Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., January 18, 2008 Shvat 11, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:49 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Pilgrims and local residents throng Manger Square in Bethlehem on Monday. (AP) Last update - 08:21 25/12/2007 Central Bureau of Statistics: 2.1% of state's population is Christian By Moti Bassok , Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel  There are 152,000 Christians living in Israel, about 2.1 percent of the population, the Central Bureau of Statistics announced Monday in honor of Christmas. Just over 80 percent of them are Arabs; most of the rest immigrated here together with a Jewish relative. Of the latter category, most came from the former Soviet Union. M Advertisement ost Israeli Christians, some 74 percent, live in the north of the country. Another 11 percent live in the Jerusalem area. The Christian population is overwhelmingly urban, with 98 percent living in cities in 2006. That compares to 91 percent of Jews and 93 percent of Muslims. The town with the largest Christian population is Nazareth (20,000), followed by Haifa (17,200), Jerusalem (15,000) and Shfaram (8,800). Even though this population is largely Arab, Christian demographics resemble Jewish ones rather than Muslim ones: Some 9 percent of Christians are 65 or older (compared to 3 percent for Muslims), while 33 percent are 19 or younger (identical to the Jewish rate, but far below the Muslims' 52 percent). Christian women gave birth to 2,500 children in 2006, 81 percent of them Arab. The Christian birthrate has steadily declined, from 4.6 children per woman in 1960 to 2.1 last year, and is now the lowest in Israel. By comparison, the rate was 4.0 for Muslims, 2.8 for Jews and 2.6 for Druze in 2006. Nevertheless, the average Christian household contains 3.5 people, compared to 3.1 for Jews and 5.2 for Muslims. Related articles: Gaza's Christians keep low profile during Christmas Bethlehem sees record number of tourists for Christmas Fayyad's police take over as Bethlehem becomes latest city in PA security drive Israel sets up express passage into Bethlehem for pilgrims Bookmark to del.icio.us   Follow the leader Will Florida's Jews follow Joe Lieberman's example and vote Republican? Show of strength Israel's successful test of a new dual-stage missile wasn't meant for Iran's eyes.   1.   Sorry, Israel is a JEWISH State, you don`t have equal rights here 03:51  |  * BEN JABO 25/12/07   2.   I guess that something must be done 05:14  |  Mark Lincoln 25/12/07   3.   These are the leaven (Haaretz, I dare you to print this) 07:21  |  John III 25/12/07   4.   Not true statistic 08:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 25/12/07   5.   Christians - how many? 09:19  |  Michael 25/12/07   6.   Thanks to the creation of Israel 09:54  |  Bandar Michaels 25/12/07   7.   I`m true christians, but don`t support Israell 10:00  |  True Christian 25/12/07   8.   Mark Lincoln is now a `Zionist` folks 10:58  |  Israeli 25/12/07   9.   Bertram 11:13  |  az mah? 25/12/07   10.   #3 11:36  |  Jeff 25/12/07   11.   ben jabber 1 12:08  |  realism 25/12/07   12.   Christians 12:23  |  Michael 25/12/07   13.   True Christian 12:37  |  rich 25/12/07   14.   John III 12:38  |  rich 25/12/07   15.   Bandar Michaels 12:42  |  rich 25/12/07   16.   #8 Israeli re Mark Lincoln 12:49  |  Labhras 25/12/07   17.   Labrhas and Lincoln 13:13  |  rich 25/12/07   18.   Christians in Israel 13:25  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 25/12/07   19.   Rich about labhras 13:55  |  Israeli 25/12/07   20.   Haaretz...What is your definition of A CHRISTIAN (or a Jew) ??? 14:46  |  Anthony Fallon 25/12/07   21.   May a Protestant be a good Israeli citizen? 21:04  |  Ricardo Arturo 25/12/07   22.   True Christian 04:49  |  Rick 26/12/07   23.   rick 22 06:29  |  realism 26/12/07   24.   #23 Source? 17:39  |  Rick 26/12/07   25.   God`s true choosen people 09:21  |  joby gordon 12/01/08   26.   True Christian! Gimme a Break! 05:39  |  Shan 14/01/08   27.   True Christian or Jew? 05:54  |  Shan 14/01/08   28.   True Christians 20:34  |  Deb 18/01/08   29.   response for #7 21:02  |  Deb 18/01/08

Today Online One killed as IAF destroys Gaza ex-Interior Ministry Responses: 170 Hamas policy: Escalation to force Gaza cease fire Responses: 127 S. Dichter: Boycotts won't make Israel more democratic Responses: 27 Benvenisti: Bush, Olmert, Abbas, the three stooges Responses: 33 Kaffiyeh-wearing protesters greet new Israeli envoy to U.K. Responses: 114 Rosner's Domain Blog & Poll: Can Joe Lieberman convince Jews in Florida to vote for McCain? Difference between Ahmadinejad and Khamenei (WTR) The Israel Factor: Bloomberg good only without Hagel Rosner's Mailbox: Brzezinski against 'right of return' because of Poland Shas voters do not want American Jews in Jerusalem debate More Headlines 22:37 One killed, 30 hurt as IAF destroys Gaza's former Interior Ministry building 16:47 Italian paper: Pope to change controversial prayer on Jews 19:35 Will Florida Jews follow Joe Lieberman and vote GOP? 22:01 In U.S., some write their own Mezuza prayer, others turn to Torah-yoga 20:41 Lecturers end longest higher education strike in Israel's history 21:40 UNIFIL: IDF briefly detains Lebanese man who wandered across border 23:11 Missile test / Launched from Palmachim, heard in Tehran 21:45 Uzi Cohen, renowned Likud activist, dies aged 55 16:36 Kaffiyeh-wearing protesters greet new Israeli U.K. Ambassador Previous Editions Select Day 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan

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