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Ramat Gan

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Ramat Gan is a city in the Tel Aviv district, Israel, which borders the cities of Tel Aviv, Giv'atayim, Bnei Brak, Kiryat Ono and Givat Shmuel. It houses Israel's national soccer stadium, Bar-Ilan University, an advanced medical center (Sheba Medical Center), and a national park. It is also the home of one of the world's major diamond exchanges, in which Israel's tallest building, the Moshe Aviv Tower, is located.

Ramat Gan was established in 1921 as a moshava, a communal settlement, with a focus on agriculture. After commercial and population expansion, it was declared a city in 1950. As of 2004, Ramat Gan had 127,400 residents, on an area of 12,000 dunams (12 km²). The population was growing at a rate of 0.7% per annum.

According the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, as of 2001, Ramat Gan's socioeconomic ranking stood at 8 out of 10 (high). 70.9% of twelfth grade students received a matriculation certificate in 2000. In that year, the average wages in Ramat Gan were 6,995 NIS.

In recent times, Ramat Gan has been the source of pilgrimage for foreign volunteers. Affectionately known as "The Gan" to its visitors, a 2007 survey announced Ramat Gan as the second most tranquil region in the gush-dan area, just 234 votes behind Ramat Hasharon

History

When Ramat Gan was established in 1921 on land purchased in 1918, it was known as a moshava, a socialist-style Zionist settlement. Before the name Ramat Gan was coined in 1923, the settlement was called Ir Ganim (Hebrew: עיר גנים, meaning Garden City).

As the years passed, Ramat Gan shifted from an agriculture-based economy to a more commercial and urban settlement. In 1926, the British Mandate of Palestine recognized Ramat Gan as a local council.

In 1950, Ramat Gan was recognized by the nascent State of Israel as a city. The city infrastructure grew steadily, as new structures such as Sheba Medical Center, the national stadium, Bar Ilan University, and the Diamond Exchange were developed.

True to its name, 25% of Ramat Gan is covered by public parkland. The city also includes Kfar haMaccabiah where the Maccabiah Games, the Jewish Olympics, are held every 4 years.

The Diamond Exchange compound

This area, in the northwest of the city, is home to a large concentration of skyscrapers, including Moshe Aviv Tower (City Gate), Israel's tallest at over 240 meters, the Diamond Exchange (a world leader in fancy-cut diamonds), a large Sheraton hotel, and many high-tech businesses. The area was formerly a nightly center of prostitution and unlawful gambling, but in 2006, following a new law, the police detained criminals related to prostitution and sex trafficking, and these activities disappeared.

In early 2008, construction began on the Elite Tower, set to rival the City Gate Tower in height, to be constructed on the site of the historic Elite Candy factory. As a tribute to the history of the site, the lower floors of the tower are planned to house a chocolate museum. . The tower is set to contain luxury apartments, with an average price tag of $1 million each.

Sister cities

Notable people born in Ramat Gan

Image gallery

See also

References

External links



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Last updated on Thursday March 13, 2008 at 12:37:47 PDT (GMT -0700)
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