This article lists the 73 localities in Israel that the Israeli Ministry of Interior has designated as a city council. It excludes the 4 Israeli settlements in the West Bank designated as cities, but occupied East Jerusalem is included within Jerusalem.

The list is based on the current index of the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Within Israel's system of local government, an urban municipality can be granted a city council by the Interior Ministry when its population exceeds 20,000.[1] The term "city" does not generally refer to local councils or urban agglomerations, even though a defined city often contains only a small portion of an urban area or metropolitan area's population.

List

Israel has 16 cities with populations over 100,000, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv-Yafo.[2] In all, there are 77 Israeli localities granted "municipalities" (or "city") status by the Ministry of the Interior, including four Israeli settlements in the West Bank.[3] Two more cities are planned: Kasif, a planned city to be built in the Negev, and Harish, originally a small town currently being built into a large city. The area and population of Jerusalem includes that of East Jerusalem which has been de facto annexed by Israel and incorporated within Jerusalem's municipal borders under the Jerusalem Law. This, however, is not recognized by the international community who regard East Jerusalem to be Palestinian territory held under Israeli occupation.[4][5] If East Jerusalem is considered part of Israel, Tel Aviv is the country's second most populous city with 452,000 residents after Jerusalem with 919,000; if not, Tel Aviv is the most populous city before West Jerusalem with around 350,000.

The following table lists all Israeli cities by name, district, population, and area, according to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics:

Name Photo District First
settlement
Population
estimate,
2022[6]
Population
census,
2008[7]
Change,
2008–
–2022
Area,
km2
[8]
Density,
per km2
[9]
Socio-
economic
index[10]
Acre[cbs 1]   North Bronze Age 51,420 46,100 +11.54% 13.5 3,362.0 −0.395
Afula   North Bronze Age 61,519 40,200 +53.03% 26.9 1,611.7 −0.028
Arad   South 1962 28,170 23,400 +20.38% 93.1 195.9 0.287
Arraba[cbs 2]   North N/A 27,115 20,600 +31.63% 8.25 3,097.1 −0.945
Ashdod   South 1956[note 1] 226,827 204,300 +11.03% 47.2 4,783.9 −0.109
Ashkelon[cbs 3]   South Neolithic 153,138 110,600 +38.46% 47.8 2,964.8 -0.032
Baqa al-Gharbiyye   Haifa Middle Ages 31,397 N/A N/A 16.4 3,152.1 −0.736
Bat Yam   Tel Aviv 1926 128,465 130,300 −1.41% 8.2 15,758.4 −0.025
Beersheba[cbs 4]   South 1900[note 2] 214,162 193,400 +10.74% 117.5 1,751.7 0.035
Beit She'an[cbs 5]   North Neolithic 19,073 16,900 +12.86% 7.3 2,379.9 −0.277
Beit Shemesh[cbs 6]   Jerusalem 1950 154,694 72,700 +112.78% 34.3 2,866.6 −1.149
Bnei Brak[cbs 7]   Tel Aviv 1924 218,357 151,800 +43.85% 7.1 25,709.4 −1.304
Dimona   South 1955 36,776 32,400 +13.51% 29.9 193.7 −0.235
Eilat[cbs 8]   South 1951 53,151 47,300 +12.37% 84.8 509.6 0.247
El'ad   Center 1998 49,487 33,900 +45.98% 2.8 13,138.6 −1.493
Giv'at Shmuel[cbs 9]   Center 1944 28,994 21,000 +38.07% 2.6 9,978.1 1.124
Givatayim[cbs 10]   Tel Aviv 1922 61,924 52,100 +18.86% 3.3 18,058.2 1.417
Hadera   Haifa 1891 103,041 79,400 +29.77% 49.4 1,809.2 0.255
Haifa   Haifa Antiquity 290,306 264,300 +9.84% 63.7 4,331.4 0.652
Herzliya[cbs 11]   Tel Aviv 1924 106,741 86,300 +23.69% 21.6 4,291.0 1.373
Hod HaSharon   Center 1924 65,614 46,300 +41.71% 21.6 3,058.9 1.485
Holon   Tel Aviv 1935 197,957 176,300 +12.28% 18.9 10,017.7 0.509
Jerusalem   Jerusalem Neolithic
(East Jerusalem)

mid-1800s
(West Jerusalem)

981,711 759,700 +29.22% 125.2 7,014.1 −0.802
Kafr Qasim[cbs 12]   Center 19th century 25,285 18,400 +37.42% 8.7 2,391.5 −0.841
Karmiel[cbs 13]   North 1964 47,317 44,200 +7.05% 19.2 2,056.3 0.309
Kfar Saba[cbs 14]   Center 1903 101,556 82,800 +22.65% 14.2 6,831.0 1.191
Kfar Yona[cbs 15]   Center 1932 29,450 16,500 +78.48% 11.0 1,962.4 0.786
Kiryat Ata[cbs 16]   Haifa 1925 61,142 50,400 +21.31% 16.7 3,253.0 0.249
Kiryat Bialik[cbs 17]   Haifa 1934 44,620 37,200 +19.95% 8.2 4,650.1 0.567
Kiryat Gat[cbs 18]   South 1954 64,437 47,500 +35.66% 16.3 3,328.2 −0.378
Kiryat Malakhi[cbs 19]   South 1950 25,705 20,500 +25.39% 4.6 4,741.2 −0.594
Kiryat Motzkin[cbs 20]   Haifa 1934 48,001 38,100 +25.99% 3.8 10,612.0 0.590
Kiryat Ono[cbs 21]   Tel Aviv 1939 43,241 30,000 +44.14% 4.1 8,557.8 1.513
Kiryat Shmona[cbs 22]   North 1949 22,492 23,200 −3.05% 14.2 1,595.8 −0.014
Kiryat Yam[cbs 23]   Haifa 1941 41,095 37,700 +9.01% 4.3 8,568.6 0.018
Lod   Center Neolithic 85,351 69,400 +22.98% 12.2 6,078.3 −0.448
Ma'alot-Tarshiha   North 1963 22,521 20,600 +9.33% 6.8 2,303.0 0.024
Migdal HaEmek[cbs 24]   North 1953 27,088 23,900 +13.34% 7.6 2,876.6 −0.273
Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut
[cbs 25]
  Center 1985 99,171 69,300 +43.10% 50.2 1,862.5 1.351
Nahariya[cbs 26]   North 1935 63,947 51,300 +24.65% 10.2 4,941.8 0.436
Nazareth   North Bronze Age 78,007 71,700 +8.80% 14.1 5,357.9 −0.558
Nesher   Haifa 1923 23,761 23,300 +1.98% 12.8 1,828.9 0.783
Ness Ziona[cbs 27]   Center 1883 50,341 36,100 +39.45% 15.6 3,071.5 1.265
Netanya   Center 1929 233,104 180,100 +29.43% 29.0 6,807.7 0.240
Netivot   South 1956 46,374 26,100 +77.68% 5.6 2,874.7 −0.760
Nof HaGalil   North 1957 44,184 41,400 +6.72% 32.5 1,224.4 0.055
Ofakim[cbs 28]   South 1955 35,506 24,000 +47.94% 10.3 2,565.0 −0.757
Or Akiva[cbs 29]   Haifa 1951 20,874 16,000 +30.46% 3.5 3,165.3 −0.097
Or Yehuda   Tel Aviv 1955 38,854 33,900 +14.61% 5.1 5,477.7 0.133
Petah Tikva[cbs 30]   Center 1878 255,387 200,300 +27.50% 35.9 6,626.5 0.655
Qalansawe   Center Middle Ages 24,205 18,200 +32.99% 8.4 2,603.2 −1.011
Ra'anana[cbs 31]   Center 1922 80,260 68,300 +17.51% 14.9 4,833.8 1.462
Rahat   South 1972 79,064 50,000 +58.13% 19.6 3,283.9 −1.848
Ramat Gan   Tel Aviv 1921 172,486 143,600 +20.12% 13.2 9,376.1 1.041
Ramat HaSharon   Tel Aviv 1923 48,181 39,000 +23.54% 16.8 2,708.3 1.796
Ramla   Center 8th century 79,132 65,700 +20.44% 11.9 6,252.2 −0.333
Rehovot   Center 1890 150,748 111,100 +35.69% 23.0 5,712.4 0.629
Rishon LeZion[cbs 32]   Center 1882 260,453 226,800 +14.84% 58.7 4,212.6 0.886
Rosh HaAyin   Center 1949 73,678 37,900 +94.40% 24.4 2,868.0 0.578
Safed[cbs 33]   North Bronze Age 38,029 29,600 +28.48% 29.2 1,123.5 −1.011
Sakhnin   North Bronze Age 33,188 25,100 +32.22% 9.8 3,062.2 −0.740
Sderot[cbs 34]   South 1951 33,002 20,700 +59.43% 4.5 3,788.0 −0.223
Shefa-'Amr[cbs 35]   North Bronze Age 43,543 35,700 +21.97% 19.8 2,065.0 −0.784
Tamra   North N/A 35,834 28,100 +27.52% 29.3 1,118.1 −0.983
Tayibe   Center N/A 46,020 35,700 +28.91% 18.7 2,198.7 −0.878
Tel Aviv-Yafo   Tel Aviv Neolithic
(Jaffa)

1887
(Neve Tzedek)

474,530 402,600 +17.87% 51.8 8,473.0 1.221
Tiberias   North 20 48,472 41,600 +16.52% 10.9 2,663.5 −0.379
Tira[cbs 36]   Center N/A 27,802 22,200 +25.23% 11.9 2,128.7 −0.469
Tirat Carmel[cbs 37]   Haifa N/A 28,753 18,600 +54.59% 5.6 3,425.4 −0.138
Umm al-Fahm   Haifa N/A 58,665 45,000 +30.37% 22.3 2,053.4 −1.294
Yavne   Center Bronze Age 56,232 32,800 +71.44% 10.7 2,690.9 0.455
Yehud-Monosson   Center N/A 31,405 26,200 +19.87% 5.0 5,862.3 1.034
Yokneam Illit[cbs 38]   North 1950 24,617 19,000 +29.56% 7.4 2,649.1 0.800

See also

Notes

General
  1. ^ Tel Ashdod, remains of the ancient town, lies east of the modern city.
  2. ^ Tel Be'er Sheva, remains of the ancient town, lies east of the modern city.
Official spellings
  1. ^ Akko
  2. ^ Arrabe
  3. ^ Ashqelon
  4. ^ Be'er Sheva
  5. ^ Bet She'an
  6. ^ Bet Shemesh
  7. ^ Bene Beraq
  8. ^ Elat
  9. ^ Giv'at Shemu'el
  10. ^ Giv'atayim
  11. ^ Herzliyya
  12. ^ Kafar Qasem
  13. ^ Karmi'el
  14. ^ Kefar Sava
  15. ^ Kefar Yona
  16. ^ Qiryat Atta
  17. ^ Qiryat Bialik
  18. ^ Qiryat Gat
  19. ^ Qiryat Mal'akhi
  20. ^ Qiryat Motzkin
  21. ^ Qiryat Ono
  22. ^ Qiryat Shemona
  23. ^ Qiryat Yam
  24. ^ Migdal HaEmeq
  25. ^ Modi'in-Makkabbim-Re'ut
  26. ^ Nahariyya
  27. ^ Nes Ziyyona
  28. ^ Ofaqim
  29. ^ Or Aqiva
  30. ^ Petah Tiqwa
  31. ^ Ra'annana
  32. ^ Rishon LeZiyyon
  33. ^ Zefat
  34. ^ Sederot
  35. ^ Shefar'am
  36. ^ Tire
  37. ^ Tirat Karmel
  38. ^ Yoqne'am Illit

References

  1. ^ "Israeli Democracy: How Does It Work?". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Inventory of World Cities". Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  3. ^ 2.22 Localities and Population, by Municipal Status and District Archived 17 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine, 2018
  4. ^ Symon, Fiona (4 December 2001). "Jerusalem: Crucible of the conflict". BBC News Online. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Background on East Jerusalem". B'Tselem. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Profiles by Locality". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  8. ^ "2004 local government profile" (in Hebrew). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2007.
  9. ^ Population and Density per Sq. Km. in Localities Numbering 5,000 Residents and More on 31.12.2016 (Report). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  10. ^ SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDEX 2013 OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER OF HEBREW NAMES (PDF) (Report). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.