Israel
State of Israel
Western Asia · ISR
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Israel
Israel suits travelers who want compact distances between world-class historic and religious sites plus modern city energy. A first visit works best as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with one or two day trips rather than a full-country sprint.
Popular For
Things To See
- Jerusalem
- Tel Aviv
- Dead Sea
- Masada
- Haifa
- Nazareth
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- Public transport is limited on Saturdays and holidays, so plan transit and timing accordingly.
- Regional conditions can shift, so check advisories before locking in plans.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Israel.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Israel Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Israel.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Jerusalem
- Population
- 10,134,800
- Area
- 21,937 km²
- Region
- Western Asia
Languages
- Arabic
- Hebrew
Currency
Israeli new shekel (₪)
ILS
1 USD = 2.91 ILS
Cost of Living (World Bank)
94.7
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 74.0
- Restaurants
- 89.9
- Rent
- 31.2
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Jerusalem (31.77°N, 35.23°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
55/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 57/100
- Lived safety
- 52/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionCivil union
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.919
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.008
- 10-year change
- +0.020
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.994
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.080
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.709
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (9)
- 🏛️
Necropolis of Bet She’arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Caves of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin in the Judean Lowlands as a Microcosm of the Land of the Caves
Inscribed 2014
- 🏛️
Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves
Inscribed 2012
- 🏛️
Bahá’i Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee
Inscribed 2008
- 🏛️
Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
White City of Tel-Aviv – the Modern Movement
Inscribed 2003
- 🏛️
Masada
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
Old City of Acre
Inscribed 2001
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 27.6%
- Forest cover
- 6.5%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 16
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 19
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
38/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
25/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
86/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data