There are many facts about Israel that are not only really interesting, but are also extremely important to global relations, politics and the economy! So what makes Israel so important and why is it such a fascinating country to study? Read on to find out…

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Surprising Facts About Israel

Surprising Facts About Israel

Isn’t it amazing how the earth has so many countries each with their own cultures and traditions? One of the countries that stand out is Israel. With its vibrant culture, diverse landscapes, and rich history, this nation will definitely blow your mind!

For those of you who may not know, Israel is a country situated in the Middle East. It has mind-blowing landscapes, incredible history, and a rich culture.

From ancient tales straight out of the Old Testament to jaw-dropping technological advancements, the country offers many things to explore.

So, read on to know the most interesting facts about Israel.

1. Israel Uses Kosher Glue for Postage Stamps

Let’s start with one of the most unique facts about Israel.

In Israel, the postage stamps that are used by the people on packages and letters have a special type of glue known as Kosher Glue.

Also, the word Kosher refers to the fact that this glue contains certain rules that Jews use for the food they eat and the other things they use.

The main reason why people use Kosher Glue on stamps is to ensure that everything that people use gives respect to their traditions and beliefs. It’s a special way to show how important their rules are to them.

2. Earth’s Lowest Elevation On Land is in Israel

Did you know that Israel is home to a very special place? This is one of the intriguing facts about Israel!

The Dead Sea is not only a big body of water, but it’s also the lowest point on the entire Earth. Its surface is 427 metres or 1400 feet below sea level.

You may have also come across pictures of people just floating in the Dead Sea. This is mainly because the Dead Sea is 10 times saltier as compared to the ocean.

Also, the name of this point was given as the Dead Sea since no animals can survive in it because of its high salinity.

3. It Has The Most Number of Bauhaus-style Buildings

If you’re fond of architecture you must visit Tel Aviv, a city in Israel that looks like a real-life museum! The buildings in this city are built on a special type of architecture called the Bauhau-style.

This city has the most number of buildings built in this style as compared to any other city in the world!

Because of this unique feature, Tel Aviv is claimed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO! So if you ever visit Israel, don’t forget to walk along the streets of Tel Aviv and enjoy the beautiful architecture all around.

4. It Has The 2nd Largest Bath Complex From The Roman Empire

Let’s discuss some history-related facts about Israel.

Israel has the second largest bath complex, called the Hamat Gader, in the entire Roman Empire. You can find this bath complex in the Yarmouk River valley.

There are remains of ancient Roman bath complexes that go back to the second century.

Presently, this bath complex has been turned into one of Israel’s largest spas. If you want to relax and enjoy yourself, you can visit the Hamar Gader.

5. You’ll Find More Than a Million Notes on the Wailing Wall

These facts about Israel are quite sacred.

The Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, is one of the holiest places for the Jewish people. It is known to be a place for pilgrimage and prayer.

Every year, people leave millions of hand-written notes on the wailing wall. During Rosh Hashanah and Passover, these notes are removed from the wall and buried at the Mount of Olives.

Can you imagine the incredible number of prayers that fill those cracks each year? It’s like a never-ending stream of heartfelt messages, all seeking guidance, blessings, and peace.

6. More Than 2000 Active Archaeological Sites

Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, has more than 2000 active archaeological sites in it. You will find evidence that will date back to 4500 BCE. Hence, this means that people have been living in Jerusalem for more than 6,500 years!

7. Israel Has People from Many Religions

You’ll find people from Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Samaritans, Druze, and even Baha-i in Israel! Hence, the Israel mail service gets more than 10000 mails addressed to the lord!

8. Israel Has The Highest Nobel Prize Winners

After reading these facts about Israel, I was surprised!

Since the beginning of time, Jews have always focused on knowledge and study. Hence, the country has a total of 8 Nobel Prize Winners.

Israel is also ranked the second academic country right after Canada.

9. Israel is known as The Start-Up Nation

If you’re a techie, these facts about Israel are for you.

Israel has more than 3000 tech start-up companies and that’s why it is known as the start-up nation.

You may have heard some of the company names such as Mobile Eye, Waze, Indigo, Babysense, Checkpoint, and many more! There have been a lot of inventions in Israel too, like GPS integration in phones, voicemail technology, and many more.

10. Israeli Banknotes Have Braille Writing

This is one of the most impressive facts about Israel!

Israeli banknotes also have Braille writing on them. The government issued such notes to ensure that blind people can also identify the amount. This way, the scammers cannot take undue advantage of them.

11. Israel Has One of The Strongest Currencies In The World

There is no doubt that with a high-tech industry and strong army, the currency of the nation is also really strong.

Adding to this, the unemployment rate in Israel is also comparatively lower than in the US and Europe! So just imagine the financial success of this nation!

12. Israel Has Some of The Happiest People

Here are some happy facts about Israel.

In 2023, Israel ranked fourth in the 2023 World Happiness Report (WHR).

The people in Israel are so happy that they don’t even want to die. The average life expectancy is just 82 years! Hence, Israel ranks 8th amongst the entire world in life expectancy as well.

13. Israel Has a Strong Culture

Israel has done something cool! They managed to bring back a language (Hebrew) that wasn’t being spoken anymore.

People in Israel also write and publish a lot of books. Compared to other countries, they have the second largest number of books published for each person living there.

Finally, what better way than to add music to its strong culture? Israel is known to have more Orchestras than any other nation! Israel is also excellent at winning the singing competition, Eurovision, as they have won it four times.

14. Israel Has Around 140 Beaches!

This is one of my favourite facts about Israel as I absolutely love beaches.

You’ll find more than 140 crystal-clear beaches along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Let’s talk about some of the famous ones.

The Banana Beach in Tel Aviv is perfect for tourists as you’ll get to experience nature and culture in one place. Every Friday, many drummers assemble at the beach in the evening and play lovely tunes. Many tourists also dance along to them and create an energetic environment!

Other beaches like Herzliya Beach and Dor Habonim Beach are well-known for how stunning they are.

15. Israel Has The Biggest Junction For Migratory Birds

Israel has more than half a billion birds flying across the nation at least twice a year. You will be able to see more than 540 different species of birds in Israel.

In Galilee, the Hula Valley is known to be the junction for migratory birds to rest and refuel.

16. If You’re Looking for a Sports Nation, Israel Isn’t The One

It’s sad to see that Israel is still behind in sports as compared to other nations.

Israel has been participating in the Olympics since 1952, but it has won only one gold medal, that too in WindSurfing, as of 2020.

Also, a majority of the people in Israel play soccer but they were only able to reach the World Cup Finals just once in the year 1970.

17. 60% of Israel’s Land is Desert!

When you search up Israel, you’ll find breathtaking pictures of its beaches, the Mediterranean Sea, or the Red Sea.

Yet, one of the most surprising facts about Israel is that 60% of its land cover is entirely desert!

The Negev Desert is spread across an area of 14,475 square kilometres and extends from Ashdod to Eilat in Israel.

18. There Are Two Official Languages

Israel has not one but two official languages of the nation! These are Arabic and Hebrew. When you visit Israel you will find a majority of people (93%) speaking in Hebrew.

Most of the population are either native speakers or have it as their second language. When it comes to the rest of the population, most of them are Arabic speakers.

19. The Israeli Flag Was Inspired By The Tallit

The Israeli flag was first designed in 1891 by Rabbi Jacob Baruch Askowith.

Rabbi Jacob was from Boston and he made an early version of the white and blue flag. He was inspired by the Jewish prayer shawl, the tallit.

20. The People In Israel Are Known As Sabras

Did you know that people born in Israel are called Sabras? Sabras has been derived from the Hebrew word meaning prickly pear cactus. Therefore, Sabras is used in a fun way to call people in Israel!

The Jews born in Israel are known as “Sabras” as they’re tough on the outside and sweet on the inside.

21. People Love Hummus In Israel

Everybody in Israel loves hummus. Every year people eat more than a million pounds of hummus!

Here’s one of the other food-related facts about Israel.

Falafel, a type of ground chickpea ball, is considered Israel’s national dish. Israelis love o eat falafels with pita bread, hummus, or Tahini sauce.

22. Hanukkah Is The Festival of Donuts!

On the 8th day of Hanukkah, the people in Israel eat around 24 million doughnuts (sufganiyot)! This means that each individual eats at least 2 doughnuts.

If you walk down the streets of Israel during this day, you won’t only find the traditional jelly doughnuts, but also a variety of other flavours like vanilla and chocolate.

23. The Official Emblem Is Not The Star of David

It’s a common misconception for people to believe that the official emblem of the nation is the Star of David. However, this may come as a surprise to you but the menorah with olive branches on either side is the official emblem!

24. You Will Come Across a Lot of Museums

Israel is like a treasure trove for all history lovers!

Israel has more than 230 museums that are dedicated to various topics like sports, technology, architecture, design, history, science, art, and many more.

For instance, you can visit the Israel Museum, where you can discover both historical pieces and artistic pieces. You’ll also find the famous work “Corn Harvest in Provence” by Vincent Van Gogh in this museum!

If you want to pay your respects to the Jews who died in the Holocaust, you can go to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.

For art lovers, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art is the perfect place as it covers both traditional and contemporary art pieces.

Facts About Israel – Further Reading

There are so many interesting and surprising facts about Israel that covering them all in this article is simply impossible. Yet, the facts about Israel mentioned in this article are some of the must-know and fun ones.

So, if you enjoyed reading these surprising facts about Israel, I’m sure you’ll love reading these articles as well.