The tiny country of Israel is considered holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims. Created by British mandate in 1948 as a national home for the Jews, Israel remains steadfastly in the news.
10 February 2008
Name: Israel
National Name: Medinat Yisra'el
Location: Israel is in Middle East on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Lebanon in the north, Syria, Jordan and the Wes Bank in the east, and Egypt and the Gaza Strip in the south-west.
Nationality: Israeli
Population: 6.7 million (UN, 2005)
Seat of government: Jerusalem, though most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv.
Largest City: Jerusalem
Other cities: Tel Aviv, Haifa
Area: Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics cites 22,072 sq km (8,522 sq miles), including Jerusalem and Golan
Major languages: Hebrew, Arabic. English widely spoken.
Major religions: Judaism, Islam
Life expectancy: 77 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN)
Currency: 1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot
Internet domain: .il
International dialling code: +972
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +2
Flying time: 3 hours 45 minutes from UK
Climate: Israel has two seasons: Winter lasts from November to March, is cold and sometimes rainy. Summer is from April to October when it is hot and dry. July and August sees temperatures rising to 90's. Northern Israel enjoys a southern Mediterranean climate and southern Israel a Middle Eastern desert climate. The most pleasant times are spring and autumn when the weather is warm and comfortable. Winter sees snow at the higher altitudes, including Jerusalem, but southern Eilat, the Dead Sea and the Negev are ideal winter sun destinations with temperatures in the mid 20Cs.
Best time to go: Any time is a good time though hotel rooms will be scarce during Easter, Passover and Christmas. Yom Kippur
It is best to avoid being in Israel on Yom Kippur (in October) - the holiest day of the year - as on this day everyone fasts for 25 hours and there will be very little open.
Airport: Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv. Ben Gurion airport is Israel’s primary international airport, and is situated in Lod, which is a 20 minute drive from Tel-aviv and a 40 minute drive from Jerusalem. There is a train that will take you from the airport to Tel-Aviv in around 11 minutes.A taxi from the airport to Tel Aviv should cost between 90-110 NIS depending on the number of suitcases.
Israel's Airline: El Al
Entry/Visa: A valid passport with at least 6 months left from date of entry is required. A visa for UK nationals is not necessary for stays up to 60 days.
Entry stamps note: If you intend to travel to other countries in the Middle East an Israelli stamp in your passport will cause a problem. Israelli customs are aware of this and offer to stamp a separate piece of paper rather than your passport on request.
Safety: Tourists have never been targeted in Israel and visitors to Israel should feel safe and welcomed in the main areas. It it not advisable to visit Gaza and only Bethelehem and Jericho in the West Bank. Other than security posts in sensitive areas, Israel feels no different to any other western tourist destination.
Need to know:
The Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew)
The Jewish Sabbath or Shabbat is observed from sundown on Friday until three stars appear in the sky on Saturday evening. Shops start to close around 2pm on Fridays. Government offices, national museums and large department stores tend to close from mid-afternoon Friday and reopen on Sunday morning.
The most securlar area in Israel is in Tel Aviv and partying tourists won't notice any difference. Jerusalem is fairly orthodox and so services are limited.
Notes:
The creation of Israel in 1948 was the culmination of the Zionist movement. The aim was to create a homeland for Jews scattered all over the world. After the Nazi Holocaust, the Jewish state of Israel finally became recognised internationally.
Israel is a parliamentary democracy and the world's only Jewish state.