Palestinian population is 3.9 million in Gaza and West Bank
Palestine, Politics, 7/10/2006

Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said that Population in the Palestinian Territory increased by 39% during the period 1997-2006.

PCBS said that the Palestinian population reached 3.9 million in mid year 2006, of which 46% are less than 15 years.

"Gaza Strip population increased by 45% during the period 1997-2006, reached about 1.4 million in mid year 2006. The West Bank population increased by 37% during the period 1997-2006, reached about 2.5 million in mid year 2006," it stated.

PCBS revealed that despite the decline in the natural increase rate to 3.3% in the year 2006 compared with 3.8% in 1997 the population will continue increasing. Hebron is the most populated governorate in the West Bank, its population totaled 543 thousands in mid year 2006, whereas Gaza is the most populated governorate in Gaza Strip totaled 506 thousands.

The Palestinian population is characterized as young population, the percentage of persons aged less than 15 years represents about 45.7% of total population in the Palestinian Territory mid 2006, of which 43.9% in the West Bank and 48.8% in Gaza Strip. Compared with 3.0% aged 65 years and above.

"The trend of fertility rate is declining, fertility rate reached 4.6 births per woman in the Palestinian Territory during 2004, of which 4.1 in the West Bank and 5.8 in Gaza Strip. while fertility rate in the Palestinian Territory was 6.0 births per woman in 1997," PCBS reported.

Regarding infant mortality rate in the Palestinian Territory decreased from 27.7 per 1000 live births during 1990-1994 to 24.2 per 1000 live births during 1999-2003. The life expectancy for 2006 in the Palestinian Territory is 71.7 years for males and 73.2 years for females.

PCBS mentioned that the nuclear households increased by 10.9% in 2005 compared with 1997, constituting about 81.3% of the total households in the Palestinian Territory in 2005, compared with 73.3% in 1997. The percentage of the households headed by females reached 8.2% of the total households in the Palestinian Territory in 2005.

Regarding reproductive health, data showed that 96.5% of women aged 15-49 years received antenatal care in the Palestinian Territory in 2004, while only 34.0% of women received postnatal care, of them 37.6% in the West Bank and 29.6% in Gaza Strip. On the other hand 9.9% of children aged less than five years suffered chronic malnutrition (stunting). It is obvious that Gazan children suffer more than West Banker children, the percentage was 11.4% and 8.8% respectively.

The illiteracy rate reached 7.7% of total persons aged 15 years and over in the Palestinian Territory in 2005, 3.1% among males and 11.1% among females, moreover 7.5% of the persons aged 15 years and over have bachelor and above, 9.2% for males and 5.8% for females, its distributed by 7.0% in the West Bank and 8.4% in Gaza Strip.

"The unemployment rate reached 25.3% in the Palestinian Territory during the first quarter of 2006, distributed by 21.4% in the West bank and 34.1% in Gaza Strip. The estimated poverty rate among Palestinian households in the Palestinian Territory during the 2nd quarter 2006 reached 65.8%, distributed by 87.7% in Gaza Strip and 54.65 in the West Bank, Estimates showed that about 55.65 of households are suffering deep poverty, distributed by 79.8% in Gaza Strip and 43.2% in the West Bank," PCBS said.

As for housing, PCBS said that 87.8% of the households in the Palestinian Territory owned their housing unit in 2005, distributed bt 85.9% in the West Bank and 91.7% in Gaza Strip, while 7.4% are living in rented housing units, 8.8% in the West Bank and 4.7% in Gaza Strip.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinian parliament delays referendum vote   (6/13/2006)
  Zahar: Abbas leading Palestinians to civil war   (6/13/2006)
  Abbas receives pm Haniyya in Gaza   (6/10/2006)
  Israeli forces prevent population of Tulkaram and Jenin from entry into Nables   (11/1/2005)
  Palestinian population in the world tolls 9.7 million, 3.7 million of them are in the west bank, Gaza   (1/2/2004)
  Amnesty: Gravest abuses against the Palestinian population are taking place behind closed doors   (4/11/2002)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search