Countries

Israel

Israel is a country on the eastern Mediterranean coast, stretching from the Galilee in the north through the Negev desert to the Red Sea port of Eilat. It declared independence in 1948. Its borders with the Palestinian territories and with Syria are disputed; the map here follows the lines recognised by the United Nations.

A curving pale beach along the still water of the Dead Sea, with dry cliffs rising behind

The Dead Sea shore

Photo: Jan Helebrant, CC0

The blue stripes recall the tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl, and the Star of David in the centre is a long-standing Jewish symbol. Adopted in 1948.

How it has changed

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