Palestine - Facts for Kids

Basic Information

Palestine is located in the Middle East, right next to the Mediterranean Sea where people can swim and play on beautiful beaches!

Palestine says its capital is East Jerusalem, but many government offices are in the city of Ramallah, where leaders work and make important decisions.

About 15 million Palestinian people live around the world, with many living in Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and other countries.

Palestine is bordered by Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and the beautiful blue Mediterranean Sea!

Palestinian people speak Arabic as their main language, which is written from right to left instead of left to right like English!

Palestinians use different kinds of money, including the Israeli shekel, Jordanian dinar, and US dollar, because they don’t have their own official currency yet!

Palestine has a government called the Palestinian Authority that helps make decisions for Palestinian communities!

The Palestinian flag has three horizontal stripes – black, white, and green – with a red triangle on the left side!

Palestine has a Mediterranean climate, which means warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters – perfect for growing olive trees!

The Palestine sunbird (a tiny nectar‑loving bird) is officially recognized as the national bird of the State of Palestine.

Geography & Nature

Palestine covers about 2,320–2,400 square miles in total, which is roughly about the same size as the U.S. state of Delaware!

The Jordan River runs between the West Bank (part of Palestine) and the country of Jordan.

The Dead Sea lies along the eastern part of the West Bank in Palestine and nearby countries. It is so salty that people can float on top of the water without trying!

The Dead Sea, located on Palestine's eastern border, is the lowest point on Earth’s land surface, sitting about 1,412 feet (430 m) below sea level!

Palestine has beautiful mountains called the West Bank highlands that are perfect for hiking and exploring!

The Mediterranean coastline of Palestine in the Gaza Strip is about 25 miles (40 km) long and has sandy beaches along the sea!

Palestine is home to thousands of plant species — around 2,700–3,000 different kinds of plants — and many of them are rare or found only in this part of the world!

Palestine is home to animals like wild boars and foxes, and long ago it also had leopards! Today leopards are very rare or nearly gone, but other wildlife still lives in the hills and valleys.

Palestine has ancient olive trees that are over 1,000 years old and still produce delicious olives today!

The Palestinian sunbird is a tiny, colorful bird that loves to drink nectar from flowers, just like a hummingbird, but it usually sits on a branch while it feeds!

Palestine has over 300 different types of birds that migrate through the region, making it a paradise for bird watchers!

The Judean Desert in Palestine has amazing rock formations and caves where ancient people used to live thousands of years ago!

Sea turtles like loggerhead and green turtles are found near the Gaza coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Wild cyclamen flowers bloom in Palestine's mountains during winter, creating beautiful carpets of pink and white flowers!

Palestine has natural springs where fresh, clean water bubbles up from underground, creating green oases in dry areas!

The Palestinian hills are terraced with stone walls that farmers built hundreds of years ago to grow crops on steep slopes!

Part of Palestine — the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea area — lies in a long rift called the Jordan Rift, which is connected to the bigger Rift system that stretches south into Africa.

Carob trees grow in Palestine and produce long, sweet pods that people and animals can enjoy!

In the hills and fields of Palestine, wild orchids bloom in spring — and some kinds are rare or uncommon, making this place a special spot for flower lovers to look for beautiful blooms!

The Palestinian countryside has ancient Roman aqueducts that once carried water to cities and are still visible today!

Culture & Traditions

Palestinians mark Eid al‑Fitr right after the month of Ramadan with joyful traditions like eating special sweets, wearing new clothes, and visiting family and friends.

Traditional Palestinian dresses called thobes are known for beautiful tatreez embroidery, and the colors and patterns often show the wearer’s village or region.

Palestinians love to dance the "dabke," where people hold hands in a line and step together to the beat of drums and flutes!

The oud is a traditional Middle Eastern musical instrument that is widely used in Palestinian music and other Arabic musical traditions.

Palestinian children play a traditional game called “seven stones,” where kids knock over a pile of stones with a ball and then work to rebuild the stack while dodging throws from the other team!

Tatreez is the traditional Palestinian embroidery known for intricate stitched patterns and bright colors that decorate clothes, especially dresses like the thobe.

Traditional Palestinian weddings are often celebrated over several days with many joyful traditions, music, dancing (like dabke), feasts, and big gatherings with family and the community.

The Palestinian keffiyeh is a traditional checkered scarf that people wear on their heads to protect from sun and wind!

Palestinian children receive money called "Eidiya" from relatives during Eid celebrations, which they use to buy toys and treats!

The traditional Palestinian Arghul is a double‑pipe wind instrument — one pipe plays the melody and the other makes a steady background note so together they create rich sound!

During Ramadan, Palestinian families wake up before sunrise to eat a special meal called "suhoor" before fasting begins!

Palestinian men traditionally wear a "qumbaz," which is a long robe that keeps them cool in hot weather!

Food & Daily Life

Hummus, a creamy dip made from chickpeas, is one of Palestine's most famous foods and is eaten with warm pita bread!

Palestinian families love to eat falafel, which are crispy balls made from ground chickpeas and herbs, often served in pita bread!

Kanafeh (also spelled knafeh or kunafah) is a famous and beloved Palestinian and Middle Eastern dessert made from shredded pastry (like tiny noodles) layered with cheese (often Nabulsi cheese in the Palestinian version) and soaked in sweet syrup after baking.

Palestinian children often eat za'atar for breakfast, which is a tasty mix of herbs and spices sprinkled on bread with olive oil!

Musakhan is Palestine's national dish – it's roasted chicken with onions, sumac spices, and olive oil served on flatbread!

In Palestinian and wider Arab families, teta (or sitti) is the Arabic word for grandmother and is lovingly used by children and adults alike.

Palestinian children love to play soccer in the streets and parks, and the sport is incredibly popular throughout Palestine!

Palestinians make a cool drink called tamr hindi from the sweet and sour tamarind fruit — it tastes tangy and refreshing, especially on hot days!