Israel’s population has reached eight million on the anniversary of its 65th year of independence.

According to a report released on Sunday by the Central Bureau of Statistics, th e population increase d by 1.8 per cent over the last year.

The data, released annually at this time, showed that 75.3 per cent of the Israeli population is Jewish, whil e Arab residents make-up 20.7 per cent of the country’s population.

Since last year’s independence day, there have been 163,000 births and 41,000 deaths in Israel, and a total of 19,500 immigrants who have moved to the state.

According to the report, the population amounted to 806,000 residents when Israel gained independence in 1948.