This Survey is published on the responsibility of the Economic and Development Review Committee (EDRC) of the OECD, which is charged with the examination of the economic situation of member countries.

The economic situation and policies of Israel were reviewed by the Committee on 26 October 2015. The draft report was then revised in the light of the discussions and given final approval as the agreed report of the whole Committee on 8 December 2015.

The Secretariat’s draft report was prepared for the Committee by Claude Giorno under the supervision of Peter Jarrett. The Survey also benefitted from excellent consultancy work by Jacques Adda. Secretarial assistance was provided by Dacil Kurzweg and Krystel Rakotoarisoa and statistical assistance by Isabelle Duong.

The previous Survey of Israel was issued in December 2013.

Information about the latest as well as previous Surveys and more information about how Surveys are prepared is available at www.oecd.org/eco/surveys.

  
BASIC STATISTICS OF ISRAEL, 2014
(Numbers in parentheses refer to the OECD average)*

LAND, PEOPLE AND ELECTORAL CYCLE

Population (million)

8.2

Population density per km²

370.9

(34.9)

Under 15 (%)

28.1

(18.1)

Life expectancy (years, 2013)

82.1

(80.5)

Over 65 (%)

10.9

(16.0)

Men

80.3

(77.8)

Foreign-born (%, 2013)

22.6

Women

83.9

(83.1)

Latest 5-year average growth (%)

1.8

(0.6)

Latest general election

March

2015

ECONOMY

Gross domestic product (GDP)

Value added shares (%)

In current prices (billion USD)

306.2

Primary sector

1.3

(2.6)

In current prices (billion NIS)

1 093.7

Industry including construction

22.1

(26.6)

Latest 5-year average real growth (%)

3.8

(1.9)

Services

76.6

(70.8)

Per capita (000 USD PPP)

33.3

(39.0)

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

Per cent of GDP

Expenditure a

41.2

(41.9)

Gross financial debta

67.1

(115.2)

Revenue

37.7

(38.8)

Net financial debt (2013)

62.5

(73.6)

EXTERNAL ACCOUNTS

Exchange rate (NIS per USD)

3.571

Main exports (% of total merchandise exports)

PPP exchange rate (USA = 1)

4.006

Manufactured goods

34.9

In per cent of GDP

Chemicals and related products, n.e.s.

26.2

Exports of goods and services

32.3

(53.8)

Machinery and transport equipment

24.0

Imports of goods and services

30.6

(49.8)

Main imports (% of total merchandise imports)

Current account balance

3.7

(0.02)

Machinery and transport equipment

29.2

Net international investment position

21.3

Manufactured goods

22.8

Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials

17.6

LABOUR MARKET, SKILLS AND INNOVATION

Employment rate for 15-64 year-olds (%)

67.9

(65.7)

Unemployment rate, Labour Force Survey (age 15 and over) (%)

5.9

(7.3)

Men

71.5

(73.6)

Youth (age 15-24, %)

10.5

(15.1)

Women

64.2

(57.9)

Long-term unemployed (1 year and over, %)

0.5

(2.5)

Participation rate for 15-64 year-olds (%)

72.2

(71.2)

Tertiary educational attainment 25-64 year-olds (%, 2013)

48.5

(33.5)

Average hours worked per year

1 853

(1 770)

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP, 2012)

4.2

(2.4)

ENVIRONMENT

Total primary energy supply per capita (toe)

2.9

(4.1)

CO2 emissions from fuel combustion per capita (tonnes, 2013)

8.5

(9.6)

Renewables (%)

5.1

(9.1)

Water abstractions per capita (1 000 m3, 2010)

0.2

Fine particulate matter concentration (PM2.5, μg/m3, 2013)

25.8

(13.8)

Municipal waste per capita (tonnes, 2013)

0.6

(0.5)

SOCIETY

Income inequality (Gini coefficient, 2013 b)

0.360

(0.308)

Education outcomes (PISA score, 2012)

Relative poverty rate (%,2013 b)

18.6

(10.9)

Reading

486

(496)

Median equivalised household income (000 USD PPP, 2013 b)

18.0

(22.1)

Mathematics

466

(494)

Public and private spending (% of GDP)

Science

470

(501)

Health care (2013)

7.5

(8.9)

Share of women in parliament (%,November 2015)

25.8

(27.8)

Pensions (2013 c)

4.9

(8.7)

Net official development assistance (% of GNI)

0.07

(0.36)

Education (primary, secondary, post sec. non tertiary, 2012)

4.4

(3.7)

Better life index: www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org

* Where the OECD aggregate is not provided in the source database, a simple OECD average of latest available data is calculated where data exist for at least 29 member countries.

← a. 2013 for the OECD aggregate.

b. 2012 for the OECD aggregate.

c. 2011 for the OECD aggregate.

Source: Calculations based on data extracted from the databases of the following organisations: OECD, International Energy Agency, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Inter-Parliamentary Union.