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Israel מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל

Landscape in IsraelLandscape in Israel
photo sourcehttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Geography_of_Israel#mediaviewer/File:PikiWiki_Israel_35218_Geography_of_Israel.JPG
authorshipmiroslav
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Israel (מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל) is a small country in the Middle East. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank to the east, and Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the southwest. It has a population of 7.5 million people, of which 5.7 million are Jews. The second largest ethnic group are Arab citizens of Israel, which are Muslims, Christians, Druze and Samaritans.

The capital of Israel is Jerusalem while its main financial center is Tel Aviv. The country practices parliamentary representative democracy.

Travel Tips to Principal Cities in Israel

  1. Jerusalem
    Sacred city to Jews, Christians and Muslims, Jerusalem is also the largest city in Israel.
  2. Tel Aviv
    The second largest city in Israel
  3. Haifa
    Third largest city in Israel, and a major seaport on Israel's Mediterranean shore, also, the centre for the Baha'i faith.
  4. Beersheba
    Also spelled Be'er Sheva, the sixth largest city in Israel and gateway to the Negev region.
  5. Akko
    Ancient city with a long history and mix of cultures, a holy city of the Baha'i Faith and a World Heritage Site.
  6. Nazareth
    Hometown of Jesus Christ. The modern city has the largest Arab population in Israel proper.
  7. Bethlehem
    Birthplace of Jesus Christ.
  8. Eilat
    Vibrant Israeli resort city on the Red Sea.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, IsraelDome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel
photo sourcehttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Exterior_of_the_Dome_of_the_Rock#mediaviewer/File:Dome_of_the_Rock_01.jpg
authorshipChad Rosenthal
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Tourist Destinations in Israel

  1. Caesarea National Park
    Ruins of a Roman city
  2. Dead Sea
    One of the saltiest seas in the world, located at one of the lowest spots on earth.
  3. Sea of Galilee
    Largest freshwater lake in Israel, and home of Jesus Christ.
  4. Beth Guvrin
    Series of caves in use since ancient times.
  5. Zippori
    Archaeological site with the best preserved mosaics of a Roman settlement.
  6. Ein Avdat
    Beautiful canyon and popular hiking destination.
  7. Megiddo
    Modern city with ruins of ancient Canaanite and Israelite settlements.
  8. Mitzpe Ramon
    Largest crater located in the middle of the Negev desert.

Regions of Israel

  1. Galilee
  2. Israeli North Coast
  3. Israeli Coastal Plain
  4. Negev
  5. Shephelah

World Heritage Sites in Israel

Fast Facts about Israel

  1. Official Name: State of Israel
  2. Capital: Jerusalem (712,000)
  3. Population of Israel: 6,277,000
  4. Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic, English
  5. Currency: New Israeli Shekel
  6. Religions: Jewish (75%), Islam (15%), others
  7. Size: 9,596,960 sq km (3,705,405 sq miles)
  8. Region: Asia

Ramat Gan Towers, Tel Aviv, IsraelRamat Gan Towers, Tel Aviv, Israel
photo sourcehttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ranat_gan.jpg
authorshipItayba
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Planning your visit to Israel

Nationals of most European and North American countries as well as Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore and Russia do not need a visa to enter Israel. Nationals of Germany born before 1 January, 1928 do need to apply for a visa prior to arriving.

Entering Israel may result in your being barred entry to a number of Arab and Islamic countries. If you wish to also visit an Arab state, ask the Israeli immigration office to stamp on a separate piece of paper rather than your passport. Countries that will give you trouble include Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yeman.

By Plane The main gateway to Israel is the Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv. It is the base for Israel's three main airlines, namely El Al, Arkia Israel Airlines and Israir. Budget travelers can fly Easyjet from London's Luton Airport or by Air Berlin from Berlin to Tel Aviv.

From the airport, you can take public bus 947 to downtown Jerusalem. The fare is 20 NIS. You can reach Tel Aviv from the airport by taking the train, for 14 NIS.

Sabbath

The Sabbath is observed fervently in Israel. Between Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, everything takes a rest. That means, no train or bus services, and very limited taxis.

Landscape in Mount SodomLandscape in Mount Sodom
photo sourcehttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mount_Sodom#mediaviewer/File:Mt_sodom.JPG
authorshipאליבאבא
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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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