Read the full article at jpost.com
Despite stretching just 424 kilometers from north to south, Israel is home to a clear geographic and economic periphery, falling behind in economic growth and prosperity.
Often coined the “Start-Up Nation,” the State of Israel’s unprecedented hi-tech success has become a veritable national brand. Yet the vast majority of the country’s start-ups – more than three-quarters in total – can be found in the narrow coastal corridor between Tel Aviv and Herzliya.
Despite stretching just 424 km. from north to south, Israel is home to a clear geographic and economic periphery, with central regions becoming increasingly overcrowded and peripheral areas falling behind in economic growth and prosperity.
While Israel’s North, South and the West Bank account for nearly 90% of the country’s territory, only 35% of the population live in those regions.
With the country’s population predicted to soar from nearly nine million citizens today to 17 million by 2048, Israel’s 100th anniversary, the clock is ticking to expand the economic pie, ensuring that the growing population doesn’t all converge on the already-congested center and that Israel’s economic success is truly a cause for national celebration.
