As Israel turns 60 this week, here are a quick few economic stats on the State of Israel:

• Forecast GDP growth in 2008 recently cut to 3.2%. 2007 GDP was 5.3%.
• 7.2 million citizens, per capita income reached about $21,000 in 2007
• In a recent study the IVC Research Center eports that the capital available for investment in the hands of Israeli VCs is now at $2 billion, making conditions ripe for the number of investments we’ve seen in the past couple of weeks. In 2007, Israeli venture capital funds raised a total of $1.1 billion (including venture lending), 21% more than in 2006.
• The Central Bureau of Statistics announced last week that Israel’s unemployment fell to a seasonally adjusted 6.7% in Q4/07, compared with 7.2% in the preceding quarter and 7.8% in Q4/06. This is the lowest rate of unemployment in Israel since the early 1990s and the first time it has fallen below the 7% level
• Spending by foreign tourists in Israel totaled US$2.4 billion last year, 16.5% more than in 2006. (Central Bureau of Statistics)
• Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman Warren Buffett said on Saturday that the company’s acquisition last year of the Israeli firm Iscar has worked out better than expected. Buffett said that he had very high expectations when Berkshire struck the deal, and that the metal-cutting-tool maker has “exceeded that in every way.” “It’s been a dream acquisition,” he said.
• Israel has more companies traded on Nasdaq than any other country other than US. Here is a list of Israeli stocks traded in the U.S.

Zack Miller is Managing Editor of Israel Opportunity Investor, the only subscription newsletter focused on opportunities in Israeli stocks.
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