Israel: Flag and Facts
Israel's flag is white with a blue six-pointed Star of David in the center, set between two blue horizontal stripes near the top and bottom.
- Official name
- State of Israel
- Capital
- Jerusalem
- Region
- Western Asia
- Population
- 9.4 million (2024)
- Languages
- Arabic, Hebrew
- Currency
- Israeli new shekel
- Area
- 20,770 km² (8,019 sq mi)
- People
- Israeli
- Calling code
- +972
- Highest point
- Mitspe Shlagim 2,224 m
- Independence
- 14 May 1948 (following League of Nations mandate under…)
- National symbols
- Star of David (Magen David), menorah (seven-branched lampstand)
About Israel
The design was modeled on the tallit, a traditional Jewish prayer shawl that is white with blue stripes. The six-pointed star has served as a Jewish symbol since medieval times. Along with the star, the seven-branched menorah is a national symbol.
The State of Israel was established on 14 May 1948, after a period of League of Nations mandate under British rule. A year earlier, the UN General Assembly had proposed splitting the mandate into Arab and Jewish states. Israel joined the UN in 1949 and grew fast as refugees arrived from Europe and the Middle East. Wars with neighbors followed in 1956, 1967, and 1973, and peace treaties were signed with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. The country packs a lot into a small area: the Negev desert in the south, a coastal plain, central mountains, and the Jordan Rift Valley.
Did you know?
- The Dead Sea shore, at 431 m below sea level, is Israel's lowest point.
- Israel is slightly larger than New Jersey.
- Tel Aviv-Yafo is the biggest urban area, with about 4.4 million people in 2023.
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Questions about Israel
What languages are spoken in Israel?
Hebrew and Arabic are both listed as languages of Israel.
What is the national anthem of Israel?
The anthem is Hatikvah, which means The Hope.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.