Ten Fastest Growing West Bank Settlements, 1994–2004

 

Name	Population		Population Change
	1994	2004	Number	%
Modi'in Illit	6,150a	27,386	21,236	345
Betar Illit	4,880	24,895	20,015	410
Ma'ale Adumim	18,400	28,923	10,523	57
Giv'at Ze'ev	6,750	10,635	3,885	58
Kokhav Ya'aqov	663	4,389	3,726	562
Ariel	12,800	16,414	3,614	28
Bet El	1,230	4,763	3,533	287
Alfe Menashe	2,710	5,433	2,723	100
Efrata	4,650	7,273	2,623	56
Oranit	3,380	5,458	2,078	61
Total	61,613	135,569	73,956	120

a.1996.

Source: Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, “Population in Localities, 1994, Demographic Characteristics, by Geographical Divisions (S.P.1026);” “Israel in Numbers 2004.”

The fastest growing settlements are mostly a mixture of rapidly increasing ultra-Orthodox populations -— Beitar Illit, Modi’in Illit, Kochav Ya’acov -— smaller, ideological settlements in the West Bank heartland -— Bet El, Talmon, and Pene Hever -— and established settlements close to the metropolitan areas of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv -— Efrata, Oranit, Alfe Menashe, and Ariel.