The Muslim Population in Palestine before Nakba (1948). British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 157. Chapter VI: Population:

CHAPTER VI.

The Moslem population.

15. It will he seen from tables 7 to 9 that the increase of the Moslem population has been general to all towns and sub-districts in which Moslems reside, both in the period 1922-31 and in the period 1931-44. Cases of decrease are few and insignificant. The increase has been larger in towns (35 per cent. in 1922-31 and 48 per cent. in Hl31-44) than in villages (25 per cent. in 1922-31 and 42 per cent. in 1931-44). The increase has been greatest in large towns (74 per cent. in 1922-31 and 49 per cent. in 1931-44).

Particular mention should be made of the increase of the Moslem population in the following towns : Haifa, which increased from 9,377 in 1922 to 35,940 in 1944; Jaffa, which increased from 20,621 in 1022 to 50,880 in In44; Gaza, which increased from 16,722 in 1922 to 33,160 in 1944, the increase being mainly concentrated in the second period, 1931 to 1944; Jerusalem, which increased from 13,413 in 1922 to 30,635 in Hl44. The increase of the two other considerable Moslem urban communities-that of Hebron and Nablus was much slower. These two towns, which were the third and fourth largest Moslem urban communities in 1922, are now respectively in the fifth and sixth place.

These figures indicate a movement of Moslems into the towns; nevertheless, the majority of the Moslem population still retains its predominantly agricultural character. It may be noted that 70 per cent. of the Moslem population lived in villages in 1944, as compared with 76 per cent. in 1922, while the proportion living in large towns has increased from 7 per cent. in 1922 to 12 per cent. in 1944.

16. The increase of the rural Moslem population has varied considerably as between the different sub-districts. In both periods the increase has been most marked in the sub-districts of the coastal plain where the increases have been as follows :-

Sub-district Percentage increase
1922.31 1931-44
Gaza. 42 52
Ramie 46 50
Jaffa 126 71
Tulkarm 29 44
Haifa 28 60 These increases compare with a general average increase for the whole Moslem rural population of 25 per cent. in 1922-31 and 42 per cent. in 1031-44. The increase of the rural Moslem population in the coastal plain may probably be explained by the more rapid

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