Jerusalem is the capital and largest city of Israel in both population and area, with 732,100 residents in an area of 126 square kilometers (49 sq mi). Located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern tip of the Dead Sea, the city has a history that goes back as far as the 4th millennium BCE, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual center of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE. The city contains a number of significant ancient Christian sites and is considered the third-holiest city in Islam. Modern Jerusalem has grown up around the Old City, with its civic and cultural hub extending westward toward Israel’s urban center in Gush Dan. The Arab population resides in clusters i...more >>n the North, East and South.