ISRAEL
| Independent republic in the Middle East. The main business centre is in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. | |
| CAPITAL | Jerusalem. |
| PRINCIPAL PORT | Ashdod, Eilat, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo. |
| POPULATION | 5,938,093 (July 2001 estimate). |
| LANGUAGE(S) | Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language. |
| WEIGHTS AND MEASURES | Metric system. |
| ELECTRICITY SUPPLY | 220v. 50 cycles AC. |
| CURRENCY(-IES) | 1 shekel (ILS) = 100 agoroth. |
| EXCHANGE RATE | 6.63596 shekel = £1 sterling (fluctuating rate). |
| TIME | 2 hours ahead of GMT (2 hours ahead of BST Apr-Aug Israeli Summer time). |
DIALLING CODE |
00 972 |
| PUBLIC HOLIDAYS | Tu B'Shevat (New Year of Trees);
Purim (Feast of Lots); Shushan Purim; * Pesach (Passover); + Yom HaShoah (Holocaust
Memorial Day); + Yom Hazikaron (Soldiers Memorial Day); # Yom Ha Atzmaut (Independence
Day); Lag B'Omer; Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day); # Shavuot (Giving of the Torah); +
Tisha B'Av (Fast of 9 Av); # Rosh Hashana (New Year); # Yom Kippur (Atonement Day);
*Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles); Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah; Hannukah (Festival of
Lights). # National holiday, everything closes. * The first and last days of Sukkot and Pesach are national holidays. + Most stores and restaurants close. Note: The seven days of Passover and Tabernacles may not be working days for very observant Jews. |
| BRITISH CONSULATE | c/o Aqua Sport International,
Coral Beach, P O Box 300, Eilat 88102. Tel/fax: 00 972 08 632 6287. |
| BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL | Migdalor Building (6th Floor), 1 Ben Yehuda Street, Tel Aviv 63801. Tel: 00 972 3 510 0166, fax: 00 972 03 510 1167, e-mail: bricontv@netvision.net.il - website: www.britemb.org.il. |
| EMBASSY(IES) | 2 Palace Green, London W8 4QB.
Tel: 020 7957 9500, fax: 020 7957 9555, e-mail: info@israel-embassy.org.uk. Consular Section: 15a Old Court Place, London W8 4QB. Tel: 020 7957 9516. Office hours: Mon-Thur 0900-1800, Fri 0900-1400. |
| BRITISH EMBASSY | 192 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63405. Tel: 00 972 3 725 1222. fax: 00 972 3 527 8575, e-mail: Wmaster@telaviv.mail.fco.gov.uk - website: www.britemb.org.il. |
| CHAMBER(S) OF COMMERCE | British-Israel Chamber of
Commerce, Suite 5, Baker Street House, 79 Baker Street, London W1U 6RG. Tel: 020 7224 3212, fax: 020 7224 3171. Also at Manchester (tel: 0161 929 8916); Leeds (tel: 0113 392 0200). Israel
British Chamber of Commerce, Industry House, 29 Hamered Street, Tel Federation of Israel, Chambers of Commerce, 84
Ha'hashmonaim Street, |