The population of Israel grew by 116,000 in 2003, including only 23,000 immigrants.
Israel’s population growth in 2003 was the lowest since 1990 1.7%. Israel’s population numbered 6.7 million, 81% of which was Jewish, according to Central Bureau of Statistics population estimates.
The population of Israel grew by 116,000 in 2003. The Central Bureau of Statistics stresses that the main cause of lower population growth is the drop in the number of immigrants. Net immigration accounted for only 9% of population growth in 2003, compared with 18% in 2002 and 38% in 2000.
Only 23,000 people immigrated to Israel in 2003, compared with 34,000 in 2002. 57% of the immigrants came from the former Soviet Union, 13% from Ethiopia, 8% from France, and 7% from the US.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on December 31, 2003