GAZA STRIP
Area: 360 sq. km. or 836 sq. miles; slightly larger than Washington D. C.

Population: 1,604,238 (July 2010)

Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.1%; Christians .9%

Language: Arabic, Hebrew, English

Government: In transition

Geography note: The Gaza Strip is a strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes that has experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history.

www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

Gaza ranks 44th out of 50 countries on the Open Doors World Watch List for 2011, with some limitations on religious freedom.

The Open Doors World Watch List is compiled from a specially-designed questionnaire of 50 questions covering various aspects of religious freedom. A point value is assigned depending on how each question is answered.

www.od.org

News Service 2000

A Ministry to Persecuted Christians