Districts

For governmental purposes, Israel is divided into six districts (known in Hebrew as mehozot, singular: mahoz): Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv. Administration of the districts is coordinated by the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for the administration of the occupied territories.

The 6 districts are divided into 15 sub-districts known as nafot (singular: nafa), and each sub-district is further divided into natural regions, of which there are 50. The Golan sub-district, which contains 4 natural regions, is included in this amount, although it is not recognised by the UN to be Israeli territory. The Judea and Samaria Area, however, is not included, since it has not been annexed by Israel.

Jerusalem District (Mehoz Yerushalayim)

• Population: 868,500
• District capital: Jerusalem

This district includes areas captured in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed to Israel in the Jerusalem Law.

North District (Mehoz HaTzafon)

• Population: 1,202,600
• District capital: Nazareth
  • Zefat (sub-district) - population: 98,000
  • Kinneret (sub-district) - population: 98,100
  • Yizre'el (sub-district) - population: 430,400
  • Akko (sub-district) - population: 536,300
  • Golan (sub-district)- population: 39,800 - captured in the 1967 Six-Day War and defacto annexed by Israel's Golan Heights Law.

Haifa District (Mehoz Hefa)

• Population: 865,200
• District capital: Haifa
  • Haifa (sub-district) - population: 529,500
  • Hadera (sub-district) - population: 335,700

Center District (Mehoz HaMerkaz)

• Population: 1,689,600
• District capital: Ramla
  • Sharon (sub-district) - population: 371,900
  • Petah Tikva (sub-district) - population: 578,000
  • Ramla (sub-district) - population: 267,600
  • Rehovot (sub-district) - population: 472,100

Tel Aviv District (Mehoz Tel-Aviv)

• Population: 1,204,400
• District capital: Tel Aviv

South District (Mehoz HaDarom)

• Population: 1,201,200
• District Capital: Beersheba
  • Ashkelon (sub district) - population: 456,000
  • Be'er Sheva (sub-district) - population: 565,300

Judea and Samaria Area (Ezor Yehuda VeShomron)

• Population: 260,800 Israeli citizens
• Largest Israeli City: Modi'in Illit

This area is the geographical classification for Israeli settlement in the West Bank other than East Jerusalem. The area has been under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day War but not annexed by Israel. Many Israelis consider it part of the Land of Israel, but it is not considered part of the state of Israel by any nation or the UN.