12 Jul, 2018
27% of Palestinian working-age population out of a job
RAMALLAH, July 11, 2018 (WAFA) – As the world marks International Population Day, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said on Wednesday that based on the results of the Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017, the total population of Palestine in 2017 was about 4.78 million; 2.43 million males and 2.35 million females.
The number of population of the West Bank was 2.88 million of which 1.47 million males and 1.41 million females, while the number of population of Gaza Strip was 1.90 million of which 963,000 males and 936,000 females.
The percentage of individuals aged 0 to 14 years constituted 38.9% of the total population in 2017 of which 36.9% in the West Bank and 41.8% in Gaza Strip. The elderly population aged 65 years and above constituted 3.2% of the total population of which 3.6% in the West Bank and 2.8% in Gaza Strip in 2017.
Population density of Palestine is generally high at 794 persons/km2. In Gaza Strip, it is 5,204 persons/km2 compared to a lower population density in the West Bank of 510 persons/km2 in 2017.
Fertility rate in Palestine in 2017 was 4.4 births, of which 4.3 births for women living in the West Bank and 4.5 births for women in Gaza Strip.
Data revealed a decline in the average of household size in Palestine during the period 1997 to 2017 from 6.4 persons in 1997 to 5.1 in 2017. This average declined in the West Bank from 6.1 persons in 1997 to 4.8 in 2017, while it declined in Gaza Strip from 6.9 persons to 5.6 for the same period.
The Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 data showed that 10.0% of households were headed by females in Palestine, of which 10.4% and 9.4% in the West Bank and Gaza Strip respectively.
The results of labor force survey revealed that the labor force participation rate in 2017 is 45.3% of the total labor force (Persons aged 15 years and above) of which 45.3% in the West Bank and 45.1% in Gaza strip. The females participation rate in labor force is very low compared to the males participation rate in 2017, which is 19.0% of which 17.3% in the West Bank and 21.8% in Gaza Strip, compared to 70.9% for males; of which 72.5% in the West Bank and 68.2% in Gaza Strip.
The results showed that more than one fourth of participants in the labor force were unemployed in 2017 at 27.7% of which 17.9% in the West Bank and 43.9% in Gaza Strip. Unemployment rate reached 47.8% among females compared to 22.5% among males.
The Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 data revealed that the percentage of individuals (aged 15 years and above), who have completed university education (bachelor degree and above), was 17.3% while the percentage of individuals who didn’t complete any stage of education reached 8.4%.
The Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 data showed that the illiteracy rate among individuals (15 years and above) in Palestine was 3.3% in 2017. Illiteracy gap is significantly noticed among males and females at 1.7% and 5.0% respectively.
Per capita expenditure in the West Bank increased in 2017 compared to 2011, rising from 188 Jordanian Dinar (JD) in 2011 to 220 JD in 2017, with an increase of 17.0%. While in Gaza Strip it fell from 110 JD in 2011 to 91 JD in 2017, with a decline of 17.3%. At the level of the locality type, average per capita monthly expenditure was 170 JD in urban localities compared to 196 JD in rural localities and 122 JD in camps in 2017.
The relative poverty line and the deep poverty line according to consumption patterns (for reference household consisted of 2 adults and 3 children) in Palestine in 2017 were 2,470 Israeli shekels ($671), and 1,974 shekels ($536) respectively. The poverty percentage among Palestinian individuals according to consumption patterns was 29.2% (13.9% in the West Bank, and 53.0% in Gaza Strip). Data revealed that 16.8% of the individuals in Palestine suffered from deep poverty in 2017, according to consumption patterns (5.8% in the West Bank, and 33.8% in Gaza Strip).
The Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 data showed that the majority of households in Palestine have a mobile phone with a percentage of 96.6% (97.2% in the West Bank and 95.7% in Gaza Strip). The results showed that the percentage of households that own a smartphone was 84.2% in Palestine (89.8% in the West Bank and 75.5% in Gaza Strip). The results also showed that 43.1% of households have a computer (Desktop or Laptop or Tablet and iPad) in Palestine (48.9% in the West Bank and 34.0% in Gaza Strip). As for the use of computers among individuals, 61.4% of households have users of computer (62.0% in the West Bank, and 60.4% in Gaza Strip).
More than half of the Palestinian households (51.7%) have internet access at home with 60.6% in the West Bank and 38.0% in Gaza Strip in 2017.
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