Palestine is a country in the southern Levant region of West Asia. It encompasses two disconnected territories, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, collectively known as the Palestinian territories within the larger region of Palestine. The country shares its borders with Israel to the north, west, and south, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. It has a combined land area of 6,020 square kilometres (2,320 square miles), while its population exceeds five million people. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem, while Ramallah serves as its administrative centre, and Gaza City was its largest city until massive population movements began in 2023 due to the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Arabic is the official language. The majority of Palestinians practice Islam, while Christianity also has a significant presence.

Palestine is a small region of land that has played a prominent role in the ancient and modern history of the Middle East. It is home to Palestinians, who have a strong desire to create a free and independent state.

The word Palestine derives from ancient Greek (Philistia), but ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, and Hebrew languages also included similar-sounding words to describe the region or its people. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all strongly tied to the region and trace their origins to the land over the past few thousand years.

Following the 1918 fall of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Palestine typically referred to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Much of this land is now part of present-day Israel.

Today, the region known as the Palestinian Territories includes the West Bank (a territory that sits between modern-day Israel and Jordan) and the Gaza Strip (bordering Israel and Egypt). These areas have been under Israeli military occupation since 1967. However, control over this region is a complex and evolving situation. There is no international consensus concerning the borders—28 United Nations member countries currently do not recognise Israel at all—and many areas claimed by the Palestinian Territories are also claimed by Israel. 

More than 135 United Nations member countries recognise Palestine as an independent state, but Israel and some other countries, including the United States, don’t make this distinction.

Map of Palestine before 1948