Israel's population stands at 7,509,000 million on the eve of 2010, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today. 75.4% of the population is Jewish, 20.3% Arabs, and 4.3% others (immigrants and their families who are not registered as being Jewish by the Ministry of Interior).

During 2009, Israel's population grew by 1.8% - a rate of increase that has remained stable since 2003. Over the past year 160,000 babies were born in Israel, while 14,500 new immigrants came to the country - an increase over the 2008 figure of 13,700.

Earlier this week the Jewish Agency reported that immigration in 2009 was higher than any of the past 10 years.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 30, 2009

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