Israel (country), republic in southwestern Asia, located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel is bounded on the north by Lebanon, on the northeast by Syria, on the east by Jordan, and on the southwest by Egypt. Its southernmost tip extends to the Gulf of Aqaba, an arm of the Red Sea. Israel was established in 1948. It covers an area of about 21,596 sq km (about 8338 sq mi). This figure includes East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights region of southwestern Syria, both captured by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 and subsequently annexed. Most countries, however, do not recognize the annexations. Israel also seized the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during the war. However, following historic peace agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1993 and 1995, all Palestinian towns in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were transferred to Palestinian administration. Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital and largest city, although the United Nations (UN) does not recognize the city's status as capital because East Jerusalem lies in disputed territory.
