CONFLICT RESEARCH:
POPULATION Geography for Israel
Driving question: What aspects of the population might lead to conflict?
(When you have completed the research on population geography, analyze your research. In paragraph form, identify issues related to political geography that may cause or contribute to conflict between peoples. Explain how you think the issue may be related to conflict or may be causing it.)
1. What groups of people live in your region?
Israelis (almost all Jewish)
Palestinians (almost all Muslims, followers of Islam)
2. Where did they come from?
Israelis came to this region over 3000 years ago. Initially they moved into this region and they were lead by the well known Abraham from the Old Testament (also called the Torah for Jews). The Israelites moved into the region and remained until the year 70 AD, at which time they were kicked out by the Romans. The Jews became refugees and to flee for their lives. Their temple was located in their cultural center, Jerusalem. The kicking out of Jews by the Romans is a major historical event, called the Diaspora.
For Palestinians it is very hard to determine a precise date when they arrived. Palestinians had long lived in the region, but they were not organized. They were not a single recognized group, at least until 700 AD. At this time a world famous man helped bring about the organization of a new religion and an organization of the Palestinians. This man, Mohammad, was the last and greatest prophet for Muslims. Moslems, who also believe in the importance of Jesus Christ as Savior, have always remained in this region. When the Jews were removed in the time of the Diaspora Palestinians took over some of the areas left behind by Jews. (At the time of the Diaspora the Palestinians were not yet organized, nor where they Muslims since the religion had not come into existence yet.)
In the late 1800s Jews started to return “home” to the Promised Land. It is called the Promised Land by Jews because they believe (as do Christians) that God promised this land to Abraham because he was so faithful to the one and only God. This Promised Land is also called Zion. Jews were returning to Zion in increasing numbers until World War II. After World War II, the region was split into new areas with new boundaries. These new areas were to eventually become new countries.
Israel was one of the new areas and it declared it would not wait. It proclaimed itself a new country in 1948. This proclamation caused massive numbers of Jews to emigrate into the land their ancestors call the Promised Land. When the Jews returned Palestinians (who were almost all Muslims) became refugees and fled to neighboring countries. Israel became a country for Jews, now made up by over 85% Jews. At the same time, many non-Jews fled the new country of Israel as refugees because they feared they would die if they stayed.
3. Find the following demographic data concerning your region and compare to the statistics for the world:
- Identify the actual current population for your area of conflict:
Israel : 7,765,9871
Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip): 4,019,645 2.
- Using Google Public Data Visualization and the data set from the World Bank Economic Indicators copy and paste a single line graph showing the population growth rate for a) your area of conflict, b) the cultural region, and c) the world. (This data set is under indicator for Environment.)
- Using Google Public Data Visualization and the data set from the World Bank Economic Indicators copy and paste a single line graph showing the birth rate for a) your area of conflict, b) the cultural region, and c) the world. (This data set is under indicator for Health.)
- Using Google Public Data Visualization and the data set from the World Bank Economic Indicators, copy and paste a single line graph showing the net migration rate for a) your area of conflict and b) the cultural region. (This data set found is under the indicator for Labor and Social Protection.)
- Population growth rate analysis & summary: Compare the three graphs you collected above. In paragraph form describe the change in population growth. Then describe how the factors of birth rate and net immigration affect your area of conflict.
The population growth rate of Israel varies considerably from year to year. The population growth rate is very erratic, sometimes changing more than 4% in a single year or two. On average, the trend for Israel is toward negative population growth. In 1960 the population growth rate was 3.75%, compared to 1.8% in 2011.
Statistics for the West Bank and Gaza have only been kept since 1990. The population growth rate is generally much higher than for Israel, the rest of the region, or for the world. Palestine experiences a big dip in 2006 in the population growth rate. This dip continues until 2010 when the rate returns to a near 3% positive growth. Coincidentally, the population growth rate for Israel jumps over .5% as the same rate drops for Palestine. Some event in the area is most likely causing tension between Israel and Palestine.
During the mid-1990s there was a huge increase in the population growth rate, likely caused as reaction to some event somewhere in the world. When comparing the population growth rate to the birth rate in the early 1990s, it is clear that the spike is the population growth is not due to an increase in the birth rate. In the early 1990s the crude birth rate declines slightly. Whatever the world event was in the early 1990s, it caused considerable immigration to Israel.
During the early 1990s the net immigration rate rose by almost a half of a million people, up from a rate of almost 0% in 1990. Considering that the whole population of Israel is only 6.3 million in 1990, a net immigration gain of almost .5 million is very large, especially for one year period. A gain of almost 500,000 for Israel in 1990 equals a 12% increase in it total population – in one year.
In contrast to the increase in net migration rate for Israel in the 1990s, the same rate for the rest of the region decreased rapidly. From 1985 to 1995 the net migration rate dropped from a gain of 1 million people to a loss of 2 million people
4. Urban/Rural Analysis:
- Using Google Public Data Visualization and the data set from the World Bank Economic Indicators, copy and paste a single line graph showing the population percent that live in urban areas for your area of conflict. (This data set is under indicator for Environment with additional setting needed below.)
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- Analysis & summary: Compare the data trends for the rural vs urban areas. Explain what the trend has been and explain in a few sentences what that trend may say about your area of conflict. (State what it maybe tells you about the people there, the resources used or other human needs.)
It also looks like this section is not yet done because what this is saying makes no sense. If you are reading this it is a good indicator that you are a hard working, motivated student. Since those students usually get good grades, you probably will too. This would not hold true though if you were reading this because someone told you to. In that case you are being distracted by someone who needs to focus and improve their own work.
This section is doe, but quickly. So, if the trend for Israelis and Palestinians is to live in cities more than in the past, it is probably an indication that the country is developing. Though it is a weak indication, it is showing that fewer people are farming for a living and are instead involved in manufacturing or providing services.
5. Population ratio analysis
- Use the CIA Factbook online to copy and paste a population pyramid for your area of conflict.
- Population pyramid analysis & summary: Compare the variables in the population pyramid. In paragraph form describe the ratio of the young, middle age and older populations. Identify and then explain what problems your area may have related to the current population ratios.
This table would seem to indicate that Israel is a country with an emerging economy. The population pyramid for Israel appears to show a population that is shifting away from having as many kids. This is apparent because a larger percent of the population is aging. This can be seen in the middle ages of the population where the age groups are larger than for an underdeveloped country. In an underdeveloped country people would not be as old and more people would die at an earlier age. Because Israel’s age groups are larger in the middle, it is indicating that people survive.
It also looks like the population growth rate is becoming steady. The last to age groups appear to be near equal for men and women. When the population remains the same over several consecutive age groups, that is an indication that the people are no longer having as many kids as before. Lastly, because Israel’s net migration
6. Copy and paste a thematic population distribution map below.
http://www.floatingsheep.org/2011_05_01_archive.html
1. World Bank, http://www.worldbank.org/ (2013)
2. World Bank, http://www.worldbank.org/ (2013)