Rishon LeZion
City in Israel / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Rishon Lezion?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Rishon LeZion (Hebrew: רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן (audio)ⓘ, lit. "First to Zion") is a city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain eight kilometres (5 mi) south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area.
Rishon LeZion
רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן | |
---|---|
City (from 1950) | |
Hebrew transcription(s) | |
• ISO 259 | Riˀšon l Ṣiyon |
• Translit. | Rishon LeTziyon |
• Also spelled | Rishon LeZiyyon (official) |
Coordinates: 31°57′N 34°48′E | |
Country | Israel |
District | Central |
Founded | 1882; 142 years ago (1882) |
Government | |
• Mayor | Raz Kinstlich |
Area | |
• Total | 61,914.25 dunams (61.91425 km2 or 23.90523 sq mi) |
Population (2022)[1] | |
• Total | 260,453 |
• Density | 4,200/km2 (11,000/sq mi) |
Name meaning | First to Zion |
Founded in 1882 by Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire who were part of the First Aliyah, it was the first Zionist settlement founded in Israel by the New Yishuv and the second Jewish farm settlement established in Ottoman Syria in the 19th century, after Petah Tikva. As of 2017, it was the fourth-largest city in Israel, with a population of 260,453.[2]
The city is a member of Forum 15, which is an association of fiscally autonomous cities in Israel that do not depend on national balancing or development grants.[3]