Population3,310,554
Area5,860 km²
GDP per capita$3,800
LanguagesArabic, Hebrew , English
Currencynew Israeli shekels
Life Expectancy76.5 yr
Introduction
Background
The West Bank, a landlocked region and the larger of the two Palestinian territories, is inhabited by approximately three million Palestinians. This area has been settled since at least the 15th century B.C. and has experienced control by various powers throughout its history. In the early 16th century, it became part of the Ottoman Empire. During World War I, British forces took control of the West Bank, which subsequently became part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the region was captured by Transjordan (which was later renamed Jordan) and annexed in 1950; Israel later seized it during the Six-Day War in 1967. As part of the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred security and civilian authority for numerous Palestinian-populated regions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to the newly established Palestinian Authority (PA).
The Oslo Accords not only established the PA as a temporary governing body but also categorized the West Bank into three distinct areas: Area A, which is completely governed by the PA; Area C, which is entirely under Israeli control; and Area B, which operates under shared governance, pending a lasting agreement between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. In 2000, a violent uprising known as intifada erupted across the Palestinian territories, and by 2001, discussions aimed at reaching a permanent resolution between the PLO and Israel regarding final status issues came to a standstill. Efforts to resume direct negotiations subsequently have not yielded any advancements in determining the area's final status.
The last national elections conducted by the PA took place in 2006, during which the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) secured a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The dominant political faction in the West Bank, Fatah, and HAMAS were unable to sustain a unity government, resulting in violent confrontations between their supporters and HAMAS's forceful takeover of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. In 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court disbanded the PLC. In recent years, Fatah and HAMAS have pursued multiple reconciliation efforts, yet they have struggled to execute any agreements successfully.
Geography
Area
land
5,640 sq km
water
220 sq km
total
5,860 sq km
Climate
temperate; temperature and rainfall fluctuate with elevation, featuring warm to hot summers and cool to mild winters
Terrain
predominantly rugged, dissected upland in the west, with flat plains sloping down to the Jordan River Valley in the east
Land use
other
32.1% (2023 est.)
forest
1.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
64.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.)
Location
Middle East, situated west of Jordan and east of Israel
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
Dead Sea -431 m
highest point
Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m
Irrigated land
(2013) 151 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip
Map references
Middle East
Land boundaries
total
478 km
border countries
Israel 330 km; Jordan 148 km
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
droughts
Geography - note
landlocked; the highlands serve as the principal recharge zone for Israel's coastal aquifers (2017)
Natural resources
arable land
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than the state of Delaware
Geographic coordinates
32 00 N, 35 15 E
Population distribution
the largest Palestinian populations in the West Bank are found in the central ridge and the western portion of the territory; Jewish settlements are distributed throughout the West Bank, with the highest concentration in the Seam Zone -- the area between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and in the vicinity of Jerusalem
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s)
Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 sq km
note - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than oceanic waters; the lake's shoreline is 431 meters below sea level
People & Society
Literacy
male
99% (2022 est.)
female
97% (2022 est.)
total population
98% (2022 est.)
Languages
Languages
Arabic, Hebrew (utilized by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely comprehended)
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% (primarily Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (predominantly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1% (2012 estimate)
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
total population
1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.9 male(s)/female
Birth rate
27.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
3.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
21.6 years
total
22 years (2025 est.)
female
22.1 years
Population
male
1,682,493
total
3,310,554 (2025 est.)
female
1,628,061
Urbanization
urban population
77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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)
Ethnic groups
Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other
Child marriage
women married by age 15
0.7% (2020)
women married by age 18
13.4% (2020)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
68.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
61.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
14.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
6.8 (2025 est.)
Physician density
3.25 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Health expenditure
13.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.44 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 98% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 2% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
5.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
12.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
2.03% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.67 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
the largest Palestinian populations in the West Bank are situated in the central ridge and the western portion of the region; Jewish settlements are dispersed throughout the West Bank, with the highest concentration in the Seam Zone -- between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and in the vicinity of Jerusalem
Life expectancy at birth
male
74.4 years
female
78.8 years
total population
76.5 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 99% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
62.4% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
2.1% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
12 years (2023 est.)
total
13 years (2023 est.)
female
14 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Climate
temperate; temperature and precipitation fluctuate with altitude, featuring warm to hot summers and cool to mild winters
Land use
other
32.1% (2023 est.)
forest
1.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
64.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 46.1% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
1.387 million tons (2024 est.)
Environmental issues
sufficiency of freshwater resources; sewage processing
Total water withdrawal
municipal
251 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial
37 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural
158 million cubic meters (2022)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
3.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
31.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
837 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Country name
etymology
The term denotes the area of the British Mandate of Palestine, which was taken over and governed by Jordan in 1948, situated on the western bank of the Jordan River. This label was kept following the 1967 Six-Day War and the later administrative shifts.
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
West Bank
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
Budget
revenues
$1.409 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures
$1.499 billion (2021 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$3.533 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$3.413 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$2.885 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$12.257 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$11.637 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$8.264 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
small-scale industry, quarrying, textiles, soap production, olive-wood carvings, and souvenirs made from mother-of-pearl
Labor force
1.391 million (2022 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2013
23.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
24% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
18.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
5.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
3.442 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
3.23 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
3.36 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
3.67 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
3.7 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2020
25.9% (2020 est.)
Unemployment rate 2021
26.4% (2021 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022
24.5% (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
Jordan 51%, Turkey 12%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UK 4% (2023)
Imports - partners
Egypt 25%, Jordan 17%, China 8%, Germany 7%, UAE 7% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$5,800 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$5,400 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$3,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
4.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
-4.6% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
-26.6% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds
Exports - commodities
scrap iron, tropical fruits, olive oil, building stone, prepared meat (2023)
Imports - commodities
cement, raw sugar, cars, baked goods, perfumes (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$2.037 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$2.895 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$2.899 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
21.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$13.711 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
95.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption
20.7% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
1.7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
24.7% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
21% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-60.3% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
29.2% (2016 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
3.7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
5.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
53.7% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-32.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$29.016 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$27.694 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$20.339 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
31.6% (2022 est.)
total
36.1% (2022 est.)
female
56.6% (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$896.9 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$1.323 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$1.328 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
17.4% (2022 est.)
services
58.3% (2022 est.)
agriculture
5.7% (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
2.5% (2023 est.)
highest 10%
27.1% (2023 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
36.4 (2023 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
1 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
imports
6.925 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
6.956 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
352,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
988 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
14.991 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
33.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
66.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
87% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
the Palestinian Authority runs 1 television station and 1 radio station; approximately 20 private television channels and 40 radio stations; Jordanian television and satellite television are available
Internet country code
.ps
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
383,653 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
7 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
4,148,420 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
77 (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
431,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
8 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Airports
1 (2025)
Heliports
2 (2025)
Military & Security
Military - note
The security forces of the Palestinian Authority oversee security within 17.5% of the West Bank, known as Area A, as stipulated in the Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel. However, Israeli security forces often carry out operations in this area. The remaining 82.5% of the West Bank falls under the responsibility of Israeli security forces, comprising Area B (22.5%), where the Palestinian Authority exercises administrative authority, and Area C (60%), which is under Israeli administrative control (2024)
Military expenditures
not available
Military and security forces
According to the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is barred from maintaining a conventional military force but is allowed to have security and police units; since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, PA security personnel have been active solely in the West Bank. The PA's security forces consist of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Presidential Guard, Civil Police, Civil Defense, Preventive Security Organization, General Intelligence Organization, and Military Intelligence Organization (2024)
Military and security service personnel strengths
The PA's police and security forces comprise roughly 28,000 active members, which includes nearly 11,500 from the National Security Forces (2024)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs
2,032,011 (2024 est.)
