Palestinians facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids
Palestinians
(الفلسطينيون, *al-Filasṭīnīyūn*)
Total population
c. 13,000,000
Regions with significant populations
State of Palestine	4,750,000
– West Bank	2,930,000 (of whom 809,738 are registered refugees (2017))
– Gaza Strip	1,880,000 (of whom 1,386,455 are registered refugees (2018))
Jordan	2,175,491 (2017, registered refugees only)–3,240,000 (2009)
Israel	1,890,000 (60% of Israeli Arabs identify as Palestinians (2012))
Syria	552,000 (2018, registered refugees only)
Chile	500,000
Lebanon	174,000 (2017 census)–458,369 (2016 registered refugees)
Saudi Arabia	400,000
Qatar	295,000
United States	255,000
United Arab Emirates	91,000
Germany	80,000
Kuwait	80,000
Egypt	70,000
El Salvador	70,000
Brazil	59,000
Libya	59,000
Iraq	57,000
Canada	50,975
Yemen	29,000
Honduras	27,000–200,000
United Kingdom	20,000
Peru	15,000
Mexico	13,000
Colombia	12,000
Netherlands	9,000–15,000
Australia	7,000 (rough estimate)
Sweden	7,000
Algeria	4,030
Languages
Palestine and Israel: Palestinian Arabic, Hebrew, English and Greek Diaspora: Other varieties of Arabic, the vernacular languages of other countries in the Palestinian diaspora
Religion
Majority: Sunni Islam Minority: Christianity, Samaritanism, Druze, Shia Islam, non-denominational Muslims
Related ethnic groups
Other Levantines, other Semitic-speaking peoples, Jews (Ashkenazim, Mizrahim, Sephardim), Assyrians, Samaritans, other Arabs, and other Mediterranean peoples.

The Palestinian people, or simply Palestinians, are an Arab people whose families come from the region of Palestine. This area includes places like the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Israel.

Today, most people called "Palestinians" are Arabs. However, in the past, the term "Palestinians" could also refer to Jewish people who lived in Palestine.

There are about 13 million Palestinians in the world. About half of them still live in the historic Palestine region. The other half live in many different countries around the world. This spread of people is called the Palestinian diaspora. Many Palestinians living outside Palestine are refugees, meaning they had to leave their homes.

Who are the Palestinians?
Palestinian Identity
Famous Palestinians
Palestinian Culture
Images for kids
See also

Who are the Palestinians?

Palestinians are a group of people who share a common history and culture. They speak Arabic, especially the Palestinian dialect. Most Palestinians are Muslims, mainly from the Sunni branch of Islam. There are also many Palestinian Christians and smaller groups like Druze and Samaritans.

Scientists have found that Palestinians are descendants of people who have lived in the area for a very long time. Over centuries, many of them adopted the Arabic language and converted to Islam.

Palestinian Identity

The idea of a "Palestinian people" as a distinct group with a shared national identity became stronger before World War I. People started asking for independence for Palestine in the early 1920s.

After the creation of Israel in 1948 and another major event in 1967, many Palestinians moved to other countries. This led to a stronger feeling of shared history and a desire for a Palestinian nation-state.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) represents the Palestinian people to the world. The Palestinian National Authority helps manage daily life in some Palestinian areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Famous Palestinians

Many Palestinians have become well-known in different fields:

Yasser Arafat – A famous leader of the PLO.
Mahmoud Abbas – The current leader of Fatah.
Edward Said – A well-known philosopher and writer.
Mahmoud Darwish – A very important Palestinian poet.
Susan Abulhawa – A Palestinian novelist.
Naomi Shihab Nye – A Palestinian-American writer.
Samah Sabawi – A Palestinian writer and journalist.

Palestinian Culture

Palestinian culture is rich and diverse, influenced by centuries of history in the Middle East. It includes traditional music, dance, food, and clothing.

Traditional Food

Palestinian food is a big part of their culture. Some popular dishes include:

Musakhan: This is often called the national dish. It's chicken roasted with onions, sumac, and olive oil, served over flatbread.
Hummus: A creamy dip made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It's very popular across the Middle East.
Falafel: Deep-fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans.
Kanafeh: A sweet dessert made with thin noodle-like pastry, cheese, and sweet syrup.

Music and Dance

Music and dance are important in Palestinian celebrations. The Dabke is a lively folk dance performed in a line, often at weddings and other happy events. Traditional instruments like the Kamanjah (a type of violin) are also used.

Traditional Clothing

Traditional Palestinian clothing is known for its beautiful embroidery, especially on women's dresses. The keffiyeh is a traditional headscarf worn by men, which has become a symbol of Palestinian identity.

Images for kids

A loom at work making a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh in Hebron, Palestine. The keffiyeh is a traditional headdress with origins in Arabia
A veiled Arab woman in Bersheeba, Palestine c.1940
Depiction of Palestine in the time of Saul c. 1020 BC according to George Adam Smith's 1915 Atlas of the Historical Geography of the Holy Land
Palestinian children in Hebron
Edward Said and Daniel Barenboim in Sevilla, 2002
UN stamp to commemorate the Palestinian struggle
Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, leader of the Army of the Holy War in 1948
Protest for Palestine in Tunisia
Christians from Gaza
Palestinian Druze family making bread 1920
Palestinian market at Jaffa, 1877 painting
The Umm al-Fahm Art Gallery
Palestinian novelist and non-fiction writer Susan Abulhawa
Mahmoud Darwish, Palestinian poet
Palestinian-American writer Naomi Shihab Nye
Samah Sabawi is a Palestinian dramatist, writer and journalist.
Kamanjeh performer in Jerusalem, 1859
Palestinians attending prayers at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the holiest site in Christianity
Palestinian Christian Scouts on Christmas Eve in front of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, 2006
Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron
Jews in 'Ben Zakai' house of prayer, Jerusalem, 1893.
Tomb of Jethro in Hittin, Northern Israel.
Muslims pray in Jerusalem, 1840. By David Roberts, in The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia
A Palestinian Christian family in Ramallah, Ottoman Palestine, 1905
Married Eastern Orthodox priest from Jerusalem with his family (three generations), circa 1893
Palestinian students and John Kerry
Palestinian students
Palestinian students
Musakhan: The Palestinian National dish.
A plate of hummus, garnished with paprika and olive oil and pine nuts
A Palestinian youth serving Falafel in Ramallah.
Kanafeh: a Palestinian dessert.
The Alhamra Cinema, Jaffa, 1937, bombed December 1947
Villagers in Halhul at an open-air cinema screening c. 1940
A woman from Bethlehem, c. 1940s.
Young woman of Ramallah wearing dowry headdress, c. 1898–1914
Ramallah woman, c. 1920, Library of Congress
A Traditional Women's Dress in Ramallah, c. 1920.
Girls in Bethlehem costume pre-1885.
Palestinian Dabke folk dance being performed by men
Palestinian women dancing traditionally, Bethlehem c. 1936
Marco Zaror is a Chilean martial artist of Palestinian descent.
Nicolás Massú is a Chilean tennis player of Palestinian descent.
Roberto Bishara Adawi is a footballer of Palestinian descent.