On the Occasion of the International Population Day 11/07/2020


Based on PCBS estimates, there are about 13.5 million Palestinians in the world, of whom about 5.1 million in the State of Palestine; 2.59 million males and 2.51 million females. The estimated population of the West Bank was 3.05 million; of which 1.55 million males and 1.50 million females. While the estimated population of Gaza Strip was 2.05 million; of which 1.04 million males and 1.01 thousand females.  

The Palestinian Population is Young; more than One-third of the Population is Less than 15 Years

The percentage of individuals aged (0-14) years constituted 38% of the total population in mid 2020; of which 36% in the West Bank and 41% in Gaza Strip.  The elderly population aged (65 years and above) constituted 3% of the total population; of which 4% in the West Bank and 3% in Gaza Strip.

 

About 112 thousand Palestinians in the localities intended to be annexed by the Israeli occupation in mid 2020

The number of Palestinian localities in the West Bank that the Israeli occupation intends to annex is 43; distributed as follows: 10 in the North of the West Bank, 30 in the Middle of the West Bank, 3 in the South of the West Bank, where the number of Palestinians there is 112,427 individuals with a total area of 477.3 km2.

 

Crude Birth Rates are Higher in Gaza Strip than in the West Bank

Population projections showed that crude birth rate in Palestine was 29.9 births /1000 of the population in 2020.  The rate for the West Bank were 27.5 compared to 33.4 in Gaza Strip. The estimated crude death rate in Palestine was 3.7 deaths/1000 of the population, where this rate in the West Bank was 3.9 compared to 3.4 in Gaza Strip.

 

More than 4 Births per 1 Woman in Palestine

The mean average of children ever born for ever married women in Palestine in 2017 is 4.4 births; of which 4.3 births for women living in the West Bank and 4.5 births for those living in Gaza Strip.

 

Constant Decline in the Average Household Size

The results of the Labor Force Survey, 2019 and the Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 indicated a decline in the average household size in Palestine compared to 2007. The average size of the household declined to 5.1 individuals in 2019 compared to 5.8 individuals in 2007. Additionally, the average household size in the West Bank declined to 4.9 individuals in 2019 compared with 5.5 individuals in 2007. In Gaza Strip, the average household size declined to 5.5 in 2019 compared with 6.5 in 2007.

 

One Household out of Ten is Headed by a Female

The results of the Labor Force Survey, 2019 showed that 11% of the households were headed by females in Palestine (12% in the West Bank and 9% in Gaza Strip).

 

8 out of 10 Individuals in Palestine have Health Insurance*

The Population, Housing and Establishments Census, 2017 data showed that the number of health insured individuals in Palestine reached 3,458,227, constituting 79% of the total Palestinian population. The percentage of individuals with government insurance was 32%, while the percentage of individuals with UNRWA insurance was 15%, 2% with private insurance, 29% of the individuals have government and UNRWA insurance, 0.2% have government and private insurance, 0.7% have UNRWA and private insurance, 0.7% of the total Palestinian population have Israeli insurance and 0.3% have other insurances.

 

6% of Individuals in Palestine Have at Least One Difficulty *

The Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 data indicated that 255,228 individuals, which is 6% of the individuals in Palestine, have at least one difficulty (6% males and 5% females). In terms of the type of difficulty (seeing, hearing, mobility, remembering and concentration, communication), where mobility recorded the highest percentage by 3% of the total Palestinian population, and the communication difficulty was the least prevalence among other difficulties with 1% of the total population in Palestine.

 

Low Illiteracy Rate in Palestine

The Labor Force Survey 2019 data showed that illiteracy rate among individuals (15 years and above) in Palestine was 2.6%. The illiteracy gap is significantly noticed among males and females with percentages of 1.2% and 4.1%, respectively.

 

16% of Individuals (15 years and above) Have a Bachelor Degree and above

The Labor Force Survey 2019 data showed that the percentage of individuals (15 years and above), who have completed university education (Bachelor degree and above), was 16% while the percentage of individuals who didn't complete any stage of education reached about 7%.

 

About One Million and a Half of Individuals are in the Labour Force

The results of Labour Force Survey 2019 showed that the labour force participation rate was 44% of the total labour force (individuals aged 15 years and above); of which 46% in the West Bank and 41% in Gaza strip. The females participation rate in labour force was very low compared to the males participation rate, where it reached 18%; of which 17% in the West Bank and 19% in Gaza Strip. As for the males, it was 70%; of which 74% in the West Bank and 62% in Gaza Strip.

 

About One-fourth of the Labor Force Participants were Unemployed

The results also showed that more than one-fourth of the participants in the labour force were unemployed in 2019, where the percentage reached 25%; of which 15% in the West Bank and 45% in Gaza Strip. Unemployment rate reached 41% among females compared to 21% among males.

 
Monthly Expenditure per Capita in Gaza Strip Decreased in 2017 Compared to 2011

Average per capita monthly expenditure in the West Bank increased in 2017 compared to 2011, rising from 188 Jordanian Dinar (JD) in 2011 to JD 220 in 2017, reflecting an increase of 17.0%. While in Gaza Strip, it fell from JD 110 in 2011 to JD 91 in 2017, reflecting a decline of 17%. As for the level of the locality type, the average per capita monthly expenditure was JD 170 in urban localities compared to JD 196 in rural localities and JD 122 in camps in 2017.

 

29% of Individuals in Palestine Suffered from Poverty in 2017

The relative poverty line and the deep poverty line according to consumption patterns in 2017 (for reference household consisted of 2 adults and 3 children) were NIS 2,470 (USD 671), and NIS 1,974 (USD 536), respectively. The poverty percentage among Palestinian individuals according to consumption patterns was 29% (14% in the West Bank and 53% in Gaza Strip).  Data showed that about 17% of the individuals in Palestine suffered from deep poverty in 2017, according to consumption patterns (6% in the West Bank and 34% in Gaza Strip).


97% of Palestinian Households Have at Least One Mobile Phone, With a Wide Use of Smartphones

The data of the Household Survey on Information and Communications Technology, 2019 showed that 97% of the households in Palestine have one or more cellular mobile lines (97% in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip). The results also showed that the percentage of households that own one Smart phone or more was 86% in Palestine (91% in the West Bank and 78% in Gaza Strip).

 

Also, the results of the survey showed that the percentage of individuals (10 years and above) who own a cellular mobile was 75% in Palestine (82% in the West Bank and 64% in Gaza Strip); 79% for females and 71% for males.

 

About 80% of Palestinian Households Have Access to Internet at Home

The results of the Household Survey on Information and Communications Technology, 2019 showed that 80% of the households in Palestine have internet access at home (84% in the West Bank and 73% in Gaza Strip).  While the percentage of individuals aged (10 years and above) who used the internet from anywhere in Palestine reached 71% (74% in the West Bank and 65% in Gaza Strip).  Data also showed that the percentage of males who used internet reached 72% compared to 69% for females.

 

* Data excluded those parts of Jerusalem which were annexed by Israeli occupation in 1967.