West Bank is a territory that is located in Western Asia. The region is primarily under Israeli control. The landlocked territory stretches over an area of 2,183 square miles. Current estimates show that the population is approximately 3,284,787 as of 2017.
The total population of the West Bank surpasses 3.2 million. The last census taken in 2007 shows that the Palestinian Arab population is 2,345,000. There are 389,250 Israelis living in the region, with an additional 375,000 living in East Jerusalem. The territory also has ethnic groups including Samaritans included in the population.
Over 750,000 Palestinians are refugees or descendants of refugees, making up about 30% of the population. The most densely populated areas are located along the mountains, which includes the cities of Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Yattah. Hebron has the largest population in the territory, which totals over 163,000.
The primary religion throughout the West Bank is Muslim, with up to 85% practicing this religion. There are also approximately 14% Jewish people, while others follow Christianity or other religions.
Until 1917, the West Bank was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. In 1920, the region was allocated to the British Mandate of Palestine, which lasted until 1947. After this, the area was designated as a proposed Arab state. One year later, the interim boundary was created between Israel and Jordan. Jordan ruled the West Bank through 1967. Later that year, the area was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War. The city did not release its claim on the area until the 1970s when ties were severed.
The Palestinian Authority now controls about 11% of the area and has since the early 1990s. The israeli-palestinian military controls 28% of the area, while the remained is under the control of Israel.
The cities included in the West Bank have grown over the years, with some being far more populous than others. As these cities are modernized and offer opportunities for employment, the population can only be expected to continue to grow. Figures from the 1990s through the 2000s show that the population has seen steady growth, with the number of Palestinians increasing by almost 1 million in 10 years.