How did the population of Palestine change between 1920 and 1945?

1. A clear rise in total population: census anchors and official surveys

British-conducted enumerations provide the backbone for measuring change: the 1922 census recorded a total population of 757,182 (590,890 Muslims; 83,794 Jews; 73,024 Christians; 9,474 others) and the 1931 census reported about 1,035,154–1,035,821 people, showing a marked rise within a decade ^{[1] [2] [8]}. For the mid‑1940s, the Government’s Village Statistics (April 1, 1945) and the Survey of Palestine (compiled Dec 1945–Jan 1946) provide the most detailed demographic and land‑use snapshot used by British and international inquiries ^{[4] [9]}.

2. Why the rise happened: natural increase versus migration

Multiple British reports cited in later summaries concluded that the Arab population increase was “primarily due to natural increase,” a finding reflected in the Hope Simpson Enquiry, Passfield White Paper, Peel Commission and the Survey of Palestine ^[5]. Roberto Bachi, a later Israeli statistician, estimated net Arab migration into Palestine between 1922 and 1945 at only about 40,000–42,000 (excluding territorial adjustments) — a relatively small portion of the overall Arab increase recorded in that period ^[5].

3. Jewish population growth: large immigration component

Jewish population growth during 1920–1945 was driven to a large degree by immigration. Official records cited by Mandate‑era summaries report 367,845 Jews immigrated legally between 1920 and 1945, with an estimated additional 50–60,000 arriving illegally — numbers that explain the rapid rise of the Yishuv from roughly 11% in 1922 toward almost one‑third of the population by the 1940s ^{[3] [2]}. The British White Paper of 1939 and later debates reflect the political stress this immigration generated ^{[9] [3]}.

4. Regional and methodological complications that shape the numbers

Interpreting these figures requires attention to coverage and definitions: the 1922 census excluded Transjordan and omitted some northern villages temporarily under French control; nomadic Bedouin estimates were handled separately; and later Village Statistics adjusted for land and population categories ^{[1] [4]}. Different documents quote slightly different totals for 1931 (1,035,154 vs. 1,035,821) showing how source selection and minor methodological choices affect headline numbers ^{[2] [8]}.

5. Political context: why demography was contested

Demography became a central political issue: Palestinian Arabs pressed the British to limit Jewish immigration as the Yishuv grew, while Zionist organizations placed emphasis on immigration statistics and settlement growth. The 1939 White Paper attempted to cap future Jewish immigration — a policy response to demographic and political tensions ^{[9] [3]}. Different actors used the same population data to advance competing narratives about the “natural” character of Arab growth versus the role of immigration in Jewish growth ^{[5] [3]}.

6. What the mid‑1940s snapshot shows and what’s missing

The Village Statistics of 1945 and the Survey of Palestine are the principal mid‑1940s sources; they report population distribution by district and assert that natural increase accounted for most Arab growth prior to 1948 ^{[4] [7]}. However, the search results do not provide a single consolidated total for 1945 in the materials shown here — readers should consult the full Survey of Palestine / Village Statistics documents if they need exact 1945 totals ^{[4] [9]}.

Limitations and next steps: these findings rely on British Mandate censuses, the 1945 Village Statistics/Survey of Palestine and later summaries such as Roberto Bachi’s work; discrepancies between documents and variations in coverage (e.g., Transjordan, nomads, illegal immigration) mean precise year‑to‑year totals are sensitive to source choice ^{[1] [4] [5]}. For exact 1945 totals and district breakdowns, consult the Village Statistics (April 1, 1945) and the Survey of Palestine (Dec 1945–Jan 1946) as cited above ^{[4] [9]}.