AsiaRamallah (PA administrative center); East Jerusalem (claimed)Updated Apr 2026
Palestine
Mahmoud Abbas has served as President of the State since 2005.
Wikimedia Commons image of Palestine.
What stands out
- 19 parties compete for just 2 tracked governing offices.
- Capital
- Ramallah (PA administrative center); East Jerusalem (claimed)
- Government
- Partial self-governance (Palestinian Authority, West Bank); Hamas de facto control (Gaza, contested)
- Population
- ~5.4 million (West Bank ~3.1M, Gaza ~2.3M)
- Legislature
- Palestinian Legislative Council (effectively inactive since 2007)
The Read
Palestine is a partial self-governance (palestinian authority, west bank); hamas de facto control (gaza, contested) in Asia. Run from Ramallah (PA administrative center); East Jerusalem (claimed), ~5.4 million (West Bank ~3.1M, Gaza ~2.3M) people.
The national legislature is the Palestinian Legislative Council (effectively inactive since 2007). The country's political landscape includes 19 political parties and 2 offices.
Current Leadership
President of the State of Palestine
Mahmoud AbbasIn office
Since 2005
Elected in January 2005 following Yasser Arafat's death. Presidential term officially expired January 2009; no elections have been held.
