Israel's Population Surpasses 10.3 Million as New Year Begins

Israel's population reached approximately 10.305 million people on the eve of the Hebrew New Year, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics. Of the total population, about 7.828 million are Jewish or other, constituting 78.3%, while the Arab population numbers around 2.173 million, or 21.7%. Additionally, there are approximately 304,000 foreign nationals residing in the country.

Over the past year, Israel's population grew by about 124,000, a growth rate of 1.2%. This growth was driven by 182,000 births, offset by 50,000 deaths. However, international migration resulted in a net decrease of about 8,000 people.

Immigration saw 24,000 new arrivals and 4,000 family reunifications. Concurrently, 21,000 Israelis returned from abroad, while 57,000 Israelis emigrated, leading to a negative international migration balance.

The data also detailed the religious self-identification of Jewish Israelis aged 20 and over. Secular individuals form the largest group at 39.6%. "Traditional" Jews make up 21.8%, "traditional-religious" 14%, "religious" 12.4%, and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) 11.5%.

Globally, the Central Bureau of Statistics estimates the Jewish population at around 15.9 million as of January 1, 2026, with 46% of them living in Israel.