State of Palestine
Country in West Asia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Palestine (Arabic: فلسطين, romanized: Filasṭīn[lower-alpha 5]), officially the State of Palestine (دولة فلسطين, Dawlat Filasṭīn),[lower-alpha 6] is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It comprises of two disconnected regions – the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It shares borders with Israel to the west and north, Jordan to the east and Egypt to the southwest. Palestine's combined land area is 6,020 square kilometres (2,320 sq mi) while its population exceeds five million people. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem while Rafah is the largest city and Ramallah serves as the administrative center. The official language is Arabic. The majority of Palestinians practice Islam while Christianity also has a significant presence.
State of Palestine | |
---|---|
Anthem: "فدائي" "Fida'i"[1] "Fedayeen Warrior" | |
Status | UN observer state under Israeli occupation Recognized by 140 UN member states |
| |
Largest city | Rafah[lower-alpha 2][3] |
Official languages | Arabic |
Demonym(s) | Palestinian |
Government | Unitary semi-presidential republic[4] |
Mahmoud Abbas[lower-alpha 3] | |
Mohammad Mustafa | |
Aziz Dweik | |
Legislature | National Council |
Formation | |
15 November 1988 | |
29 November 2012 | |
• Sovereignty dispute with Israel | Ongoing[lower-alpha 4][5][6] |
Area | |
• Total | 6,020[7] km2 (2,320 sq mi) (163rd) |
• Water (%) | 3.5[8] |
5,655 km2 | |
365 km2[9] | |
Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 5,483,450[10] (121st) |
• Density | 731/km2 (1,893.3/sq mi) |
GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $36.391 billion[11] (138th) |
• Per capita | $6,642[11] (140th) |
GDP (nominal) | 2021 estimate |
• Total | $18.109 billion[11] (121st) |
• Per capita | $3,464[11] (131st) |
Gini (2016) | 33.7[12] medium |
HDI (2021) | 0.715[13] high (106th) |
Currency |
|
Time zone | UTC+2 (Palestine Standard Time) |
UTC+3 (Palestine Summer Time) | |
Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +970 |
ISO 3166 code | PS |
Internet TLD | .ps |
As of May 2024, Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by over 72% of member states of the United Nations. It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations since 2012.
The region of Palestine has played an important part in world history. The Canaanites, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Byzantines all left their mark on the land. In addition to its historical significance, Palestine holds profound religious importance for Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Throughout history the region has seen periods of coexistence and conflict between different religious and ethnic groups. Notably, during the Middle Ages, when Jewish communities faced persecution, they found refuge and protection under Muslim rule and the wider Islamic world. The Ottoman Empire, which controlled Palestine from the 16th century until its collapse at the end of World War I, provided a sanctuary for Jews fleeing persecution in Europe. The end of the Ottoman rule marked a new chapter in Palestine's history. Following World War I, the British Empire assumed control of the region under the League of Nations mandate. The British Mandate for Palestine, established in 1920, brought significant changes to the political and social landscape of the area, setting the stage for the conflicts and struggles that would follow.
The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was accompanied by a forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and created a large Palestinian refugee population.[18] Subsequent Arab–Israeli wars, including the Six-Day War in 1967, resulted in occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In 1988, PNC, the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) led by Yasser Arafat, declared the establishment of Palestine. Signing of the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, negotiated between Israel and the PLO, aimed to establish a government and the eventual creation of Palestinian state. However, the implementation of the Oslo Accords faced significant challenges, including the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and ongoing security concerns. In 2007, internal divisions between Palestinian political factions led to a takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas. Since then, the West Bank has been governed by the Palestinian National Authority, led by Fatah, and the Gaza Strip under the control of Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority governs parts of the West Bank while Hamas controls the Gaza Strip. Palestine faces various challenges, political violence, including territorial disputes, socio-economic disparities, freedom of movement and the impact of the occupation. Current effort is advancing the Palestinian cause and achieving a just and lasting resolution to the conflict. Palestine is a member of several international organizations including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and a non-member observer at the United Nations.[19] It is one of the most educated countries in the Arab world and the Middle East, with massive reserves of oil and gas.