Israel is a unique country in many ways. The amazing beauty, ancient history and rich culture go back thousands of years. Slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey, Israel has many types of landforms, from beaches to plains to valley to mountains to deserts. With its long summer and short winters, Israel is a key tourist spot. Here are ten interesting facts about the country.

1. Location – Israel is located in southwestern Asia on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel has been revered as their homeland, the Promised Land, as God gave to Abraham. Egypt and the Gaza Strip are on the southwest bank, Lebanon is on the north border, Jordan and the West Bank are on the east borders, and Syria is in the northeast.

2. Ancient History – This land was inhabited by the Canaanites and other Semitic people nearly three thousand years ago. The Israelites, also called Hebrews and children of Israel, moved to this area between 1800 and 1500 BC. Saul was their king, followed by King David, and then David’s son, Solomon. The kingdom was divided into two countries shortly after Solomon’s reign, Israel and Judah. Israel has been a country of many wars and has been overruled by the Greeks, Assyrians, Persians and Romans. Until the 20th century, the Romans remained in power.

3. Modern History – Jewish people always consider Israel their homeland. A movement began in the 1880′s by the Zionists with the intent to regain Israel as the Jewish homeland. Jews began to settle in Israel’s desert zones, which was governed by the Turkish and then the British governments. In 1948, the British rule ended and the inhabitants declared independence for the new Jewish state. Immediately after this declaration of independence, all neighboring countries attacked Israel. The year-long war lasted until negotiations were made.

4. National Government – Israel is a parliament democracy where all citizens who are 18 years and older can vote. Their parliament is called the Knesset, which is comprised of 120 members. The members can serve for a maximum of four years. The Knesset makes the laws, approves taxes and budgets and taxes and decides policies on a national level. Voting is done by party preference, rather than for individual candidates. There s no limit to the number of candidates. The state of Israel has no written constitution, but uses the “Basic Laws” written by the Knesset. The leader of Israel’s government is the prime minister. The Prime Minister will then appoint ministers to the cabinet which must then be approved by the Knesset. The head of state is the President of Israel. He serves for a maximum of seven years and many of his duties are ceremonial in nature.

5. Politics – Due to the large number of opinions in Israel, there have been many political parties. Twelve party seats won in the Knesset in 2009. Three main political parties are in the country, which divide into other parties – the Zionists, which includes the more conservative people, the social democratic party and the religious Zionists. There are some smaller political groups such as special-interest parties, Orthodox Jewish parties and Israeli-Arab parties.

6. Tourism – Tourism is one of the most important sources of income for Israel. Tourists come from all over the world to visit Israel because of the many historical, archaeological and religious sites there. The museums, beaches, nature reserves and resorts in Israel are known world-wide and draw people from all cultures. Many of Israel’s service industries, such as restaurants and hotels are supported by the tourists. In 2009, there were over 2.7 million foreign tourists in Israel.

7. Manufacturing and Agriculture – There are factories in Israel that produce a wide range of goods such as processed foods, plastics, chemical products, electronic equipment, fertilizer, scientific instruments, textiles and clothing. Diamond cutting is a big industry also. Israel’s work force is largely comprised of people who used to be farmers. Much of Israel’s farming industry has been taken over by machinery.

8. Religion – There is a wide range of religious affiliation in Israel. Of those over twenty years of age, 55% say that they are traditional Jews, while 20% consider themselves secular Jews. There are about 16% of the population that are Muslims, 2% are Christians and 1.5% are Druze.

9. Education – Children between the ages of three and eighteen are required to attend school. There are five types of schooling – state secular, state religious, ultra orthodox, communal settlement schools and Arab schools. Attended by both Jewish and non-Arab students,.

10. Culture – A broad range of Jewish beliefs and customs are in Israel. Jews have come back to Israel from all over the world and brought their various religious and cultural traditions with them. Israel is the only country that revolves around the Hebrew calendar.

There is truly no place like Israel – the Holy Land of the world. Considering the short time that the country has had its independence, it is a miracle that they have done so well. They have a stable government, strong currency and deep cultural and religious roots.