Palestine

State of Palestine

دولة فلسطين

UN observerWestern Asia, Asia

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Church of the Nativity. CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons

Population

5.64 million

2026 · UN WPPProjection

GDP

$17.2 billion

2025 · World Bank WDIActual

GDP / capita

$3,171

2025 · World Bank WDIActual

HDI

0.674 index (0–1)

2023 · UNDP HDRActual

Life expectancy

77.4 years

2026 · UN WPPProjection

Area

6,025 km²

2023 · World Bank WDIActual

UN WPP 2024 Revision (estimates through 2023; 2024–2100 medium-variant projections). World Bank WDI, 13 July 2026 release. UNDP HDR HDR 2025. UNESCO UIS UIS February 2026. ILOSTAT ILOSTAT December 2025. IMF WEO WEO April 2026. OWID CO₂ OWID CO₂ December 2025.

Overview

Palestine is a UN observer state in Western Asia, Asia.

UN observer state. ISO PS/PSE, M49 275. Globe feature must be independently selectable.

Every figure names its source, year, and whether it is an actual value, an estimate, or a projection. Missing values stay missing.

Own work. CC BY-SA 4.0

Own work. CC BY-SA 3.0

ISO alpha-2: PS
ISO alpha-3: PSE
UN M49: 275
Wikidata: Q219060

People

Population stocks and demographic rates are from the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium variant unless another source is named. Years from 2024 onward are projections.

PopulationProjection: 5.64 million
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Population (1 July)Projection: 5.69 million
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Population growth rateProjection: 1.9 percent
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Population densityProjection: 945.6 persons per km²
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s density is above the Western Asia median of 137.3 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 90.1 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Median ageProjection: 20.3 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s median age is below the Western Asia median of 30.7 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and below the median of 29.8 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Population sex ratioProjection: 98.5 males per 100 females
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Total fertility rateProjection: 3.1 live births per woman
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s tfr is above the Western Asia median of 2 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 2 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Crude birth rateProjection: 25.4 per 1,000 population
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Net number of migrantsProjection: −20,055
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Net migration rateProjection: −3.5 per 1,000 population
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Urban population: 87.4%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s urban is close to Western Asia median of 85.3% (18 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of 63.4% among 194 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Population ages 0–14: 37.6%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Population ages 15–64: 58.6%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Population ages 65 and above: 3.9%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s ages 65+ is below the Western Asia median of 4.4% (18 profiles with 2025 data), and below the median of 7.4% among 194 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.

Population of Palestine. Solid line: estimates (1950–2023). Dashed line: medium-variant projections (2024–2100). UN WPP, WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium.

Data table

Year	Population	Status
1950	940,731	estimate
1960	1.06 million	estimate
1970	1.11 million	estimate
1980	1.45 million	estimate
1990	2.1 million	estimate
2000	3.1 million	estimate
2010	3.97 million	estimate
2020	5.01 million	estimate
2030	6.07 million	projection
2040	7.23 million	projection
2050	8.4 million	projection
2060	9.39 million	projection
2070	10.2 million	projection
2080	10.9 million	projection
2090	11.3 million	projection
2100	11.5 million	projection
2101	11.5 million	projection

Age structure of Palestine as a share of population. World Bank WDI, World Development Indicators.

Data table

Year	Ages 65+	Status
1960	3.9% aged 65+	actual
1965	3.3% aged 65+	actual
1970	2.8% aged 65+	actual
1975	2.5% aged 65+	actual
1980	2.2% aged 65+	actual
1985	2.1% aged 65+	actual
1990	2.1% aged 65+	actual
1995	2.1% aged 65+	actual
2000	2.3% aged 65+	actual
2005	2.6% aged 65+	actual
2010	2.9% aged 65+	actual
2015	3.2% aged 65+	actual
2020	3.6% aged 65+	actual
2025	3.9% aged 65+	actual

Economy

National accounts and related World Bank series. Totals are not comparable as “averages” across countries; rates such as GDP per capita include same-year cohort medians where coverage allows.

Gross domestic product: $17.2 billion
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
GDP per capita: $3,171
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s gdp / capita is below the Western Asia median of $19,273 (14 profiles with 2025 data), and below the median of $7,411 among 181 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
GDP, PPP: Int’l $27.1 billion
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
GDP per capita, PPP: Int’l $5,000
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s gdp / capita (ppp) is below the Western Asia median of Int’l $43,792 (14 profiles with 2025 data), and below the median of Int’l $20,089 among 180 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
GDP growth: 4.3 percent
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s gdp growth is above the Western Asia median of 3.2 (14 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of 3.2 among 181 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
GNI per capita: $3,250
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s gni / capita is below the Western Asia median of $12,660 (12 profiles with 2025 data), and below the median of $7,360 among 179 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Inflation, consumer prices: 9.8 percent
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s inflation is above the Western Asia median of 2.4 (15 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of 3 among 162 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Unemployment, total: 24.4 percent of labour force
2022 · ILOSTAT · Estimate · ILOSTAT modelled estimates (annual)
Trade: 74.8 percent of GDP
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Access to electricity: 100%
2024 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Individuals using the Internet: 86.6%
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Labour force participation rate: 45 percent of population ages 15+
2022 · ILOSTAT · Estimate · ILOSTAT modelled estimates (annual)
Employment-to-population ratio: 34 percent of population ages 15+
2022 · ILOSTAT · Estimate · ILOSTAT modelled estimates (annual)
Youth unemployment rate: 36.1 percent of labour force ages 15–24
2022 · ILOSTAT · Estimate · ILOSTAT modelled estimates (annual)

GDP of Palestine in current US dollars. World Bank WDI, World Development Indicators.

Data table

Year	GDP	Status
1994	$2.84 billion	actual
1996	$3.41 billion	actual
1998	$4.07 billion	actual
2000	$4.31 billion	actual
2002	$3.56 billion	actual
2004	$4.6 billion	actual
2006	$5.35 billion	actual
2008	$7.31 billion	actual
2010	$9.68 billion	actual
2012	$12.2 billion	actual
2014	$14 billion	actual
2016	$15.4 billion	actual
2018	$16.3 billion	actual
2020	$15.5 billion	actual
2022	$19.2 billion	actual
2024	$16 billion	actual
2025	$17.2 billion	actual

Development

Human development indices are published only from the latest UNDP HDR series. This build does not invent a substitute index.

Human Development Index: 0.674 index (0–1)
2023 · UNDP HDR · Actual · HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series
Palestine’s hdi is below the Western Asia median of 0.848 (18 profiles with 2023 data), and below the median of 0.762 among 192 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index: 0.538 index (0–1)
2023 · UNDP HDR · Actual · HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series
Palestine’s ihdi is below the Western Asia median of 0.739 (12 profiles with 2023 data), and below the median of 0.609 among 168 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Gender Development Index: 0.945 index (female-to-male HDI ratio)
2023 · UNDP HDR · Actual · HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series
Palestine’s gdi is close to Western Asia median of 0.957 (18 profiles with 2023 data), and close to median of 0.971 among 183 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Gender Inequality Index: No comparable data
No internationally comparable figure in this build.
Multidimensional Poverty Index: No comparable data
No internationally comparable figure in this build.

Health and education

Life expectancy and mortality are UN WPP series unless labelled otherwise. Education figures are UNESCO UIS (CC BY-SA, isolated) where a comparable series exists; otherwise they stay missing.

Life expectancy at birthProjection: 77.4 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s life expectancy is close to Western Asia median of 78.3 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 74.1 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Crude death rateProjection: 2.9 per 1,000 population
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Life expectancy at birth (male)Projection: 75 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s life exp. male is close to Western Asia median of 76.2 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 70.9 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Life expectancy at birth (female)Projection: 79.8 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s life exp. female is close to Western Asia median of 81 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 77.4 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Infant mortality rateProjection: 10.6 per 1,000 live births
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s infant mortality is above the Western Asia median of 7.9 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and below the median of 11.1 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Under-five mortality rateProjection: 12.5 per 1,000 live births
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palestine’s u5mr is above the Western Asia median of 9.4 (18 profiles with 2026 data), and close to median of 12.9 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Maternal mortality ratio: 16 per 100,000 live births
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Immunization, measles: 89%
2024 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s measles immunization is below the Western Asia median of 96% (18 profiles with 2024 data), and close to median of 90% among 192 core profiles with 2024 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Current health expenditure: 10.7 percent of GDP
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s health expenditure is above the Western Asia median of 5.6 (18 profiles with 2023 data), and above the median of 5.8 among 170 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Prevalence of undernourishment: No comparable data
No internationally comparable figure in this build.
Adult literacy rate: 97.9%
2024 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)
Palestine’s adult literacy is close to Western Asia median of 97.9% (7 profiles with 2024 data), and above the median of 94.2% among 30 core profiles with 2024 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Youth literacy rate: 99.4%
2024 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)
Mean years of schooling: 10.1 years
2022 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)
Palestine’s mean years school is below the Western Asia median of 11.6 (4 profiles with 2022 data), and below the median of 10.8 among 34 core profiles with 2022 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
School life expectancy: 13.1 years
2023 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)

Life expectancy at birth in Palestine. Dashed line marks medium-variant projections. UN WPP, WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium.

Data table

Year	Years	Status
1950	45.7	estimate
1960	49.3	estimate
1970	55.4	estimate
1980	62.2	estimate
1990	67.8	estimate
2000	70.3	estimate
2010	73.3	estimate
2020	75	estimate
2030	78.1	projection
2040	79.7	projection
2050	81.3	projection
2060	82.7	projection
2070	84.1	projection
2080	85.3	projection
2090	86.5	projection
2100	87.5	projection

Environment

Forest cover is World Bank WDI. CO₂ is the Global Carbon Project series via Our World in Data — not IEA-EDGAR.

Land area: 6,025 km²
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Surface area: 6,025 km²
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Forest area: 1.7%
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palestine’s forest is below the Western Asia median of 2.4% (18 profiles with 2023 data), and below the median of 31.8% among 194 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
CO₂ emissions: 4.8 million tonnes
2024 · OWID / Global Carbon Project · Actual · OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project)
CO₂ emissions per capita: 0.9 tonnes per person
2024 · OWID / Global Carbon Project · Actual · OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project)
Palestine’s co₂ / capita is below the Western Asia median of 5.2 (18 profiles with 2024 data), and below the median of 2.8 among 192 core profiles with 2024 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.

CO₂ emissions of Palestine. Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data. OWID / Global Carbon Project, OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project).

Data table

Year	Million tonnes	Status
1990	0.9	actual
1993	0.9	actual
1996	1	actual
1999	1.4	actual
2002	1.2	actual
2005	2.7	actual
2008	2.1	actual
2011	2.2	actual
2014	2.8	actual
2017	3.3	actual
2020	3.3	actual
2023	4.8	actual
2024	4.8	actual

Geography

Region: Asia
Subregion: Western Asia
Natural Earth ADM0_A3: PSX
Cartographic size: Tiny state on the 50m globe (point or small polygon)
Capitals: East Jerusalem (Proclaimed capital); Ramallah (Administrative centre) — UN observer list; ISO PS/PSE; M49 275

UN observer state. Independently selectable on the globe. Names and boundaries do not imply recognition of legal claims.

Outline from Natural Earth 50m Admin 0. Made with Natural Earth. Not a locator map.

Government

Classification is descriptive and is not a recognition of legal claims.Map and status policy.

Status: UN observer
Publication tier: Core profile

UN observer state. ISO PS/PSE, M49 275. Globe feature must be independently selectable.

Sources

United Nations World Population Prospects

WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium. Vintage 2024 Revision. CC BY 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Population (2026, projection; series TPopulation1Jan)
Life expectancy at birth (2026, projection; series LEx)
Population (1 July) (2026, projection; series TPopulation1July)
Population growth rate (2026, projection; series PopGrowthRate)
Population density (2026, projection; series PopDensity)
Median age (2026, projection; series MedianAgePop)
Population sex ratio (2026, projection; series PopSexRatio)
Total fertility rate (2026, projection; series TFR)
Crude birth rate (2026, projection; series CBR)
Crude death rate (2026, projection; series CDR)
Life expectancy at birth (male) (2026, projection; series LExMale)
Life expectancy at birth (female) (2026, projection; series LExFemale)
Infant mortality rate (2026, projection; series IMR)
Under-five mortality rate (2026, projection; series Q5)
Net number of migrants (2026, projection; series NetMigrations)
Net migration rate (2026, projection; series CNMR)

World Bank World Development Indicators

World Development Indicators. Vintage 13 July 2026. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Gross domestic product (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
GDP per capita (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.PCAP.CD)
Land area (2023, actual; series AG.LND.TOTL.K2)
GDP, PPP (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD)
GDP per capita, PPP (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD)
GDP growth (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG)
GNI per capita (2025, actual; series NY.GNP.PCAP.CD)
Inflation, consumer prices (2025, actual; series FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG)
Trade (2025, actual; series NE.TRD.GNFS.ZS)
Maternal mortality ratio (2023, actual; series SH.STA.MMRT)
Immunization, measles (2024, actual; series SH.IMM.MEAS)
Current health expenditure (2023, actual; series SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS)
Urban population (2025, actual; series SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS)
Population ages 0–14 (2025, actual; series SP.POP.0014.TO.ZS)
Population ages 15–64 (2025, actual; series SP.POP.1564.TO.ZS)
Population ages 65 and above (2025, actual; series SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS)
Surface area (2023, actual; series AG.SRF.TOTL.K2)
Access to electricity (2024, actual; series EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS)
Individuals using the Internet (2023, actual; series IT.NET.USER.ZS)
Forest area (2023, actual; series AG.LND.FRST.ZS)
Alternate: Population (2025, actual; series SP.POP.TOTL)
Alternate: Life expectancy at birth (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.LE00.IN)
Alternate: Population growth rate (2025, actual; series SP.POP.GROW)
Alternate: Population density (2023, actual; series EN.POP.DNST)
Alternate: Total fertility rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.TFRT.IN)
Alternate: Crude birth rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.CBRT.IN)
Alternate: Crude death rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.CDRT.IN)
Alternate: Life expectancy at birth (male) (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN)
Alternate: Life expectancy at birth (female) (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN)
Alternate: Infant mortality rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.IMRT.IN)
Alternate: Under-five mortality rate (2024, actual; series SH.DYN.MORT)
Alternate: Net number of migrants (2025, actual; series SM.POP.NETM)
Alternate: Unemployment, total (2022, actual; series SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)

UNDP Human Development Report

HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series. Vintage HDR 2025. CC BY 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Human Development Index (2023, actual; series hdi)
Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (2023, actual; series ihdi)
Gender Development Index (2023, actual; series gdi)
Alternate: Mean years of schooling (2023, actual; series mys)
Alternate: School life expectancy (2023, actual; series eys)

ILOSTAT

ILOSTAT modelled estimates (annual). Vintage ILOSTAT December 2025. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Unemployment, total (2022, estimate; series UNE_2EAP_SEX_AGE_RT)
Labour force participation rate (2022, estimate; series EAP_2WAP_SEX_AGE_RT)
Employment-to-population ratio (2022, estimate; series EMP_2WAP_SEX_AGE_RT)
Youth unemployment rate (2022, estimate; series UNE_2EAP_SEX_AGE_RT)

UNESCO Institute for Statistics

UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026). Vintage UIS February 2026. CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Adult literacy rate (2024, actual; series LR.AG15T99)
Youth literacy rate (2024, actual; series LR.AG15T24)
Mean years of schooling (2022, actual; series MYS.1T8.AG25T99)
School life expectancy (2023, actual; series SLE.1T8)

Our World in Data (Global Carbon Project)

OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project). Vintage OWID CO₂ December 2025. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

CO₂ emissions (2024, actual; series co2)
CO₂ emissions per capita (2024, actual; series co2_per_capita)

Names, classifications, and boundaries are for statistical and cartographic use and do not constitute recognition of legal claims.