Israel

Although the State of Israel is the only Jewish nation in the modern era, the region within its borders has a long and rich history dating back to pre-biblical times. Before falling under the control of the fledgling Islamic caliphate in the 7th century AD, the area was part of the Roman Empire and later the Byzantine Empire. Though fought over during the Crusader period, the land then commonly known as Palestine remained under the control of successive Muslim dynasties until the fall of the Ottomans at the end of the First World War, at which point the area came under British mandate from the League of Nations. In the second quarter of the twentieth century, with the rise of Nazi Germany's persecution of Jews worldwide and the ensuing genocide, the desire for a Jewish homeland became a driving force for immigration. This massive influx of Jewish immigrants to the region, however, created tensions with the indigenous Palestinian Arabs, and violence between the two groups flared, leading to the United Nations plan for the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab sectors and the subsequent declaration of Israel's statehood on May 14, 1948. The country's natural vegetation is diverse, with more than 2,800 plant species identified, and wildlife is also abundant. Among the mammals are wildcats, wild boars, gazelles, ibexes, jackals, hyenas, hares, coneys, badgers, and tiger weasels. Noteworthy reptiles include geckos, lizards and vipers. The region is home to more than 400 species of birds, such as the partridge, Tropical Cuckoo, bustard, Sand Grouse and Desert Lark.