Israel is a small country in the Middle East, located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is about the size of New Jersey. Israel has a population of about 8.5 million people. The country is divided into six administrative districts: Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, and Tel Aviv. Israel has a parliamentary democracy. The president is the head of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. The Knesset is the unicameral parliament. Israel's currency is the shekel. The main languages spoken in Israel are Hebrew and Arabic. Israel's major religions are Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Israel is a member of the United Nations and the European Union.