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Population, Housing and Establishment Census-1997

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Indicator Number* Percentage
Total Population(1997)**  
Male 207,689 51.2
Female 197,975 48.8
Total 405,664 100.0
Population Counted  
Male 199,843 51.2
Female 190,429 48.8
Total 390,272 100.0
Estimated of Post Enumeration  
Male 7,846 51.0
Female 7,546 49.0
Total 15,392 100.0
Total Households Counted  
Private Households 57,866 100.0
Institutional Households 16 0.0
Total 57,882 100.0
Population Distribution by Household Type  
Population of Private Households 389,468 99.8
Population of Institutional Households 804 0.2
Total 390,272 100.0
Distribution of Private Households by Nationality of Head of Household  
Private Palestinian Households 57,827 99.9
Private Foreign Households 39 0.1
Total 57,866 100.0
Distribution of Population in Private Households by Nationality of Head of Household  
Population of Private Palestinian Households 389,298 100.0
Population of Private Foreign Households 170 0.0
Total 389,468 100.0
Sex Ratio (Male Per 100 Female) 104.7 -
Average Household Size 6.7 -
Households by Sex of Head of Household  
Male 53,744 92.9
Female 4,122 7.1
Total 57,866 100.0
Household Type  
Nuclear 44,133 76.3
Extended 12,165 21.0
Composite 193 0.3
One Person 1,375 2.4
Total 57,866 100.0
Refugee Status  
Refugee 67,751 17.4
Not Refugee 318,383 81.7
Not Stated 3,440 0.9
Total 389,574 100.0
Age Distribution  
Age 0 - 4 77,290 19.8
5 - 14 117,289 30.1
15 - 64 184,237 47.2
65+ 11,296 2.9
Not Stated 160 0.0
Total 390,272 100.0
Median Age (Years) 15.0 -
Population Nationality  
Palestinians 389,574 99.8
Not Palestinians 697 0.2
Not Stated 1 0.0
Total 390,272 100.0
Palestinians 12 Years and Over by Marital Status  
Never or Legally Engaged  
Male 52,374 45.7
Female 39,085 35.6
Married  
Male 61,126 53.4
Female 63,483 57.9
Divorced  
Male 181 0.2
Female 734 0.7
Widowed  
Male 526 0.5
Female 6,016 5.5
Not Stated  
Male 335 0.3
Female 343 0.3
Total  
Male 114,542 100.0
Female 109,661 100.0
Median Age at First Marriage  
Male 23.0 -
Female 18.0 -
Dependency Ratio 111.7 -
Palestinians 15 Years and Over According to Ability to Read/ Write  
Illiterate  
Male 9,969 10.0
Female 21,598 22.6
Literate  
Male 89,127 89.5
Female 72,754 76.2
Not stated  
Male 446 0.4
Female 1,167 1.2
Total  
Male 99,542 100.0
Female 95,519 100.0
Palestinians 10 Years and Over by Educational Attainment  
Illiterate 32,610 13.3
Can Read and Write 46,565 19.0
Secondary and below 148,338 60.4
Associate Diploma 8,899 3.6
Bachelor 6,848 2.8
Higher Diploma and above 784 0.3
Not stated 1,650 0.7
Total 245,694 100.0
School Attendance for Palestinians 6-18 Years  
Attending 117,690 86.2
Not Attending 18,854 13.8
Not Stated 24 0.0
Total 136,568 100.0
Palestinians by Disability Status  
With Disability 6,626 1.7
Without Disability 382,948 98.3
Not stated - 0.0
Total 389,574 100.0
Disabled Palestinians by Type of Disability  
Seeing 925 14.0
Hearing 363 5.5
Speaking 396 6.0
Mental 792 12.0
Moving 1,975 29.8
Hearing and Speaking 391 5.9
Mental and Moving 372 5.6
Multiple 577 8.7
Grasping 229 3.5
Other 606 9.1
Total 6,626 100.0
Palestinians by Place of Birth  
Inside Palestinian Territories 372,143 95.5
Outside Palestinian Territories 17,300 4.4
Not stated 131 0.0
Total 389,574 100.0
Total Fertility Rate 7.1 -
Palestinians 10 Years and Over by Employment Status  
Economically Active 85,235 34.7
Employed 73,219 85.9
Unemployed Ever Worked 6,906 8.1
Unemployed Never Worked 5,110 6.0
Not Economically Active 159,316 64.8
Students 72,833 45.7
House Wife 71,320 44.8
Unable to Work 7,587 4.8
Not Working & Not Looking for Work 5,783 3.6
Others 1,793 1.1
Not Stated 1,143 0.5
Total 245,694 100.0
Palestinians 10 Years and Over Employed and Unemployed Ever Worked by Occupation  
Legislators and Managers 1,551 1.9
Professionals 4,519 5.6
Technicians and Associate Professionals 4,693 5.9
Clerks 1,914 2.4
Services and Sales Workers 11,294 14.1
Skilled Agricultural and Fishery Workers 4,119 5.1
Crafts and Related Workers 18,357 22.9
Plant, Machine Operators and Assemblers 9,117 11.4
Elementary Occupations 23,678 29.6
Not Sated 883 1.1
Total 80,125 100.0
Palestinians 10 Years and Over Employed and Unemployed Ever Worked by Economic Activity  
Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry 6,413 8.0
Fishing 1 0.0
Mining and Quarrying 861 1.1
Manufacturing 13,406 16.7
Electricity, Gas and Water Supply 66 0.1
Construction 26,380 32.9
Whole sale and Retail Trade 11,254 14.0
Hotels and Restaurants 1,149 1.4
Transport, Storage and Communication 3,670 4.6
Financial Intermediation 341 0.4
Real-estate, Renting and Business Activities 785 1.0
Public Administration and Defense 5,490 6.9
Education 6,361 7.9
Health and Social Work 1,696 2.1
Other Community Social and Personal service Activities 1,105 1.4
Private Households with Employed Persons 9 0.0
Extraterritorial Organizations and Bodies 136 0.2
Not Stated 1,002 1.3
Total 80,125 100.0
Average Number of Persons per Room 2.2 -
Average Number of Room in Housing Unit 3.1 -
Occupied Housing Units by Type  
Villa 358 0.6
House 32,847 58.4
Apartment 21,765 38.7
Independent Room 990 1.8
Tent 142 0.3
Marginal 84 0.1
Others 76 0.1
Not Stated 31 0.1
Total 56,293 100.0
Private Households by Tenure of Housing Unit  
Owned 47,517 82.1
Rented Unfurnished 3,678 6.4
Rented Furnished 247 0.4
Without Payment 5,997 10.4
For Work 90 0.2
Others 84 0.1
Not Stated 253 0.4
Total 57,866 100.0
Occupied Housing Units by Connection to Water Network in Housing Unit  
Public Network 43,145 76.6
Private System 8,871 15.8
No Piped Water 4,187 7.4
Not Stated 90 0.2
Total 56,293 100.0
Occupied Housing Units by Connection to Electricity Network in Housing Unit  
Public Network 52,618 93.5
Private Generator 1,604 2.8
No Electricity 1,993 3.5
Not Stated 78 0.1
Total 56,293 100.0
Occupied Housing Units by Connection to Sewage System in Housing Unit  
Public Sewage System 10,439 18.5
Cesspit 42,966 76.3
No Sewage System 2,767 4.9
Not Stated 121 0.2
Total 56,293 100.0
Private Household by Availability of Durable Goods  
Private Car  
Available 11,837 20.5
Not Available 45,774 79.1
Not Stated 255 0.4
Refrigerator  
Available 40,791 70.5
Not Available 16,835 29.1
Not Stated 240 0.4
Solar Boiler  
Available 26,216 45.3
Not Available 31,405 54.3
Not Stated 245 0.4
Central Heating  
Available 741 1.3
Not Available 56,886 98.3
Not Stated 239 0.4
Home Library  
Available 5,837 10.1
Not Available 51,777 89.5
Not Stated 252 0.4
Cooking Stove  
Available 55,661 96.2
Not Available 1,991 3.4
Not Stated 214 0.4
Washing Machine  
Available 36,362 62.8
Not Available 21,245 36.7
Not Stated 259 0.4
T.V.  
Available 47,629 82.3
Not Available 9,977 17.2
Not Stated 260 0.4
Video  
Available 4,932 8.5
Not Available 52,675 91.0
Not Stated 259 0.4
Computer  
Available 1,788 3.1
Not Available 55,817 96.5
Not Stated 261 0.5
Phone Line  
Available 4,656 8.0
Not Available 52,935 91.5
Not Stated 275 0.5
Buildings by Type  
Villa 588 1.0
House 43,270 75.3
Building 5,078 8.8
Tent 147 0.3
Marginal 270 0.5
Establishment 4,749 8.3
Under Construction 3,180 5.5
Other 155 0.3
Not Stated - 0.0
Total 57,437 100.0
Completed Buildings by Utilization  
Habitation 39,421 72.7
Habitation & Work 4,712 8.7
Work 4,349 8.0
Closed 2,158 4.0
Vacant 3,617 6.7
Not Stated - 0.0
Total 54,257 100.0
Number of Establishments by Status  
In Operation 12,567 84.4
Temporarily Closed 1,060 7.1
Permanently Closed 611 4.1
Under Preparation. 58 0.4
Auxiliary Acting Unit 598 4.0
Total 14,894 100.0
Number of Establishments in Operation in the Private Sector by Principal Economic Activity  
Agriculture 1,308 11.2
Mining and Quarrying 198 1.7
Manufacturing 2,534 21.6
Electricity And Water Supply 12 0.1
Construction 51 0.4
Wholesale, Retail Trade & Repairs 5,844 49.9
Hotels & Restaurants 244 2.1
Transport, Storage & Communications 53 0.5
Financial Intermediation 36 0.3
Real estate, Renting & Business Activities 299 2.6
Education 202 1.7
Health & Social Work 493 4.2
Other Community, Social & Personal Services 448 3.8
Total 11,722 100.0
Number of Persons Engaged in the Private Sector  
Male 24,842 88.0
Female 3,381 12.0
Total 28,223 100.0

*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.