(Israel Hayom) Dror Eydar - Thirty years ago, in 1984, Israel's population was 4.1 million. By 2014 the population had doubled to 8.2 million. In 1984, the number of vehicles per 1,000 people was 157; in 2014 it's 364. In 1984 the gross national product was $30 billion; today it's $307 billion. In 1984, the GNP per capita was $7,000; in 2014 it climbed to $36,000. In 1984, Israel's foreign currency reserves were $3 billion; today it's $90 billion. The national debt was 280% of the GNP in 1984; by 2014 it had dropped to 66%. In 1984, security expenditures comprised 20% of the GNP, and only 5% today. American aid was 10% of GNP and is now only 1%. In 1984, Israel's exports were valued at $10 billion; today it's $96 billion. In 1984, the public sector employed 75% of the working public, while today that figure is 43%. Employment of women was 34% and by 2014 had risen to 54%. Israel is blessed with a high birthrate that is unique in the Western world and mortality rates among the lowest in the world. This data indicates where we were 30 years ago. The truth is that we should actually measure our current situation against what we had 70 years ago - in 1945 - to understand how miraculous this country is.
2015-05-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive