Updated: Sep 19, 2022
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Country Name
Palestine, or officially the State of Palestine.
Location
The Gaza Strip borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Egypt to the south, and Israel to the north and east. The West Bank is bordered by Jordan to the east, and Israel to the north, south, and west.
Thus, the two enclaves constituting the area claimed by the State of Palestine have no geographical border with one another, being separated by Israel.
Capital
Jerusalem,
Ramallah (the administrative center).
Reason for Naming
Since the British Mandate, the term "Palestine" has been associated with the geographical area that currently covers the State of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. General use of the term "Palestine" or related terms to the area at the southeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea beside Syria has historically been taking place since the times of Ancient Greece, with Herodotus being the first historian writing in the 5th century BC of a "district of Syria, called Palestine" in which Phoenicians interacted with other maritime peoples in The Histories.
The term "Palestine" (in Latin, Palæstina) is thought to have been a term coined by the Ancient Greeks for the area of land occupied by the Philistines, although there are other explanations.
Flag
The flag was adopted on 28 May 1964.
The flag consists of three equal horizontal stripes (black, white, and green
from top to bottom) overlaid by a red triangle issuing from the hoist.
This flag is derived from the Pan-Arab colors and is used to represent
the State of Palestine and the Palestinian people.
The Red color represents the blood of Palestinians who passed, passed and
will pass away during their struggle against their enemies.
The black represents the oppression and injustice that Palestinians faced and face during their life because of their occupiers.
The white represents peace, the thing that Palestinians looking for throughout their history.
The green represents the stunning and distinguished nature that Palestine has.
Flag Facts
- The flag is similar to the Jordanian Flag but without the star located in the red triangle in the Jordanian flag.
- It is also very similar to the Flag of Western Sahara, all of which draw their inspiration from the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule.
Language
The official language in Palestine is Palestinian Arabic which is a subgroup of dialects belonging to native Arabs in the Levant and those belonging to the Mediterranean East Coast. Standard Arabic is also the official language in Palestine and is mainly used for official purposes.
Other unofficial languages include Hebrew, Armenian, and Domari. English and French are the most common foreign languages due to colonial influences. The various dialects and languages are spoken in various regions depending on religion, social status, and social grouping among other factors.
Religion
The majority of the Palestine population is Muslim of the Sunni sect, and they account for 93% of the total population. Palestinian Muslims consider Jerusalem as an important part of their religion, with the Al-Aqsa mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem being regarded as the 3rd holiest site in the Muslim world.
Christianity accounts for 6% of all Palestinians worldwide, but in Palestine, they count for 0.6% of the population. Palestinian Christians belong to the denominations such as Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, Catholicism, and other denominations of the Protestant faith.
Other religions in Palestine include Judaism and Druze or Samaritan religions.
Currency
Egyptian pound (EGP)
Israeli new shekel (ILS)
Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Palestinian currency.
Time Zone
+02:00 GMT.
+03:00 GMT. (Summer Time).
Government Regime
Unitary semi-presidential republic.
Climate
Temperatures in Palestine vary widely. The climate in the West Bank is mostly Mediterranean, slightly cooler in elevated areas compared with the shoreline, west to the area. In the east, the West Bank includes much of the Judean Desert including the western shoreline of the Dead Sea, characterized by a dry and hot climate.
Gaza has a hot semi-arid climate with mild winters and dry hot summers.
Spring arrives around March–April and the hottest months are July and August, with the average high being 33 °C (91 °F). The coldest month is January with temperatures usually at 7 °C (45 °F). Rain is scarce and generally falls between November and March, with annual precipitation rates of approximately 4.57 inches (116 mm).