Immigration to Israel increased 84 percent in 1989 over the previous year, according to official figures released Sunday.
About 24,000 immigrants and potential immigrants arrived last year, compared to 13,000 in 1988. Almost all of the increase was accounted for by the rise in emigration from the Soviet Union.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 18,900, or 74 percent, of last year’s arrivals were immigrants and 5,100, or 21 percent, were potential immigrants.
The Soviet Union accounted for 12,900, or 54 percent, of the new arrivals, up from 2,300 in 1988. East European countries apart from the Soviet Union provided 1,900 immigrants, compared to 1,700 in 1988.
Immigrants from Africa amounted to 1,900, up from 1,300 the previous year.
Europe provided 3,800 immigrants, compared to 3,700 in 1988.
The combined total from the Americas and Occania was 4,150, up from 3,950 the previous year.
The number of immigrants from Asia declined from 1,700 in 1988 to 1,200 in 1989.
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