Effects of immigration
In 2022, nearly 75,000 immigrants entered Israel from different countries. Most immigrants arrived from Europe, America and Oceania. Immigration also affected the young age structure in Israel, as most new immigrants were aged 44 years or younger. Immigration significantly contributed to population growth in the early years of the State of Israel. However, there are nowadays other main factors leading to the increase in population.Main drivers of population growth
The leading factors behind the constant population growth in Israel are the high fertility rate and life expectancy. Israel presents a unique situation, as it is among the only developed countries in the world where both fertility and life expectancy are high. In 2021, the fertility rate in Israel was three children per woman, considerably above the fertility rate in European countries, which stayed below two. In addition, life expectancy at birth reached 82.8 years in 2019, one of the highest life expectancies in the world that year. As the crude birth rate in Israel is significantly higher than the death rate, the population is growing at a relatively rapid pace.Diverse households, complex marriage and divorce systems
As a result of population growth, the number of households in Israel increased annually and reached a peak of around 2,766 in 2021. In recent years, families have become more diverse. However, marriage and divorce laws in Israel have remained traditional compared to other developed countries. Due to complex marriage laws, many secular Jews and same-sex couples get married in civil ceremonies abroad or alternative ceremonies. As a result, the number of Jewish marriages in Israel has decreased since 2016. In contrast, Muslim marriages are generally increasing, as most couples in the Arab society still prefer traditional marriage ceremonies.
