Southern District (Israel)

The Southern District (Hebrew: מחוז הדרום, Meḥoz HaDarom; Arabic: لواء الجنوب) is one of Israel's six administrative districts, the largest in terms of land area but the most sparsely populated. It covers most of the Negev desert, as well as the Arava valley. The population of the Southern District is 1,086,240 and its area is 14,185 km². Its population is 79.66% Jewish and 12.72% Arab (mostly Muslim), with 7.62% of other origins.

The district capital is Beersheba, while the largest city is Ashdod. Beersheba's dormitory towns of Omer, Meitar, and Lehavim are affluent on an Israel scale, while the development towns of Dimona, Sderot, Netivot, Ofakim, and Yeruham and the seven Bedouin cities are lower on the socio-economic scale.

Administrative local authorities

Some villages do not fall under the jurisdiction of a regional council. These include:

• Mahane Yatir
• Umm al-Hiran (unrecognised Bedouin village)

See also

• List of cities in Israel
• Arab localities in Israel
• Gaza Strip
• 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel

References

1. Districts of Israel
2. Southern District
3. Israel
4. Omer, Israel
5. Paran, Israel
6. List of military engagements during the Israel–Hamas war
7. Dimona
8. Be'eri
9. Order of battle of the Israel–Hamas war
10. Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)
11. Arad, Israel
12. Sufa, Israel
13. 2024 Kiryat Malakhi attack
14. Timeline of the Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)
15. Magen, Israel
16. Re'im
17. Nir Oz
18. Yated, Israel
19. Beersheba
20. Southern Lebanon