Official name: Medinat Yisra`el (Hebrew); Dawlat Isra`il (Arabic); State of Israel (English).

Form of government: multiparty republic with one legislative house (Knesset [120]).

Chief of state: President.

Head of government: Prime Minister.

Population (1998): 5,740,000.

Population projection: (2000) 5,911,000; (2010) 6,847,000.

Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 14.0 (world avg. 15.7).

Gross national product (1996): U.S.$90,310,000,000 (U.S.$15,870 per capita).