Israel

Israel lies on the eastern Mediterranean coast bordering Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian territories. The land includes the coastal plain around Tel Aviv, the hill country of Jerusalem, the fertile Jezreel Valley, and the arid Negev Desert stretching to the Red Sea port of Eilat. The Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea, Earth's lowest exposed point, where mineral-rich waters support health resorts and scientific studies. Climate varies from Mediterranean rains in the north to dry desert heat in the south, so farmers use drip irrigation, greenhouses, and desalination to conserve water.

Jewish history in the region spans thousands of years, with ancient kingdoms, Roman rule, Ottoman administration, and the British Mandate shaping the land. Israel declared independence in 1948, leading to conflicts and peace agreements that continue to influence daily life. Jerusalem holds sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and UNESCO-listed digs reveal layers of Canaanite, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman architecture. Museums remember the Holocaust, document immigration waves, and celebrate modern art, music, and science.

Israel is a parliamentary democracy. Citizens elect the Knesset, which selects a prime minister to lead the government. A president serves a largely ceremonial role, while the judiciary—headed by the Supreme Court—reviews laws and protects civil liberties. Local municipalities manage schools, waste systems, transit, and emergency preparedness, and regional councils support agricultural communities called kibbutzim and moshavim.

The economy is driven by technology startups, defense industries, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and agriculture. Tel Aviv's Silicon Wadi district hosts cybersecurity labs, chip designers, and venture capital firms. Researchers in the Negev develop solar panels and autonomous irrigation systems, while Galilee dairies produce cheeses exported worldwide. Farmers grow citrus, avocados, and dates, and aquaculture ponds raise fish in desert climates using recycled water. Renewable-energy projects line the Arava Valley, and universities collaborate with hospitals on medical robotics.

Society reflects diverse cultures from Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. Families gather for Shabbat dinners, share falafel, hummus, and shakshuka, and celebrate holidays like Passover, Ramadan, Easter, and Independence Day. Artists curate film festivals in Haifa, choreographers host dance workshops in Beersheba, and musicians blend klezmer clarinets with hip-hop beats. Young people serve in national service or community volunteering, plant forests with the Jewish National Fund, and clean Mediterranean beaches. Environmental projects restore wetlands for migrating birds, protect coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba, and study rewilding of the Negev's ibex herds.