A special bulletin on the Palestinians - Palestinian Central Bureau of ...

3Executive SummaryThe study aims at providing a statistical review on status of the Palestinian population in thePalestinian territory in the social and economic domains on the eve of the world’s populationreaching 7 billion. The study provides a review on size of the Palestinian population throughhistory; in addition to estimations of the population size until 2025. The study also refers to thedemographic and social situation (educational, cultural, environmental, health); economic situation;living levels, housing and surrounding environment conditions of the Palestinian populationin the Palestinian territory. The following are the most important indicators of the study:Increase of the Palestinian population through history:• Data indicated that the population size in historical Palestine reached 757 thousands accordingto 1922 census; 1.04 million according to 1931 census; 1.47 million in 1944 and 1.98 million in1947 of whom 730-960 thousand have been forced out of their land due to 1948 war accordingto UN estimations.• Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conducted two censuses in 1952 and 1961during governing the West Bank. The results of 1952 census indicated that West Bank populationreached 667 thousand and 805 thousand according to 1961 census. As for the Gaza Strip,there were no statistical activities to provide authentic statistical data on the Gaza Strip populationduring governing the Gaza Strip by Egypt.• After occupying West Bank and the Gaza Strip by the Israeli Occupation Forces in 1967, theyconducted a population census in September, 1967. The census was conducted to serve theIsraeli occupation purposes where the population size in West Bank reached 603,383 personsand 394,424 persons in the Gaza Strip and North Sinai.• Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) conducted two censuses in 1997 and 2007.The final results of the Population, Housing and Establishment census 1997 indicated that thetotal population size reached 2,895,683 persons in the Palestinian territory of whom 1,873,476persons in West Bank and 1,022,207 persons in the Gaza Strip. The final results of the Population,Housing and Establishment census 2007 indicated that the total population size reached3,767,126 persons in the Palestinian territory of whom 2,350,583 persons in West Bank and1,416,543 persons in the Gaza Strip.Population projections in the Palestinian territory:• According to PCBS estimations based on the results of the Population, Housing and Establishmentcensus 2007, the total size of the population in the Palestinian territory is expected to risefrom 4.17 million in mid 2011 to 5.37 million in mid 2020 and 6.06 million in mid 2025.Demographic situation in the Palestinian territory:• Age structure in the Palestinian territory in 2011 indicate that the percentage of populationaged 0-14 reached 40.8% of the total size of population in the Palestinian territory. Percentageof population aged 65 and over reached 2.9% only. Population projections indicate thatpercentage of population aged 15 and less will reach 39.4% in 2015 in the Palestinian territory,38.3% in 2020 and 34.6% in 2025. Percentage of population aged 65 and over will reach 2.9%in 2015, 3.1% in 2020 and 4.0% in 2025.• Estimated population density in 2011 reached 693 persons /km² in the Palestinian territory• (456 persons /km² in West Bank and 4,353 persons/km² in the Gaza Strip.• Fertility rate in 2010 reached 4.2 births in the Palestinian territory (3.8 births in West Bank and4.9 births in the Gaza Strip)