Known by millions around the world as ‘the Holy Land’, Israel is an exceptional country. The story of this land and its people is truly like nowhere else on earth. 

The first five books of the Bible itself are about the origins and cosmology of the ‘people of Israel’, the Jews, from around 2000BC.

Fleeing slavery to conquer and settle in Canaan (broadly the same land as modern Israel), Jewish culture evolved around worship at their Temple in Jerusalem, built around 1000BC. Several attempts by foreign powers to eradicate Israel ended in failure, until in AD135, after some 70 years of war with Jewish rebels, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, expelled the Jews, and renamed Israel as ‘Palestine’. 

The subsequent Jewish diaspora continues to the present day. Nineteenth-century pogroms in Eastern Europe sparked the Zionist movement that aimed to re-establish the Jewish nation in Palestine, which had become part of the Ottoman Empire. From 1882 onwards, waves of Jewish immigration began. After WW1, the Ottoman Empire was broken up and the British Mandate took control. In 1947 the League of Nations voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab areas, a plan accepted by the Zionists but rejected by the Arab League.

The Jewish leaders inaugurated the State of Israel in May 1948, bringing an immediate full-scale war by the Arab states. Much of the history of the region since that time has been one of this continuing conflict. Following the ‘Six Day War’ of 1967, Jerusalem came under Jewish rule for the first time since the Roman expulsion. The West Bank was occupied, and its Arab residents, adopting the name Palestinians and represented by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) became the forefront of the struggle against Israel. 

Israel has since made peace with former foes including Egypt and Jordan. A peace process began with the Palestinians in the early 1990s after years of uprising or intifada. The Palestinian National Authority was set up in 1993 to take over the Palestinian areas. However, the election in January 2006 of militant Islamist organisation Hamas, which claimed responsibility for numerous suicide bombings in Israel, made peace less likely. Lebanon’s militant Islamist group Hezbollah launched a war on Israel in August 2006.

Despite these problems, Israel remains buoyant and positive, with a ‘can-do’ attitude. It is a world-class destination with outstanding cultural, archaeological and religious attractions, spas and beach resorts, as well as a unique ancient-and-modern atmosphere.

22,145 sq km (8,550 sq miles).

7.04 million  (Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, 2006).

317.9 per sq km.

Jerusalem. Population: (including East Jerusalem) 724,000 (2006). The Israeli government has designated Jerusalem as the capital, although this is not recognised by the UN, and most foreign embassies are based in Tel Aviv.

Republic. The state of Israel was founded in 1948.

Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages. Hebrew is the first language of about two-thirds of the population. Arabic is spoken by around 15%. Other languages, including English, French, German, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish and Yiddish are widely spoken. A large proportion of the population speak good English, a compulsory school subject.

80% Jewish, 18% Muslim, with small Christian, Druze and other minorities.

GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 during summer Daylight Saving Time. Daylight Saving Time in Israel starts on 1 April every year and ends on the Saturday between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.)

Israelis are usually very informal but with the European style of hospitality. Israelis are typically blunt and direct in speech, which should not be misinterpreted as rudeness. Visitors should observe normal courtesies when visiting someone’s home and should not be afraid to ask questions about the country as most Israelis are happy to talk about their homeland, religion and politics. The expression shalom (‘peace’) is used for hello and goodbye. Dress is casual, but in the holy places of all religions modest attire is worn. For places such as the Western Wall, male visitors are given a smart cardboard yarmulke (skull cap) to respect the religious importance of the site. Businesspeople are expected to dress smartly, or at least in smart casual style, although ties are often not worn, while the most expensive of restaurants and nightclubs may expect a similar standard. If formal evening wear is required this will be specified on invitations. It is considered a violation of Shabbat (Sabbath, on Saturday) to smoke on that day. There is usually a sign to remind the visitor of this, and to disregard the warning would be regarded as discourteous.

230 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are standard; if needed, adaptors can be purchased in Israel.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert since March 2006.

Moshe Katzav since 2000. President-elect: Shimon Peres (to be sworn in on 15 July 2007).