Gaza Population 2023

Gaza's 2023 population is now estimated at 778,187In 1950, the population of Gaza was 63,444Gaza has grown by 22,104 in the last year, which represents a 2.92% annual change. These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Gaza, which typically includes Gaza's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Gaza, or Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza has been controlled by many empires and people throughout its long history, which dates back to at least the 15th century BC. Gaza is the largest city of the State of Palestine with an estimated population of 750,000 in 2015.

Population Density and City Size

The Gaza Strip is often called one of the most densely populated areas on earth. Gaza City itself is likely the 40th most densely populated urban area globally. While it may not be the most densely populated, it has a tiny geographical area of just 17 square miles. This means there are 42,600 people per square mile, compared to 83,800 in Mumbai -- which has 12 times more area. The city of Gaza has a total surface area of approximately 45 square kilometers (17 square miles).

Landmarks

One of Gaza's most celebrated landmarks is the Great Mosque in the Old City. The mosque was originally a pagan temple, although it was consecrated as a Greek Orthodox church by the Byzantines then turned into a mosque in the 8th century. Crusaders turned it into a church, but it was once more established as a mosque after the Muslims again conquered Gaza. It's the largest and oldest mosque in the Gaza Strip.

Gaza Demographics

Most people in Gaza are Muslim, most of whom follow Sunni Islam. Gaza has about 3,500 Palestinian Christians who live in the Zaytun Quarter of the Old City. Most belong to Roman Catholic, Baptist, and Greek Orthodox denominations.

Gaza once had a sizable Jewish community with a history going back 3,000 years. Most Jewish people in Gaza fled following the 1929 Palestine riots, and by 1945, there were 80 Jews in the city. No Jews are living in Gaza today.

Gaza has a very high percentage of young people. About 75% of Gaza's population is under the age of 25. According to demographers, there are several reasons for this. One is the fact that a low percentage of Palestinian women have jobs. It's the region of the world where the fewest number of women work outside the home. Gaza has a very high fertility rate of 4.4 children per woman, in part because women are usually housebound and men earn more money when their families grow larger.

Gaza Population History

The earliest record of Gaza's population shows 6,000 people living in the city in 1596, which made it the third largest city of Ottoman Palestine at the time after Jerusalem and Safad. In 1838, it surpassed Jerusalem's population with about 15,500 people. The population swelled to 42,000 before World War I, although battles in 1917 caused the population to plummet to 17,000. Gaza's population once more began to grow in the 1970s and '80s, reaching 300,000 by 1997.

Gaza Population Growth

Gaza is currently growing at a rate of 3% per year, which is the 13th highest growth rate in the world. The city is already very crowded with limited space for new construction. The city's schools are overcrowded with an average of 40 children in every classroom. Between 2000 and 2013 alone, Gaza grew by over 687,000. By 2020, the region will have 2.1 million people.

Country
Palestine
Growth Rate
2.92%

Gaza Population 2023

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Growth
195063,444
195165,7833.69%2,339
195268,2133.69%2,430
195370,7253.68%2,512
195473,3333.69%2,608
195576,0373.69%2,704
195678,8453.69%2,808
195781,7493.68%2,904
195884,7633.69%3,014
195987,8893.69%3,126
196091,1353.69%3,246
196194,4913.68%3,356
196297,9753.69%3,484
1963101,5883.69%3,613
1964105,3403.69%3,752
1965109,2193.68%3,879
1966113,2473.69%4,028
1967117,4233.69%4,176
1968121,7593.69%4,336
1969126,2433.68%4,484
1970130,8993.69%4,656
1971135,7263.69%4,827
1972140,7383.69%5,012
1973145,9213.68%5,183
1974151,3023.69%5,381
1975156,8813.69%5,579
1976162,6753.69%5,794
1977168,6653.68%5,990
1978174,8853.69%6,220
1979181,3343.69%6,449
1980188,0313.69%6,697
1981194,9553.68%6,924
1982202,1453.69%7,190
1983209,5993.69%7,454
1984217,3393.69%7,740
1985225,3433.68%8,004
1986233,6533.69%8,310
1987242,2693.69%8,616
1988251,2163.69%8,947
1989260,4663.68%9,250
1990270,0723.69%9,606
1991280,0323.69%9,960
1992290,3733.69%10,341
1993301,0663.68%10,693
1994312,1693.69%11,103
1995323,6813.69%11,512
1996335,6343.69%11,953
1997347,9943.68%12,360
1998360,3943.56%12,400
1999372,8783.46%12,484
2000385,8143.47%12,936
2001399,1603.46%13,346
2002412,9883.46%13,828
2003427,2953.46%14,307
2004442,1183.47%14,823
2005457,4123.46%15,294
2006473,2573.46%15,845
2007489,6523.46%16,395
2008505,0913.15%15,439
2009519,8312.92%14,740
2010535,0212.92%15,190
2011550,6562.92%15,635
2012566,7702.93%16,114
2013583,3092.92%16,539
2014600,3542.92%17,045
2015617,8982.92%17,544
2016635,9802.93%18,082
2017654,5382.92%18,558
2018673,6382.92%19,100
2019693,3232.92%19,685
2020713,6212.93%20,298
2021734,5472.93%20,926
2022756,0832.93%21,536
2023778,1872.92%22,104
2024800,6362.88%22,449
2025823,4072.84%22,771
2026846,5062.81%23,099
2027869,8962.76%23,390
2028893,5352.72%23,639
2029917,4212.67%23,886
2030941,5442.63%24,123
2031965,8882.59%24,344
2032990,4352.54%24,547
20331,015,2022.5%24,767
20341,040,1552.46%24,953
20351,065,2682.41%25,113
showing: 86 rows

Gaza Population Data (Urban Area)

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Other Cities in Palestine

  1. Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics - Localities in Gaza Governorate by type of locality and population estimates - 2007-2016

Sources