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Population, Housing and Establishment Census-1997

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Indicator Number* Percentage
Total Population(1997)**  
Male 186,970 50.9
Female 180,418 49.1
Total 367,388 100.0
Population Counted  
Male 183,035 50.9
Female 176,906 49.1
Total 359,941 100.0
Estimated of Post Enumeration  
Male 3,935 52.8
Female 3,512 47.2
Total 7,447 100.0
Total Households Counted  
Private Households 52,499 100.0
Institutional Households 16 0.0
Total 52,515 100.0
Population Distribution by Household Type  
Population of Private Households 359,668 99.9
Population of Institutional Households 273 0.1
Total 359,941 100.0
Distribution of Private Households by Nationality of Head of Household  
Private Palestinian Households 52,411 99.8
Private Foreign Households 88 0.2
Total 52,499 100.0
Distribution of Population in Private Households by Nationality of Head of Household  
Population of Private Palestinian Households 359,426 99.9
Population of Private Foreign Households 242 0.1
Total 359,668 100.0
Sex Ratio (Male Per 100 Female) 103.6 -
Average Household Size 6.9 -
Households by Sex of Head of Household  
Male 48,907 93.2
Female 3,592 6.8
Total 52,499 100.0
Household Type  
Nuclear 37,806 72.0
Extended 13,235 25.2
Composite 212 0.4
One Person 1,246 2.4
Total 52,499 100.0
Refugee Status  
Refugee 187,768 52.2
Not Refugee 170,316 47.4
Not Stated 1,335 0.4
Total 359,419 100.0
Age Distribution  
Age 0 - 4 71,728 19.9
5 - 14 108,885 30.3
15 - 64 169,557 47.1
65+ 9,667 2.7
Not Stated 104 0.0
Total 359,941 100.0
Median Age (Years) 14.0 -
Population Nationality  
Palestinians 359,419 99.9
Not Palestinians 519 0.1
Not Stated 3 0.0
Total 359,941 100.0
Palestinians 12 Years and Over by Marital Status  
Never or Legally Engaged  
Male 45,256 43.5
Female 33,969 33.6
Married  
Male 57,637 55.4
Female 59,008 58.4
Divorced  
Male 297 0.3
Female 1,333 1.3
Widowed  
Male 648 0.6
Female 6,471 6.4
Not Stated  
Male 122 0.1
Female 220 0.2
Total  
Male 103,960 100.0
Female 101,001 100.0
Median Age at First Marriage  
Male 22.0 -
Female 18.0 -
Dependency Ratio 112.2 -
Palestinians 15 Years and Over According to Ability to Read/ Write  
Illiterate  
Male 7,867 8.7
Female 13,792 15.6
Literate  
Male 82,459 91.0
Female 73,961 83.8
Not stated  
Male 259 0.3
Female 495 0.6
Total  
Male 90,585 100.0
Female 88,248 100.0
Palestinians 10 Years and Over by Educational Attainment  
Illiterate 22,781 10.1
Can Read and Write 38,581 17.2
Secondary and below 143,037 63.7
Associate Diploma 7,999 3.6
Bachelor 10,136 4.5
Higher Diploma and above 1,361 0.6
Not stated 780 0.3
Total 224,675 100.0
School Attendance for Palestinians 6-18 Years  
Attending 110,597 88.1
Not Attending 14,961 11.9
Not Stated 15 0.0
Total 125,573 100.0
Palestinians by Disability Status  
With Disability 6,236 1.7
Without Disability 353,179 98.3
Not stated 4 0.0
Total 359,419 100.0
Disabled Palestinians by Type of Disability  
Seeing 868 13.9
Hearing 289 4.6
Speaking 401 6.4
Mental 939 15.1
Moving 1,955 31.4
Hearing and Speaking 328 5.3
Mental and Moving 316 5.1
Multiple 510 8.2
Grasping 217 3.5
Other 413 6.6
Total 6,236 100.0
Palestinians by Place of Birth  
Inside Palestinian Territories 323,328 90.0
Outside Palestinian Territories 35,991 10.0
Not stated 100 0.0
Total 359,419 100.0
Total Fertility Rate 6.8 -
Palestinians 10 Years and Over by Employment Status  
Economically Active 75,601 33.6
Employed 60,791 80.4
Unemployed Ever Worked 8,362 11.1
Unemployed Never Worked 6,448 8.5
Not Economically Active 148,083 65.9
Students 70,877 47.9
House Wife 64,240 43.4
Unable to Work 7,313 4.9
Not Working & Not Looking for Work 3,644 2.5
Others 2,009 1.4
Not Stated 991 0.4
Total 224,675 100.0
Palestinians 10 Years and Over Employed and Unemployed Ever Worked by Occupation  
Legislators and Managers 2,237 3.2
Professionals 5,439 7.9
Technicians and Associate Professionals 4,763 6.9
Clerks 3,285 4.8
Services and Sales Workers 14,551 21.0
Skilled Agricultural and Fishery Workers 1,247 1.8
Crafts and Related Workers 18,776 27.2
Plant, Machine Operators and Assemblers 4,849 7.0
Elementary Occupations 13,627 19.7
Not Sated 379 0.5
Total 69,153 100.0
Palestinians 10 Years and Over Employed and Unemployed Ever Worked by Economic Activity  
Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry 1,946 2.8
Fishing 633 0.9
Mining and Quarrying 30 0.0
Manufacturing 12,623 18.3
Electricity, Gas and Water Supply 71 0.1
Construction 13,066 18.9
Whole sale and Retail Trade 11,721 16.9
Hotels and Restaurants 724 1.0
Transport, Storage and Communication 3,360 4.9
Financial Intermediation 653 0.9
Real-estate, Renting and Business Activities 1,015 1.5
Public Administration and Defense 12,932 18.7
Education 5,278 7.6
Health and Social Work 2,440 3.5
Other Community Social and Personal service Activities 1,496 2.2
Private Households with Employed Persons 13 0.0
Extraterritorial Organizations and Bodies 585 0.8
Not Stated 567 0.8
Total 69,153 100.0
Average Number of Persons per Room 2.0 -
Average Number of Room in Housing Unit 3.7 -
Occupied Housing Units by Type  
Villa 319 0.7
House 17,865 36.8
Apartment 29,949 61.8
Independent Room 164 0.3
Tent 58 0.1
Marginal 96 0.2
Others 12 0.0
Not Stated 26 0.1
Total 48,489 100.0
Private Households by Tenure of Housing Unit  
Owned 38,958 74.2
Rented Unfurnished 4,073 7.8
Rented Furnished 312 0.6
Without Payment 8,701 16.6
For Work 148 0.3
Others 161 0.3
Not Stated 146 0.3
Total 52,499 100.0
Occupied Housing Units by Connection to Water Network in Housing Unit  
Public Network 46,789 96.5
Private System 1,209 2.5
No Piped Water 450 0.9
Not Stated 41 0.1
Total 48,489 100.0
Occupied Housing Units by Connection to Electricity Network in Housing Unit  
Public Network 47,538 98.0
Private Generator 232 0.5
No Electricity 677 1.4
Not Stated 42 0.1
Total 48,489 100.0
Occupied Housing Units by Connection to Sewage System in Housing Unit  
Public Sewage System 41,771 86.1
Cesspit 6,360 13.1
No Sewage System 302 0.6
Not Stated 56 0.1
Total 48,489 100.0
Private Household by Availability of Durable Goods  
Private Car  
Available 10,759 20.5
Not Available 41,517 79.1
Not Stated 223 0.4
Refrigerator  
Available 45,663 87.0
Not Available 6,665 12.7
Not Stated 171 0.3
Solar Boiler  
Available 38,490 73.3
Not Available 13,837 26.4
Not Stated 172 0.3
Central Heating  
Available 408 0.8
Not Available 51,919 98.9
Not Stated 172 0.3
Home Library  
Available 6,906 13.2
Not Available 45,401 86.5
Not Stated 192 0.4
Cooking Stove  
Available 51,157 97.4
Not Available 1,206 2.3
Not Stated 136 0.3
Washing Machine  
Available 45,251 86.2
Not Available 7,058 13.4
Not Stated 190 0.4
T.V.  
Available 46,458 88.5
Not Available 5,854 11.2
Not Stated 187 0.4
Video  
Available 7,768 14.8
Not Available 44,524 84.8
Not Stated 207 0.4
Computer  
Available 2,015 3.8
Not Available 50,283 95.8
Not Stated 201 0.4
Phone Line  
Available 14,127 26.9
Not Available 38,162 72.7
Not Stated 210 0.4
Buildings by Type  
Villa 208 0.6
House 23,346 65.8
Building 7,529 21.2
Tent 62 0.2
Marginal 360 1.0
Establishment 2,840 8.0
Under Construction 1,025 2.9
Other 109 0.3
Not Stated - 0.0
Total 35,479 100.0
Completed Buildings by Utilization  
Habitation 24,379 70.8
Habitation & Work 5,007 14.5
Work 2,802 8.1
Closed 1,162 3.4
Vacant 1,104 3.2
Not Stated - 0.0
Total 34,454 100.0
Number of Establishments by Status  
In Operation 10,970 87.8
Temporarily Closed 429 3.4
Permanently Closed 374 3.0
Under Preparation. 77 0.6
Auxiliary Acting Unit 650 5.2
Total 12,500 100.0
Number of Establishments in Operation in the Private Sector by Principal Economic Activity  
Agriculture 195 1.9
Mining and Quarrying - 0.0
Manufacturing 2,076 20.0
Electricity And Water Supply 216 2.1
Construction 148 1.4
Wholesale, Retail Trade & Repairs 5,627 54.1
Hotels & Restaurants 349 3.4
Transport, Storage & Communications 139 1.3
Financial Intermediation 99 1.0
Real estate, Renting & Business Activities 453 4.4
Education 202 1.9
Health & Social Work 377 3.6
Other Community, Social & Personal Services 518 5.0
Total 10,399 100.0
Number of Persons Engaged in the Private Sector  
Male 26,076 90.1
Female 2,874 9.9
Total 28,950 100.0

*Includes population counted during the period of 10-24/12/1997.
**Includes population counted during the period of 10-24/12/1997, uncounted population estimates according to post enumeration survey.