.)

Note: includes Gaza Strip

Irrigated land

(2013) 151 km²; note - includes Gaza Strip

Major lakes (area km²)

Salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 km²

Note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

Population distribution

The most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone--between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier--and around Jerusalem

Natural hazards

Droughts

Geography - note

Landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are about 380 Israeli civilian sites, including about 213 settlements and 132 small outpost communities in the West Bank and 35 sites in East Jerusalem (2017)

People and Society

Population

Total: 3,243,369

Male: 1,648,450

Female: 1,594,919 (2024 est.)

Note: approximately 468,300 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank (2022); approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021)

Comparison rankings: female 136; male 136; total 135

Nationality

Noun: NA

Adjective: NA

Ethnic groups

Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other

Languages

Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Major-language sample(s):

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Muslim 80-85% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1% (2012 est.)

MENA religious affiliation

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.7% (male 609,497/female 579,227)

15-64 years: 59.5% (male 979,719/female 949,746)

65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 59,234/female 65,946)

2023 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

Total dependency ratio: 74.3

Youth dependency ratio: 68.2

Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1

Potential support ratio: 16.5 (2021 est.)

Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Median age

Total: 21.9 years (2024 est.)

Male: 21.6 years

Female: 22.1 years

Population growth rate

2.07% (2024 est.)

Birth rate

27.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate

3.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

-3.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

20 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Infant mortality rate

Total: 15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.)

Male: 74.4 years

Female: 78.8 years

Total fertility rate

3.49 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.69 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

57.3% (2019/20)

Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Drinking water source

Improved: urban: 98.9% of population

Rural: 99% of population

Total: 98.9% of population

Unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population

Rural: 1% of population

Total: 1.1% of population (2020 est.)

Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Current health expenditure

Physician density

3.25 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019)

Sanitation facility access

Improved: urban: 99.9% of population

Rural: 98.6% of population

Total: 99.6% of population

Unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population

Rural: 1.4% of population

Total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

Note: note includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Major infectious diseases

Note: on 31 August 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Asia; the West Bank is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.1% (2019/20)

Note: estimate is for Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62.4% (2023 est.)

Note: data includes Gaza and the West Bank

Child marriage

Women married by age 15: 0.7%

Women married by age 18: 13.4% (2020 est.)

Note: includes both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Education expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2018 est.)

Note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Total population: 97.5%

Male: 98.8%

Female: 96.2% (2020)

Note: estimates are for Gaza and the West Bank

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Total: 13 years

Male: 12 years

Female: 14 years (2021)

Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Environment

Environment - current issues

Adequacy of freshwater supply; sewage treatment

Climate

Temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Land use

Agricultural land: 43.3% (2018 est.)

Arable land: 7.4% (2018 est.)

Permanent crops: 11% (2018 est.)

Permanent pasture: 24.9% (2018 est.)

Forest: 1.5% (2018 est.)

Other: 55.2% (2018 est.)

Note: includes Gaza Strip

Urbanization

Urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Note: data represent Gaza Strip and the West Bank

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Air pollutants

Particulate matter emissions: 30.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.23 megatons (2016 est.)

Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Waste and recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2016 est.)

Municipal solid waste recycled annually: 6,935 tons (2013 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 0.5% (2013 est.)

Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Major lakes (area km²)

Salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 km²

Note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level

Total water withdrawal

Municipal: 200 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Agricultural: 220 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Total renewable water resources

840 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Note: data represent combined total from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Government

Country name

Conventional long form: none

Conventional short form: West Bank

Etymology: name refers to the location of the region of the British Mandate of Palestine that was occupied and administered by Jordan in 1948, as it is located on the far side (west bank) of the Jordan River in relation to Jordan proper; the designation was retained following the 1967 Six-Day War and the subsequent changes in administration

National heritage

Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (all cultural)

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan; Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem; Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town; Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir

Economy

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$27.418 billion (2023 est.)

$29.016 billion (2022 est.)

$27.878 billion (2021 est.)

Note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Real GDP growth rate

-5.51% (2023 est.)

4.08% (2022 est.)

7.01% (2021 est.)

Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Real GDP per capita

$5,300 (2023 est.)

$5,800 (2022 est.)

$5,700 (2021 est.)

Note: data in 2021 dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

GDP (official exchange rate)

$17.396 billion (2023 est.)

Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.87% (2023 est.)

3.74% (2022 est.)

1.24% (2021 est.)

Note: annual % change based on consumer prices; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture: 2.9% (2017 est.)

Industry: 19.5% (2017 est.)

Services: 77.6% (2017 est.)

Note: excludes Gaza Strip

Comparison rankings: services 39; industry 155; agriculture 154

GDP - composition, by end use

Household consumption: 91.3% (2017 est.)

Government consumption: 26.7% (2017 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 23% (2017 est.)

Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 20% (2017 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -61% (2017 est.)

Note: excludes Gaza Strip

Agricultural products

Tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds

Industries

Small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs

Industrial production growth rate

-8.57% (2023 est.)

Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Labor force

1.389 million (2022 est.)

Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Unemployment rate

24.42% (2022 est.)

26.39% (2021 est.)

25.9% (2020 est.)

Note: % of labor force seeking employment; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Total: 39.6% (2021 est.)

Male: 33.7%

Female: 69%

Note: includes Gaza Strip

Population below poverty line

29.2% (2016 est.)

Note: % of population with income below national poverty line; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

33.7 (2016 est.)

Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Lowest 10%: 2.9% (2016 est.)

Highest 10%: 25.2% (2016 est.)

Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Remittances

21.84% of GDP (2023 est.)

21.13% of GDP (2022 est.)

20.77% of GDP (2021 est.)

Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Budget

Revenues: $3.803 billion (2020 est.)

Expenditures: $5.002 billion (2020 est.)

Note: includes Palestinian Authority expenditures in the Gaza Strip

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt

24.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

23.8% of GDP (2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.47% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Current account balance

-$2.037 billion (2022 est.)

-$1.778 billion (2021 est.)

-$1.903 billion (2020 est.)

Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Exports

$3.533 billion (2022 est.)

$3.14 billion (2021 est.)

$2.385 billion (2020 est.)

Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Exports - partners

Israel 81%, Jordan 10%, UAE 2%, US 1%, Turkey 1% (2022)

Note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Exports - commodities

Building stone, scrap iron, plastic products, furniture, seats (2022)

Note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Imports

$12.257 billion (2022 est.)

$10.094 billion (2021 est.)

$8.065 billion (2020 est.)

Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Imports - partners

Israel 57%, Turkey 6%, Egypt 6%, Jordan 4%, China 4% (2022)

Note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Imports - commodities

Refined petroleum, electricity, animal food, cars, cement (2022)

Note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars; entry includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.323 billion (2023 est.)

$896.9 million (2022 est.)

$872.541 million (2021 est.)

Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars; entry includes West Bank and Gaza Strip

Debt - external

$1.662 billion (31 March 2016 est.)

$1.467 billion (31 March 2015 est.)

Note: data include the Gaza Strip

Exchange rates

New Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:

3.36 (2022 est.)

3.23 (2021 est.)

3.442 (2020 est.)

3.565 (2019 est.)

3.591 (2018 est.)