Herzliya

Herzliya or Herzliyya (Hebrew הרצליה) is a city on the central Mediterranean coast of Israel, in the northern part of the Tel Aviv district. In 2016 it had a population of 93,116 inhabitants in an area of 21.6 square kilometers. At its western municipal limits is Herzliya Pituah, one of the most prosperous neighborhoods in Israel and home to numerous embassies.

History

Founded in 1924 as a farming community or moshava with a population of native residents and immigrants, it takes its name from Theodor Herzl. The moshav initially consisted of about 101 houses and 35 stables. The 1931 census recorded a population of 1,217, in 306 houses. Upon the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, Herzliya was a city of 5,300. A large number of immigrants settled there, and in a few years it would reach 12,000 residents. In 1960, when the population reached 25,000, Herzliya was declared a city.

According to current plans, the population is expected to triple to 290,000 by 2030, with the construction of 52,000 new houses and the construction of new industrial developments and hotels. The city will densify in its center but will also expand to the north and southwest.

Demographics

According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, the residents of Herzliya are among the wealthiest in Israel. In 2003-2005, average monthly salaries were NIS 8,211, or about NIS 1,500 above the average in a survey of Israel's 15 largest cities. However, there is a wide gap between the seven working-class neighborhoods of the city, including Yad Tisha, Neve Yisrael and Neve Amal, and the exclusive Herzliya Pituah. The population is larger than other cities in the Sharon region: 18% are under the age of 14, compared to a national average of 27.5%.