There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as (; sing. , ) and in Arabic as . There are also 15 subdistricts of Israel, known in Hebrew (; sing. , ) and in Arabic as . Each subdistrict is further divided into natural regions,Key to the Codes in the Maps - Districts, Sub-Districts and Natural Regions 2018, Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, 2021Districts, Sub-Districts and Natural Regions 2018, Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, 2021 which in turn are further divided into council-level divisions: whether they might be cities, municipalities, or regional councils.
The present division into districts was established in 1953, to replace the divisions inherited from the British Mandate. It has remained substantially the same ever since; a second proclamation of district boundaries issued in 1957—which remains in force as of 2023—only affirmed the existing boundaries in place.
The figures in this article are based on numbers from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics and so include all places under Israeli civilian rule including those Israeli-occupied territories where this is the case. Therefore, Golan Subdistrict and its four natural regions are included in the number of subdistricts and natural regions even though it is not recognized by the United Nations or the international community as Israeli territory. Similarly, the population figure below for the Jerusalem District was calculated including East Jerusalem whose annexation by Israel is similarly not recognized by the United Nations and the international community. The Judea and Samaria Area, however, is not included in the number of districts and subdistricts as Israel has not applied its civilian jurisdiction in that part of the West Bank.
Administration The districts have no elected institutions of any kind, although they do possess councils composed of representatives of central government ministries and local authorities for planning and building purposes. Their administration is undertaken by a District Commissioner appointed by the Minister of the Interior. Each district also has a District Court.
Since the District Commissioners are considered part of the Ministry of the Interior's bureaucracy, they can only exercise functions falling within the purview of other ministries if the appropriate Minister authorizes them. This authorization is rarely granted, as other government ministries and institutions (for example, the Ministry of Health and the Police) establish their own divergent systems of districts.
Jerusalem District
Jerusalem District (, Mehoz Yerushalayim)
Area: 653 km2 Population ( 2024): 1,331,595 District capital: Jerusalem
Natural regions:
111 Judean Mountains (largest city: Jerusalem) 112 Judean Foothills (largest city: Beit Shemesh)
Northern District Northern District (, Mehoz HaTzafon)
Area: 4,473 km2 Population ( 2024): 1,581,700 District capital: Nof HaGalil
Subdistricts and natural regions:
Safed (Tzfat) Subdistrictpopulation: 135,052 211 Hula Valley (largest city: Kiryat Shmona) 212 Eastern Upper Galilee (largest city: Safed) 213 Hazor (largest city: Hatzor HaGlilit) 214 Central Lower Galilee (largest city: Tefahot) Kinneret Subdistrictpopulation: 125,554 221 Kinerot (largest city: Tiberias) 222 Eastern Lower Galilee (largest city: Maghar) Yizre'el Subdistrictpopulation: 571,398 231 Bet She’an Valley (largest city: Beit She'an) 232 Harod Valley (largest city: Gan Ner) 233 Kokhav Plateau (largest city: Kafr Misr) 234 Yizre’el Valley (largest city: Afula) 235 Yoqne'am (largest city: Yokneam Illit) 236 Menashe Plateau (largest city: Ramot Menashe) 237 Nazareth-Tir'an Mountains (largest city: Nazareth) Akko Subdistrictpopulation: 692,085 241 Shefar'am (largest city: Shefa-Amr) 242 Karmi'el (largest city: Karmiel) 243 Yehi'am (largest city: Ma'alot-Tarshiha) 244 Elon (largest city: Hurfeish) 245 Nahariyya (largest city: Nahariya) 246 Akko (largest city: Acre) Golan Subdistrictpopulation: 57,611 291 Hermon (largest city: Majdal Shams) 292 Northern Golan (largest city: Buq'ata) 293 Middle Golan (largest city: Katzrin) 294 Southern Golan (largest city: Haspin)
Haifa District
Haifa District (, Mehoz Heifa)
Area: 866 km2 Population ( 2024): 1,159,594 District capital: Haifa
Subdistricts and natural regions:
Haifa Subdistrictpopulation: 634,396 311 Haifa (largest city: Haifa) Hadera Subdistrictpopulation: 525,198 321 Karmel Coast (largest city: Fureidis) 322 Zikhron Ya’aqov (largest city: Zikhron Ya'akov) 323 Alexander Mountain (largest city: Umm al-Fahm) 324 Hadera (largest city: Hadera)
Central District Central District (, Mehoz HaMerkaz)
Area: 1,294 km2 Population ( 2024): 2,409,464 District capital: Ramla
Subdistricts and natural regions:
HaSharon Subdistrictpopulation: 516,481 411 Western Sharon (largest city: Netanya) 412 Eastern Sharon (largest city: Tayibe) Petah Tikva Subdistrictpopulation: 838,354 421 Southern Sharon (largest city: Kfar Saba) 422 Petah Tikva (largest city: Petah Tikva) Ramla Subdistrictpopulation: 405,884 431 Modi'in (largest city: Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut) 432 Ramla (largest city: Lod) Rehovot Subdistrictpopulation: 648,745 441 Rehovot (largest city: Rehovot) 442 Rishon LeZiyyon (largest city: Rishon LeZion)
Tel Aviv District Tel Aviv District (, Mehoz Tel Aviv)
Area: 172 km2 Population ( 2024): 1,539,096 District capital: Tel Aviv
Natural regions:
511 Tel Aviv (largest city: Tel Aviv-Yafo) 512 Ramat Gan (largest city: Bnei Brak) 513 Holon (largest city: Holon)
Southern District Southern District (, Mehoz HaDarom)
Area: 14,185 km2 Population ( 2024): 1,444,259 District capital: Beersheba
Subdistricts and natural regions:
Ashkelon Subdistrictpopulation: 628,684 611 Mal'akhi (largest city: Kiryat Malakhi) 612 Lakhish (largest city: Kiryat Gat) 613 Ashdod (largest city: Ashdod) 614 Ashqelon (largest city: Ashkelon) Be'er Sheva Subdistrictpopulation: 815,575 621 Gerar (largest city: Netivot) 622 Besor (largest city: Ofakim) 623 Be'er Sheva (largest city: Beersheba) 624 Dead Sea (largest city: Ein Gedi) 625 Arava (largest city: Eilat) 626 Northern Negev Mountains (largest city: Dimona) 627 Southern Negev Mountains (largest city: Ne'ot Smadar)
Formerly the Hof Aza Regional Council with a population of approx. 10,000 Israelis was a part of this district, but the Israeli communities that constituted it were evacuated when the disengagement plan was implemented on the Gaza Strip. Since the withdrawal, the Coordination and Liaison Administration operates there.
Judea and Samaria Area Judea and Samaria Area (, Ezor Yehuda VeShomron)
Area: 172 km2 Israeli population ( 2024): 514,496 Arab/Bedouin population: 40,000. (excludes Area A and Area B). Largest city: Modi'in Illit
The name Judea and Samaria for this geographical area is based on terminology from the Hebrew Bible and other sources relating to ancient Israel and Judah/Judea. The territory has been under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War but not annexed by Israel, pending negotiations regarding its status. It is part of historic Israel, which leads to politically contentious issues. However, it is not recognized as part of the State of Israel by the United Nations.
There are no subdistricts or administratively declared "natural regions" in the Judea and Samaria Area.
See also Geography of Israel ISO 3166-2:IL List of cities in Israel
Notes
References
External links Central Bureau of Statistics detailed breakdown of each district, subdistrict, and natural region.