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Israel’s Continent: Discovering Its Geographic Location

Which continent does Israel belong to is a question many people ask. If you also ask yourself Israel is in which continent, the short answer is Asia Continent.

Known among Christians, Muslims and Jews as the Holy Land, state of Israel is located in the Middle East region, western Asia.

The ancient city of Jerusalem is the country’s capital, while the financial and technology hub is Tel Aviv Yafo.

The official languages are spoken in the country as Hebrew and Arabic and the total land area of this country is 21.000 square metres.

Out of this, about 440 square kilometres are water, including the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on Earth.

Coastal plains, Jordan Valley with lush vegetation, Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea are just some of the elements which compose this magnificent country.

According to the national records, the total population of the country is around 8.77 million people and the population density is 390 people per square kilometre.

Which continent does Israel belong to

Israel is in which continent

To which continent does Israel belong?

According to the United Nations geoscheme, Israel is located in Asia. To be more precise, this magnificent country is located in the far left of Asia.

The Asian continent covers regions that range from the islands of Indonesia on the south part up to Turkey on the far west.

The country borders are Lebanon to the north, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the southwest and Syria to the northeast.

Gaza Strip and West Bank, which are Palestinian territories are also bordering the Holy Land to the west and east.

If we analyse the Israeli occupied territory from a political point of view, we will see that this country does not have ties with the rest of Asia, which continent does Israel belong to.

 

 

Actually, since 1948 when the country gained its independence it has been in a constant conflict with most of its Arab neighbours located in the Middle East.

Au contrary, it has pretty strong ties with Europe especially from the economic, cultural and historical point of view.

Starting in the early 1980s, the country has been competing in European sporting contests and has been an important player for Eurovision Songs Contest.

At the moment of writing this article, the Holy Land is a reliable member of the Union of European Football Associations, UEFA.

These are the new essentials you have to pack for your trip

Is Israel in Africa?

Another reason for confusion to which continent does Israel belong is related to the country’s location, the proximity to Africa.

The level of confusion was increased in 2013 when the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that the country “lies at the location of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa”.

Misinterpretation about which continent does Israel belong to

Actually, there are two main misinterpretations about where is Israel located:

  • The first one is that the Holy Land is located in Europe
  • The second one is that the Holy Land is located in Africa

Let’s discover together the reasons why most people think these facts are real.

The misinterpretation that Israel is located in Europe

This misinterpretation comes from the fact that the country does have very strong relations with Europe and many consider that the Holy Land belongs to Europe not to Asia, to which continent does Israel belong actually.

This is a normal fact taking into consideration that most Jews who live in Israel today came from Europe.

If not they, their ancestors sure lived in Europe before they moved to Holy Land.

Another element is that this magnificent country has really strong and tight political, economical and cultural relations with Europe, mostly with European Union.

As I said earlier, from the beginning of the 1980s Israel is part of Europe’s UEFA championships and the Eurovision Song Contest.

The misinterpretation that Israel is in Africa

This misinterpretation has its origins in the Biblical reference when Israel is called the land of Canaan.

Canaan was the son of Ham, who was the father of Africa and because of this, many people think that Israel is part of the African continent.

Another factor which contributes to this misinterpretation is the location of the country, which is bordering Egypt, an African country.

Conclusion

These are the main reasons why people believe that Holy Land is located in Europe or in Africa and not in Asia, which continent does Israel belong to.

Logistical tips and tricks for your trip

Book your accommodation
We always use Booking.com as they have the best price-quality ratio and they offer a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and villas to choose from.

You will find here all types of accommodations, from the cheapest ones to the most luxurious.

Don't forget travel insurance
We never leave home without HeyMondo Insurance or Safety Wings Insurance as they offer the best services and a good value for money.

When we go for longer trips around the world we get Globelink Insurance as it offers a good cover for an affordable price.

Travel insurance will always protect you against unexpected costs caused by medical events like illness, injury, theft, or travel cancellation.

We never go on any trip without travel insurance and there were many cases when we had to use it.

Renting a car
We like to explore a country on our own and a car gives us the mobility and freedom to do that.

We always rent our car from Discovercars as they have free cancellation 48 hours prior to starting date and a wide range of car rental companies and options to choose from all over the world.

Tours and attractions
When we are looking for some adventure or we simply want to break up the monotony and discover new places, we always use GetYourGuide.

We love it because we always find the most amazing experiences, with free cancellation and a large variety of activities and tours to choose from.

Airplane tickets and holiday packages
Expedia is our ally when searching for the best price for airplane tickets as it works as an aggregator for a huge number of airlines and we always find the best price for our flights.

Travel tip: use Expedia when you are searching for holiday packages as they have many last-minute offers and great discounts for hotels, flights, and even the whole holiday packages.