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Netanya
Hebrew	נְתַנְיָה
(Standard)	Nətanya
Founded in	1928
Government	City
District	Center
Population	173,300 (2006)
Jurisdiction	28 455 dunams (28.5 km²)
Mayor	Miriam Fireberg

Netanya (Hebrew: נְתַנְיָה, Standard Hebrew Nətanya) is a city in the Center District of Israel and is the capital of the Sharon plain. It is located between "Poleg" stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the "Avichail" stream in the north. Its 14km of beaches have made the town a very popular tourist resort. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), at the end of 2006 the city had a total population of 173,300. Its mayor is Ms. Miriam Fireberg

Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Education 4 Sister Cities 5 Attractions 6 Football 7 Famous citizens 8 Trivia 9 External links

The city was founded in 1928 on empty land by citrus farmers. Its name commemorates the Jewish American philanthropist Nathan Strauss. The lands of three Palestinian villages emptied in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War later became part of the city: Umm Khalid (1945 population 970), Bayyarat Hannun, and Tabsur.

Because of its proximity (14 km, 9 mi) to the Palestinian city of Tulkarm, it has suffered from numerous Palestinian terrorist attacks aimed at Israeli civilians. In March 2002, Netanya was the site of the Passover Massacre.

According to CBS, in 2001 the ethnic makeup of the city was 99.9% Jewish and other non-Arabs, without significant Arab population. In 2001, 1,546 immigrants settled there. See Population groups in Israel.

According to CBS, in 2001 there were 78,800 males and 84,900 females. The population of the city was spread out with 31.1% 19 years of age or younger, 15.3% between 20 and 29, 17.2% between 30 and 44, 17.4% from 45 to 59, 4.2% from 60 to 64, and 14.9% 65 years of age or older. The population growth rate in 2001 was 1.3%.

CBS also says that, as of 2000, the city had 58,897 salaried workers and 4,671 self-employed. The mean monthly wage in 2000 for a salaried worker in the city is ILS 4,905, a real change of 8.6% over the course of 2000. Salaried males have a mean monthly wage of ILS 6,217 (a real change of 9.0%) versus ILS 3,603 for females (a real change of 6.8%). The mean income for the self-employed is 6,379. There are 3,293 people who receive unemployment benefits and 14,963 people who receive an income guarantee.

According to CBS, there are 68 schools and 30,975 students in the city. They are spread out as 46 elementary schools with 15,602 students and 33 high schools with 15,373 students. 52.7% of 12th grade students were entitled to a matriculation certificate in 2001.

• Sarcelles, France
• Cincinnati, Ohio, United States (Since 2000)
• Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom
• Dortmund and Gießen, Germany
• Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
• Siofok, Hungary
• Stavanger, Norway

Netanya's long seashore and many beaches have created a holiday industry, which in turn features resort hotels, restaurants, and malls.

In addition, Netanya is home to the Poleg nature reserve and the Irises Dora Rainpool nature parks. The Irises park contains the world's largest population of Iris atropurpurea.

In March 2006, American property tycoon, Donald Trump, announced plans for a new hotel in Netanya. [1]

Netanya's most famous football (soccer) team is Maccabi Netanya.

• Shiraz Tal

• Netanya is home to Israel's first IKEA superstore

• Official website (Hebrew)
• Official tourism website

Coordinates: 32°20′N 34°51′E

Center District
Cities	Hod HaSharon | Kfar Saba | Lod | Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut | Ness Ziona | Netanya | Petah Tikva | Qalansawe | Ra'anana | Ramla | Rehovot | Rishon LeZion | Rosh HaAyin | Tayibe | Tira | Yavne | Yehud-Monosson
Local councils	Be'er Ya'akov | Beit Dagan | Bnei Aish | El'ad | Elyakhin | Even Yehuda | Gan Yavne | Gedera | Giv'at Shmuel | Jaljulia | Kafr Qasim | Kfar Bara | Kfar Yona | Kiryat Ekron | Kokhav Ya'ir | Mazkeret Batya | Pardesiya | Ramot HaShavim | Savyon | Shoham | Tel Mond | Tzoran-Kadima | Zemer
Regional councils	Brenner | Gan Rave | Gederot | Gezer | Drom HaSharon | Hefer Valley | Hevel Modi'in | Hevel Yavne | Hof HaSharon | Lev HaSharon | Lod Valley | Nachal Soreq
Boroughs	Neve Monosson