Palestine Country Profile: Geography, History & Culture

Geography and territory

The State of Palestine consists of two geographically separate territories: the West Bank, lying west of the Jordan River and covering approximately 5,655 square kilometers, and the Gaza Strip, a narrow 365-square-kilometer stretch of Mediterranean coastline. Israeli territory separates the two, creating persistent challenges for connectivity, administration, and everyday movement between them. Together the territories span about 6,020 square kilometers and are home to more than 5.4 million people.

The West Bank is defined by hilly, mountainous terrain that descends from a central highland spine toward the Jordan Valley to the east and the coastal plains to the west, with elevations in the hills around Hebron exceeding 1,000 meters. The landscape combines centuries-old olive groves, ancient stone terraces, and arid stretches that transform dramatically after winter rains. Gaza, by contrast, is a low, densely built coastal plain that ranks among the most crowded places on Earth.

Most of the territory enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. The hills of the West Bank receive moderate rainfall that sustains dry-farmed olives, grapes, and figs, while the Jordan Valley is notably hotter and more arid, dropping below sea level near the Dead Sea shoreline. Access to water is a critical and often contested issue, with underground aquifers serving as the principal source and disputes over usage rights a recurring feature of regional politics. Cities and towns such as Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Gaza City anchor daily economic and cultural life across the two territories.

History

The land of Palestine ranks among the most historically layered regions on Earth, continuously inhabited for millennia and held sacred by the world’s three major monotheistic faiths. Jericho, in the Jordan Valley, is regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, with archaeological remains dating back more than 10,000 years. Over the centuries the region passed successively under Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman rule, each leaving a distinct imprint on its land and peoples.

Under Roman administration, the region was the setting for the life of Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem and crucified in Jerusalem, events of enduring historical significance. The Arab conquest of the seventh century brought Islam and the Arabic language to the region, which later became a central theater of the Crusades between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. Ottoman rule, lasting from 1517 to 1917, gave way to the British Mandate, a period marked by growing Jewish immigration and rising tension between Arab and Jewish communities.

The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and the war that followed brought about the Nakba, in which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced and became refugees. The 1967 war led to Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. The 1993 Oslo Accords created the Palestinian National Authority, though subsequent negotiations have not produced a comprehensive peace settlement. On November 15, 1988, the Palestine Liberation Organization declared the independence of the State of Palestine, which today is recognized by more than 140 countries and holds non-member observer state status at the United Nations. The decades since have been marked by periods of negotiation interspersed with recurring conflict, particularly around Gaza, and by continued international efforts, so far unresolved, to reach a lasting settlement of the underlying territorial and political disputes.

Culture and society

Palestinian culture is deeply rooted and remarkably resilient, sustained and passed down across generations despite decades of hardship. Palestinian identity finds expression in oral tradition, poetry, music, dance, and craftsmanship, all closely bound to the land. Mahmoud Darwish, widely regarded as the national poet, remains one of the most important voices in contemporary Arabic literature, his verses on exile, longing, and resistance resonating far beyond the region.

Palestinian embroidery, known as tatreez, is among the most distinctive of these artistic traditions: each region, village, and even family carries its own patterns and colors in traditional dresses, or thobes, forming a visual language that communicates origin, status, and belonging. This textile tradition has been inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Dabke, a collective folk dance performed at weddings and celebrations, expresses community and joy across all generations.

Palestinian society places strong value on education, and literacy rates rank among the highest in the Arab world, with a dense network of universities in cities such as Birzeit, Bethlehem, and Gaza producing generations of engineers, doctors, and scholars. The extended family remains the fundamental social unit, and communal solidarity has long served as an essential mechanism for endurance. Religious life is central as well, with the great majority of Palestinians practicing Islam and a historic Christian minority concentrated especially around Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Jerusalem. The Palestinian diaspora, spread across the Arab world, Latin America, Europe, and North America, maintains close cultural ties to the homeland through food, music, language, and collective memory.

Economy

The Palestinian economy operates under exceptionally difficult conditions, heavily constrained by restrictions on movement, border controls, and limited access to natural resources. The services sector, encompassing trade, public administration, and financial services, accounts for the largest share of GDP, which stands at roughly $17.2 billion. International aid has historically been an important source of funding, though its flow has remained inconsistent and unpredictable.

Agriculture, despite constraints on land and water, remains economically and symbolically significant. The olive tree is Palestine’s emblematic crop, and Palestinian olive oil is prized for its exceptional quality, produced from native varieties grown on ancient stone terraces. Other agricultural products include grapes, almonds, figs, citrus fruit, and vegetables. The limestone quarrying industry, supplying the well-known Jerusalem stone used in construction, is another traditional sector.

A small but growing technology sector has emerged as a source of hope, with an increasing community of entrepreneurs and startups based in Ramallah and other cities. Remittances from the diaspora supplement household incomes for many families, and the currencies most commonly used in daily transactions are the Israeli shekel and the Jordanian dinar, reflecting the territory’s lack of a fully independent monetary system. The economic challenges remain considerable: high unemployment, particularly among young people, trade restrictions, territorial fragmentation, and persistent political uncertainty that complicates long-term planning and investment.

Food and cuisine

Palestinian cuisine ranks among the oldest and richest in the eastern Mediterranean, rooted in an ancient agricultural tradition that celebrates the products of the land. Musakhan, roasted chicken served over taboon bread with caramelized onions, sumac, and olive oil, is considered the national dish and a pure expression of Palestinian flavor. Maqluba, literally “upside down,” is a layered rice dish with meat and vegetables that is dramatically inverted onto a serving platter, creating a striking presentation.

Olive oil is the soul of Palestinian cooking, used generously in salads, hummus, foul (stewed fava beans), roasted vegetables, and even sweets. Za’atar, a blend of thyme, sesame, and sumac drizzled with olive oil over bread, is the most iconic breakfast dish. Palestinian falafel, creamy hummus, fattoush salad, and baba ghanoush form part of a shared meze tradition enjoyed among family and friends.

Palestinian pastries are exceptional: knafeh from Nablus, a dessert of sweet cheese topped with crisp shredded pastry and soaked in orange-blossom syrup, is famous across the Arab world and a source of local pride. Qatayef, a stuffed pancake filled with cheese or nuts traditionally eaten during Ramadan, and date-filled mamoul cookies are other essential sweets. Arabic coffee flavored with cardamom, served at social gatherings and condolence visits alike, functions as a ritual of communion that extends well beyond the drink itself.

Tourism and landmarks

Palestine holds some of the most sacred and historically significant sites in the world. Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, is home to the Church of the Nativity, built over the site of his birth and counted among the oldest churches in the world, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The Old City of Jerusalem, claimed as Palestine’s capital, contains the Dome of the Rock, Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, and the Via Dolorosa, all sacred to Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike.

Hebron is home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs, a site sacred to both Jews and Muslims that venerates the burial places of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jericho, in the Jordan Valley, lays claim to being the oldest city in the world and offers the Hisham Palace with its remarkable Umayyad-era mosaics, the ruins of the ancient city, and the Mount of Temptation. Nablus, nestled between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, is known for its Ottoman-era old town, traditional soap factories, and its famous knafeh.

The cultural landscape of the hills south of Jerusalem, with their ancient terraced olive groves and vineyards, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sebastia, once the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, preserves impressive Roman ruins. The Palestine hiking trail, running the length of the West Bank hills from north to south, offers travelers the chance to discover traditional villages, biblical landscapes, and Palestinian hospitality through locally run guesthouses. Ramallah, the administrative seat of the Palestinian Authority, has developed a lively contemporary scene of restaurants, galleries, and cultural centers that offers visitors a window into modern Palestinian urban life alongside the region’s ancient heritage.

Fun facts about Palestine

Jericho is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with archaeological remains dating back more than 10,000 years.
Palestinian embroidery, or tatreez, functions as a visual language: its patterns and colors identify the wearer’s region of origin, social status, and family history.
The olive tree is the national symbol of Palestine, and some individual trees still bearing fruit are estimated to be more than 2,000 years old.
Nablus set a Guinness World Record in 2009 for the largest single serving of knafeh ever made, weighing in at 1,765 kilograms.
More than half of all Palestinians live outside Palestine, forming one of the largest diasporas in the world relative to the size of the home population.