- Bir Zeit
Infobox Palestinian Authority muni
name=Bir Zeit
imgsize=250
caption= Bakery in Bir Zeit
arname=بيرزيت
meaning="Well of [olive] oil"
founded=
type=munc
typefrom=
altOffSp=
altUnoSp=
governorate=rb
latd=31|latm=58|lats=19.57|latNS=N
longd=35 |longm=11|longs=44.20|longEW=E
population=6,600
popyear=2006
area=14,077
areakm=14.0
mayor=Yousef NasserBir Zeit ( _ar. بيرزيت) is a Palestinian town on the outskirts of
Ramallah in the centralWest Bank .The name Bir Zeit literally translates to "well of oil"; referring to the wells in which its inhabitants historically stored virgin-pressed olive oil. The topology of the town consists of hills and sloping terrains with its highest point known by locals as "al-Khirbeh", or "the ruin". Much of the surrounding land consists of olive trees which historically was a source of sustenance for what was primarily an agrarian society.
Today, Bir Zeit (also written as Birzeit) is a college town known for the flagship of Palestinian institutions,
Birzeit University . The population of Birzeit is near 6,600 with much of its economy tied to the student population of the University. Several surrounding villages depend on Birzeit's economy; particularly during the latest round of road closures imposed byIsrael . This has led to a business expansion within the town consisting of several restaurants, cafes, internet cafes, and salons.See also
*
Birzeit University
*Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate External links
* [http://www.birzeitsociety.org/ Birzeit Society] (for Birzeitis)
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