On the occasion of the International Population Day, which coincides on Saturday, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said in a report today that based on its estimates there are about 13.5 million Palestinians in the world, of whom about 5.1 million in the State of Palestine – 3.05 million in the West Bank and 2.05 million in the Gaza Strip – divided almost equally between males and females.
It said that 38 percent of the population in Palestine is under 14 years of age; of which 36% are in the West Bank and 41% in Gaza Strip. The elderly population aged 65 years and above constituted 3% of the total population; of which 4% in the West Bank and 3% in Gaza Strip.
According to the PCBS, the number of Palestinian localities in the West Bank that the Israeli occupying power intends to annex is 43; distributed as follows: 10 in the north of the West Bank, 30 in the center, and three in the south of the West Bank. The number of Palestinians in this area is 112,427 individuals, and the total area amounts to 477.3 square kilometers.
Population projections showed that crude birth rate in Palestine was 29.9 births/1000 of the population in 2020. The rate for the West Bank was 27.5 compared to 33.4 in Gaza Strip. The estimated crude death rate in Palestine was 3.7 deaths/1000 of the population, where this rate in the West Bank was 3.9 compared to 3.4 in Gaza Strip.
The average of birth rate in Palestine in 2017 was 4.4 births; of which 4.3 births in the West Bank and 4.5 births in Gaza Strip.
The results of the Labor Force Survey, 2019 and the Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 indicated a decline in the average household size in Palestine compared to 2007. The average size of the household declined to 5.1 individuals in 2019 compared to 5.8 individuals in 2007. Additionally, the average household size in the West Bank declined to 4.9 individuals in 2019 compared with 5.5 individuals in 2007. In Gaza Strip, the average household size declined to 5.5 in 2019 compared with 6.5 in 2007.
The Labor Force Survey 2019 data showed that illiteracy rate among individuals (15 years and above) in Palestine was 2.6%. The illiteracy gap is significantly noticed among males and females with percentages of 1.2% and 4.1%, respectively.
The Labor Force Survey 2019 data showed that the percentage of individuals (15 years and above), who have completed university education (Bachelor degree and above), was 16% while the percentage of individuals who didn’t complete any stage of education reached about 7%.
The results of Labor Force Survey 2019 showed that the labor force participation rate was 44% of the total labor force (individuals aged 15 years and above); of which 46% in the West Bank and 41% in Gaza strip. The female participation rate in labor force was very low compared to the male participation rate, where it reached 18%; of which 17% in the West Bank and 19% in Gaza Strip. As for the males, it was 70%; of which 74% in the West Bank and 62% in Gaza Strip.
The results also showed that more than one-fourth of the participants in the labor force were unemployed in 2019, where the percentage reached 25%; of which 15% in the West Bank and 45% in Gaza Strip. Unemployment rate reached 41% among females compared to 21% among males.
The relative poverty line and the deep poverty line according to consumption patterns in 2017 for a household of 2 adults and 3 children was 2,470 Israeli shekels ($671), and 1,974 shekels ($536), respectively. The poverty percentage among Palestinian individuals according to consumption patterns was 29% (14% in the West Bank and 53% in Gaza Strip). Data showed that about 17% of the individuals in Palestine suffered from deep poverty in 2017, according to consumption patterns (6% in the West Bank and 34% in Gaza Strip).
The data of the Household Survey on Information and Communications Technology, 2019 showed that 97% of the households in Palestine have one or more cellular mobile lines (97% in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip). The results also showed that the percentage of households that own one Smart phone or more was 86% in Palestine (91% in the West Bank and 78% in Gaza Strip).
Also, the results of the survey showed that the percentage of individuals (10 years and above) who own a cellular mobile was 75% in Palestine (82% in the West Bank and 64% in Gaza Strip); 79% for females and 71% for males.
The results of the Household Survey on Information and Communications Technology 2019 showed that 80% of the households in Palestine have internet access at home (84% in the West Bank and 73% in Gaza Strip). While the percentage of individuals aged (10 years and above) who used the internet from anywhere in Palestine reached 71% (74% in the West Bank and 65% in Gaza Strip). Data also showed that the percentage of males who used internet reached 72% compared to 69% for females.
