Bethlehem Governorate

The Bethlehem Governorate (محافظة بيت لحم) is one of 16 Governorates of Palestine. It covers an area of the West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Its principal city and district capital is Bethlehem. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, its population was estimated to 199,463 in 2012.

Geography
According to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the governorate has a total area of around 660 km2. Due to the occupation by Israel, Palestinians can only use 13% of the area and much of that is fragmented as of May 2009.

Politics
Politically, the Bethlehem Governorate is something of a stronghold of the Palestinian left. At the 2006 Palestinian legislative election the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and The Alternative both had their best votes there. Its current governor is Muhammad Taha Hassan Abu Alia.

Localities


The governorate consists of 10 municipalities, 3 refugee camps, and 58 rural districts.

Municipalities

 * Battir
 * Beit Fajjar
 * Beit Jala
 * Beit Sahour
 * Bethlehem
 * al-Dawha
 * Husan
 * al-Khader
 * Nahalin
 * Tuqu'
 * al-Ubeidiya
 * Za'atara

Local and village councils

 * 'Arab al-Rashayida
 * Artas
 * al-Asakra
 * Beit Sakariya
 * Beit Ta'mir
 * Dar Salah
 * Hindaza
 * Jab'a


 * Juhdum
 * Jurat ash Sham'a
 * Marah Rabah
 * Rakhme
 * Umm Salamuna
 * ash Shawawra
 * Wadi al-Arayis
 * Wadi Fukin
 * al-Walaja

Refugee camps

 * Aida
 * 'Azza
 * Dheisheh