عربي
Dr. Awad Presents a Brief on Palestinians at the End of 2020
H.E Dr. Ola Awad, Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) President presents a brief on the status of Palestinian people
at The end of 2020
About 13.7 million Palestinians live around the world at the end of 2020
The projected number of Palestinians at the end of 2020 is estimated at 13.7 million, of whom 5.2 million live in the State of Palestine, about 1.6 million Palestinians live in the 1948 territories, about 6.2 million live in Arab States and 738 thousand live in foreign countries.
About 6.8 million Palestinians living in historical Palestine.
PCBS estimates indicate that there were around 6.80 million Palestinians living in the historical Palestine at the end of 2020. Where the number of Jewish population is expected to reach 6.88 million at the end of 2020. The number of Palestinians and Jewish population will be equal at the end of 2022. The number of Palestinians and Jewish will be about 7.1 million each.
More than one third of the Palestinian population resides in Gaza Strip at the end of 2020
The projected number of Palestinians in the State of Palestine is estimated at 5.2 million Palestinians, of about 3.1 million in the West Bank and 2.1 million in Gaza Strip. The percentage of refugees in 2017 reached 42% out of the total number of the Palestinian population living in the State of Palestine; 26% in the West Bank and 66% in Gaza Strip.
A Decline in Fertility Rates
The total fertility rate during (2017 – 2019) has declined to reach 3.8 births, compared to 4.6 births in 1999; 3.8 births in the West Bank and 3.9 births in Gaza Strip.
A Decline in the Average Household Size
The average size of the Palestinian household has dropped to 5.1 individuals in 2019, compared to 6.1 individuals in 2000; 4.9 individuals in the West Bank and 5.5 individuals in Gaza Strip.
A Decline in Child and Infant Mortality Rates.
The child mortality rate of children under-five years in Palestine was 14 per 1000 live births (2015-2019); 15 in the West Bank and 14 in the Gaza Strip. On the other hand, infant mortality rate in Palestine reached 12 per 1000 live births; 12 in the West Bank and 13 in the Gaza Strip. Data also indicated a decline in the child mortality rate during the past ten years, where this rate reached 15 children per 1000 live births.
A decline in the percentage of marriages before the age of 18 among females.
Results indicate that about 13% of women aged 20-24 years got married for the first time before reaching the age of 18 years; about 11% in the West Bank compared to about 17% in Gaza Strip.
This percentage has decreased compared to 2014, when the percentage of women aged 20-24 years who got married for the first time before reaching the age of 18 years in Palestine 24%.
High Fertility Rate among Palestinian Women living in Jordan compared to those living in Syria and Lebanon
The total fertility rate of the Palestinian women living in Jordan reached 3.3 births per woman in 2010 compared to 2.5 births for those living in Syria in 2010 and 2.7 births per woman for those living in Lebanon in 2017.
Selected Demographic Indicators on the Palestinians by Place of Residency, selected years
|
Place of Residency |
Average Household Size |
Total Fertility Rate |
|
Jordan |
**5.1 |
3.3* |
|
Syria |
*4.1 |
2.5* |
|
Lebanon |
4.0*** |
2.7*** |
*Data represents 2010
** Data represents 2011
*** Data represents 2017
The Palestinian Society in the 1948 Territories is a Young Society
The number of Palestinians living in the 1948 Territories is estimated at 1.63 million Palestinians at the end of 2020. The percentage of male population under 15 years reached 32.4% compared to 31.4% of females. In addition, the percentage of males aged 65 years and above reached 4.5% compared to 5.4% of females during 2019.
The number of employed persons decreased by 82 thousand in the 3rd quarter of 2020 compared with the 3rd quarter of 2019
The number of employed persons decreased from 1,022 thousand in the 3rd quarter of 2019 to 935 thousand in the 3rd quarter of 2020, by 8%. It decreased in Gaza Strip by 17% compared to the 3rd quarter 2019, and decreased by 5.5% in the West Bank for the same period.
13% of employed persons were absent from their jobs during the 3rd quarter of 2020 due to the pandemic
The results showed that the number of employed persons who were absent from their jobs increased from 99 thousand in the 3rd quarter 2019 to 117 thousand in 3rd quarter 2020 by 18% The reasons for such absence are mainly related to COVID-19 pandemic and procedure followed to mitigate it spreads
A decrease in the number of employed persons in the local market between the 3rd quarter 2019 and 3rd quarter of 2020
The number of employed persons in the local market decreased from 881 thousand employed persons in the 3rd quarter of 2019 to 800 thousand employed persons in the 3rd quarter of 2020, where it decreased by 17% in Gaza Strip and it decreased by 6% in the West Bank for the same period.
About half of main households breadwinners were absent from work during the lockdown.
47% of breadwinners were absent from their jobs during the lock down which extend from the 5th of March 2020 until 25th of May 2020, taking into consideration a noticeable differences between regions by 54% in the West Bank and 32% in Gaza Strip
More than the half of students in the West Bank participated in the online educational activities
The preventative measures taken by the government under COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the educational institutions during the lockdown period (March 5th - May 25th/2020). Accordingly, such closure led to changing the type of education during this period to be an online/remote education in order to catch up with students on their school studies. However, the results of the previously mentioned survey showed that 51% of households in the State of Palestine, with children between the ages (6-18 years), who were enrolled in education before the lockdown period, have participated in the remote educational activities during the lockdown (March 5th - May 25th/2020; (53.3% in the West Bank and 48.5% in Gaza Strip).
Two Households out of every Five Households Evaluated the Remote Education Experience as being Bad and did not Fulfill the Desired Purpose
Results of Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Palestinian Households Socio-economic Conditions Survey, 2020 showed that 40% of the households, whose children participated in any type of educational activities during the lockdown period (March 5th - May 25th/2020), have evaluated the experience as being bad and didn’t fulfill the desired purpose. However, 39% of the households have evaluated it as being good and fulfilled the desired purpose, but there is a room for enhancing this experience, whereas 21% of them evaluated it as being good and fulfilled the desired purpose.
Income of Two Households out of Every Five Households Decreased to the Half and even more
The results of the aforementioned survey also showed that the income of 42% of the Palestinian households declined to the half and even more during the lockdown period (March 5th - May 25th/2020) compared to February 2020.
A decline in household monthly expenditures on food during the lockdown
The monthly expenditures on food supplies declined for 41% of the households during the lockdown compared with February 2020 (42% in the West Bank and 40% in Gaza Strip). About 29% of households indicated that cash transfer programs are the most desirable measures and procedures the government should be taken in such times of crisis (29%). While job opportunity and employment program came as the second priority (21%). Whereas the third priority are food supplies parcels and procurement coupons (19%).