Bethlehem is a city in the West Bank of the State of Palestine, located about ten kilometres south of Jerusalem. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate, and as of 2017 had a population of 28,591 people. The city's economy is largely tourist-driven; international tourism peaks around and during Christmas, when Christians embark on a pilgrimage to the Church of the Nativity, revered as the location of the Nativity of Jesus. Aspects of life in and around Bethlehem are effected by the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
Country: Palestine
Founded: 1400 BCE (est.)
Governorate: Bethlehem
Demonym: Bethlehemi
Etymology: House of Meat (Arabic); House of Bread (Hebrew, Aramaic)