Demographics of Jerusalem

Founded around 3000 BCE, the Old City of Jerusalem is divided into Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Armenian quarters. At the time of Jesus, the city had an estimated population of 80,000 (Time Magazine). In 2003, the population of the Old City was 31,405 Arabs and 3,965 "Jews and others" (Choshen 12). That same year the total population of Jerusalem was 693,217 including 464,527 "Jews and others" and 228,690 Arabs (Choshen 1).

Overview

Jerusalemites are of varied national, ethnic and religious denominations and include European Jews, Middle Eastern Jews, African Jews, Christian and Muslim Armenians, Muslim Arabs, Protestant Arabs, Greek Orthodox Arabs, Syrian Orthodox Arabs, and Coptic Orthodox Arabs, among others. [http://66.102.1.104/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=cache:yLKDlns7B-0J:t.aghourian.googlepages.com/finaldraft.doc Preserving Identity in the Holy City] ] Many of these groups were once immigrants or pilgrims that have over time become near-indigenous populations and claim the importance of Jerusalem to their faith as their reason for moving to and being in the city.

Jerusalem's long history of conquests by competing and different powers has resulted in different groups living in the city many of whom have never fully identified or assimilated with a particular power, despite the length of their rule. Though they may have been citizens of that particular kingdom and empire and involved with civic activities and duties, these groups often saw themselves as distinct national groups (see for example, the Armenians). The Ottoman millet system, whereby minorities in the Ottoman Empire were given the authority to govern themselves within the framework of the broader system, allowed these groups to retain autonomy and remain separate from other religious and national groups.

Population by ethnicity

The table below provides data on demographic change over time in Jerusalem, with an emphasis on the Jewish population. Readers should be aware that the boundaries of Jerusalem have changed many times over the years and that Jerusalem may also refer to a district or even a sub-district under Ottoman, British, or Israeli administration, see e.g. Jerusalem District. Thus, year-to-year comparisons may not be valid due to the varying geographic areas covered by the population censuses.

* Indicates families.** Indicates adult males.

As of May 24, 2006, Jerusalem's population is 724,000 (about 10% of the total population of Israel), of which 65.0% were Jews (approx. 40% of whom live in East Jerusalem), 32.0% Muslim (almost all of whom live in East Jerusalem) and 2% Christian. 35% of the city's population were children under age of 15. In 2005, the city had 18,600 newborns. (Source: [http://www.cbs.gov.il/hodaot2006n/11_06_106b.pdf Israel Central Bureau of Statistics] )

It should be noted that these official Israeli statistics refer to the expanded Israel municipality of Jerusalem. This includes not only the area of the pre-1967 Israeli and Jordanian municipalities, but also outlying Palestinian villages and neighbourhoods east of the city, which were not part of Jordanian East Jerusalem prior to 1967.

References

ources

*Salo Baron, " A Social and Religious History of the Jews", Columbia University Press, 1983.
*cite web | author=Maya Choshen, ed.| year=2004| title=Table III/14 - Population of Jerusalem, by Age, Quarter, Sub-Quarter, and Statistical Area, 2003 | format=pdf | work=Statistical Yearbook of Jerusalem | url=http://www.jiis.org.il/imageBank/File/shnaton_2004/shnaton_c1404.pdf | accessmonthday=February 27 | accessyear=2006
*Manashe Harrel, "The Jewish Presence in Jerusalem through the Ages" in Sinai and Oestericcher, eds., "Jerusalem", John Day, 1974. The Harrel numbers are also used in Mitchell Geoffrey Bard, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Middle East Conflict," Alpha, 2002.
* [http://www1.cbs.gov.il/shnaton56/st02_14.pdf Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics information page]
* [http://www.israelipalestinianprocon.org/populationpalestine.html#chart2 Jerusalem: Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Population (1910-2000)] at israelipalestinianprocon.org
*Bruce Masters, "Christians And Jews In The Ottoman Arab World" Cambridge University Press, 2004.
* [http://www.mideastweb.org/palpop.htm Population of Jerusalem until 1945] (Table 10) at mideastweb.org
*cite web | author=United Nations| year=1983| title=International Conference on the Question of Palestine—The Status of Jerusalem | work=United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine | url=http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/dd53e072b16b507485257003004fe1fa!OpenDocument | accessmonthday=February 26 | accessyear=2006
*cite web | author=Time Magazine| year=2001| title=Jerusalem | url=http://www.time.com/time/2001/jerusalem/cover.html | accessmonthday=March 25 | accessyear=2006

External links

*cite web | author=Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs| year=2002| title=Jerusalem: Special Bulletin | format=pdf | work= | url=http://www.passia.org/publications/bulletins/english-jerusalem/EnglishJerusalem.pdf | accessmonthday=February 27 | accessyear=2006
*cite web | author=United Nations| year=1997| title=The Status of Jerusalem | work=UNISPAL. Division for Palestinian Rights. Prepared for, and under the guidance of, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People | url=http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/533b4714451b48bf0525651b00488d02!OpenDocument | accessmonthday=February 26 | accessyear=2006