THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: The landlocked West Bank -- the larger of the two Palestinian territories -- is home to some three million Palestinians. Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the area currently known as the West Bank has been dominated by a succession of different powers. In the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. The West Bank fell to British forces during World War I, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Transjordan (later renamed Jordan) captured the West Bank and annexed it in 1950; Israel then captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under the Oslo Accords -- a series of agreements that were signed between 1993 and 1999 -- Israel transferred to the newly created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for the many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank, as well as the Gaza Strip. In addition to establishing the PA as an interim government, the Oslo Accords divided the West Bank into three areas, with one fully managed by the PA (Area A), another fully managed by Israel (Area C), and a third with shared control (Area B) until a permanent agreement could be reached between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. In 2000, a violent intifada, or uprising, began across the Palestinian territories, and in 2001, negotiations for a permanent agreement between the PLO and Israel on final status issues stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start direct negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the area. The PA last held national elections in 2006, when the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed to maintain a unity government, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and to HAMAS's violent seizure of all PA military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in 2007. In 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court dissolved the PLC. In recent years, Fatah and HAMAS have made several attempts at reconciliation, but the factions have been unable to implement agreements.

Location: Middle East, west of Jordan, east of Israel
Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 35 15 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 5,860 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km
water: 220 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 478 km
border countries: Israel 330 km; Jordan 148 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Terrain: mostly rugged, dissected upland in west, flat plains descending to Jordan River Valley to the east
Elevation: highest point: Khallat al Batrakh 1,020 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -431 m
Natural resources: arable land
Land use: 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.)
forest: 1.8% (2023 est.)
other: 32.1% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: (2013) 151 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip
Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s): Dead Sea (shared with Jordan and Israel) - 1,020 sq kmnote - endorheic hypersaline lake; 9.6 times saltier than the ocean; lake shore is 431 meters below sea level
Population distribution: the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone -- between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and around Jerusalem
Natural hazards: droughts
Geography - note: landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers (2017)

Population: total: 3,310,554 (2025 est.)
male: 1,682,493
female: 1,628,061
Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab, Jewish, other
Languages: Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
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% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 12-14%, Christian 1-2.5% (mainly Greek Orthodox), other, unaffiliated, unspecified <1% (2012 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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 68.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 61.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 14.8 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 22 years (2025 est.)
male: 21.6 years
female: 22.1 years
Population growth rate: 2.03% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 27.24 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 3.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the most populous Palestinian communities in the West Bank are located in the central ridge and western half of its territory; Jewish settlements are located throughout the West Bank, the most populous in the Seam Zone -- between the 1949 Armistice Line and the separation barrier -- and around Jerusalem
Urbanization: urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 16 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 14.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 74.4 years
female: 78.8 years
Total fertility rate: 3.44 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.67 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 98% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: 13.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 3.25 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 99% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.1% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 62.4% (2020 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0.7% (2020)
women married by age 18: 13.4% (2020)
Education expenditure: 5.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Literacy: total population: 98% (2022 est.)
male: 99% (2022 est.)
female: 97% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: adequacy of freshwater supply; sewage treatment
Climate: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Land use: 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.)
forest: 1.8% (2023 est.)
other: 32.1% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 77.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.387 million tons (2024 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 251 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 37 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 158 million cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources: 837 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank
etymology: name refers to the location of the British Mandate of Palestine that was occupied and administered by Jordan in 1948, on the west bank of the Jordan River; the designation was retained after the 1967 Six-Day War and subsequent changes in administration
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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $20.339 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $27.694 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $29.016 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: -26.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -4.6% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 4.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $3,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $5,400 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $5,800 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $13.711 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 53.7% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 5.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 3.7% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 5.7% (2022 est.)
industry: 17.4% (2022 est.)
services: 58.3% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 95.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 20.7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 24.7% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.7% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 21% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -60.3% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, poultry, milk, potatoes, sheep milk, eggplants, gourds
Industries: small-scale manufacturing, quarrying, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs
Industrial production growth rate: -32.2% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 1.391 million (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022: 24.5% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2021: 26.4% (2021 est.)
Unemployment rate 2020: 25.9% (2020 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 36.1% (2022 est.)
male: 31.6% (2022 est.)
female: 56.6% (2022 est.)
Population below poverty line: 29.2% (2016 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023: 36.4 (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 27.1% (2023 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 5.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 18.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 24% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.409 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures: $1.499 billion (2021 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2013: 23.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 21.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$2.899 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$2.895 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$2.037 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $2.885 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $3.413 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $3.533 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Jordan 51%, Turkey 12%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 5%, UK 4% (2023)
Exports - commodities: scrap iron, tropical fruits, olive oil, building stone, prepared meat (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $8.264 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $11.637 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $12.257 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Egypt 25%, Jordan 17%, China 8%, Germany 7%, UAE 7% (2023)
Imports - commodities: cement, raw sugar, cars, baked goods, perfumes (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $1.328 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $1.323 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $896.9 million (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 3.7 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 3.67 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 3.36 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 3.23 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 3.442 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 352,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 6.956 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 6.925 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 988 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 66.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 33.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: exports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 14.991 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

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.)
Broadcast media: the Palestinian Authority operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; about 20 private TV and 40 radio stations; Jordanian TV and satellite TV accessible
Internet country code: .ps
Internet users: percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 431,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2023 est.)

Airports: 1 (2025)
Heliports: 2 (2025)

Military and security forces: per the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is not permitted a conventional military but maintains security and police forces; PA security personnel have operated exclusively in the West Bank since HAMAS seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007; PA forces include the Palestinian National Security Forces, Presidential Guard, Civil Police, Civil Defense, Preventive Security Organization, the General Intelligence Organization, and the Military Intelligence Organization (2024)
Military expenditures: not available
Military and security service personnel strengths: the PA police and security forces have approximately 28,000 active personnel, including about 11,500 National Security Forces (2024)
Military - note: Palestinian Authority security forces maintain security control of 17.5% (called Area A) of the West Bank, as agreed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in the Oslo Accords, although Israeli security forces frequently conducted security operations there; Israeli security forces maintain responsibility for the remaining 82.5% of the West Bank, including Area B (22.5%), where the Palestinian Authority has administrative control, and Area C (60%), where Israel maintains administrative control (2024)

Terrorist group(s): Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; HAMAS; Palestine Islamic Jihad; Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 2,032,011 (2024 est.)

Palestine