West Bank Map Explained: Location and Key Facts

The West Bank is a landlocked territory in the Middle East, west of the Jordan River and east of Israel, that has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967. Its map is a dynamic document reflecting a complex patchwork of Israeli-controlled areas, Palestinian Authority-governed enclaves, and a separation barrier that has reshaped the region’s geography. This guide explains the map’s key features, the political divisions it represents, and the historical context behind its boundaries.

Last updated: July 2026 — Updated to reflect 2025-2026 settlement expansion data and the current status of Area A/B/C governance.

What Is the West Bank Map?

The West Bank map is a political and geographic representation of a territory that is not a sovereign state but is divided into three administrative zones under the 1995 Oslo II Accord: Area A (full Palestinian civil and security control), Area B (Palestinian civil control, Israeli security control), and Area C (full Israeli control). According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA, 2025), Area C comprises approximately 60% of the West Bank and contains all Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. The map also shows the West Bank barrier, a separation wall and fence system that the International Court of Justice (ICJ, 2004) ruled violates international law. The map is not static; it evolves with settlement expansion, land confiscations, and the construction of bypass roads for settlers.

What Are the Key Features of the West Bank Map?

The West Bank map contains several critical features that define its political and physical geography. The first is the Green Line, the 1949 Armistice Line that served as Israel’s de facto border until 1967 and remains the internationally recognized boundary of the West Bank. The second is the separation barrier, which the Israeli government began constructing in 2002 and which, according to B’Tselem (2025), deviates from the Green Line by up to 22 kilometers in some areas to incorporate Israeli settlements. The third feature is the settlement blocs, such as Ma’ale Adumim, Ariel, and Gush Etzion, which are connected by a network of bypass roads that are off-limits to Palestinians. The fourth feature is the Jordan Valley, which constitutes about 30% of the West Bank and is entirely under Israeli military control (Area C), as documented by the World Bank (2024). The fifth feature is the Dead Sea coastline, a 40-kilometer stretch that is a major tourist and economic zone but is also fully controlled by Israel.

How Is the West Bank Divided Into Areas A, B, and C?

The Oslo II Accord (1995) divided the West Bank into three administrative zones, which are the most important feature of any modern West Bank map. Area A, comprising about 18% of the territory, is under full Palestinian Authority (PA) control and includes major cities like Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, and Jericho. Area B, about 22% of the territory, has Palestinian civil control but Israeli security control, covering most Palestinian villages and rural areas. Area C, about 60% of the territory, is under full Israeli military and civil control, containing all Israeli settlements, the Jordan Valley, and most main roads. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD, 2025), Area C contains 70% of the West Bank’s agricultural land and 80% of its water resources, yet Palestinians require Israeli permits for almost any construction or development there. This division creates a fragmented map where Palestinian areas are non-contiguous enclaves surrounded by Israeli-controlled territory.

West Bank vs. Gaza Strip: A Comparison

The West Bank and Gaza Strip are both Palestinian territories, but their maps and governance structures are fundamentally different. The table below compares their key characteristics.

Feature	West Bank	Gaza Strip
Area	5,655 sq km (landlocked)	365 sq km (coastal)
Population (2025)	3.2 million (Palestinian) + 500,000 settlers	2.3 million
Governance	PA in Areas A/B; Israeli military in Area C	Hamas (since 2007)
Border Control	Israeli checkpoints, barrier, and permit system	Israeli and Egyptian blockade
Settlements	150+ settlements (illegal under international law)	None (disengaged in 2005)
Key Cities	Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus	Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah
Water Access	80% of water resources in Area C (Israeli-controlled)	97% of water unfit for drinking (UNICEF, 2025)
Economic Output	$18 billion GDP (2024, World Bank)	$2.5 billion GDP (2024, World Bank)

The West Bank is larger and more economically developed, but its map is fragmented by settlements and the barrier. Gaza is smaller, densely populated, and under a blockade that the United Nations (2025) describes as a form of collective punishment. Both territories are considered occupied under international law, but their political realities are distinct.

What Are the Main Cities in the West Bank?

The West Bank map features several major Palestinian cities, each with distinct political and religious significance. Ramallah, the de facto capital of the Palestinian Authority, is the administrative and economic hub, housing the PA headquarters and most international diplomatic missions. Bethlehem, located 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem, is a major Christian pilgrimage site and is in Area A. Hebron, the largest city by population, is divided into H1 (PA control) and H2 (Israeli military control), with approximately 800 Israeli settlers living in the old city under heavy military protection, as documented by the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem (2025). Nablus, a commercial center in the northern West Bank, is known for its old city and soap industry. Jericho, the lowest city on Earth at 258 meters below sea level, is a tourist destination and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities. East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1980 in a move not recognized by the international community, is considered part of the West Bank under international law but is governed separately by Israeli law.

What Is the Status of Israeli Settlements in the West Bank?

Israeli settlements are civilian communities built in the West Bank since 1967, and they are a defining feature of the West Bank map. According to Peace Now (2025), there are over 150 settlements and approximately 140 outposts (unauthorized settlements) housing more than 500,000 Israeli settlers. The International Court of Justice (ICJ, 2004) and the International Criminal Court (ICC, 2025) have both ruled that settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its civilian population into occupied territory. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) reaffirmed that settlements have “no legal validity” and constitute a “flagrant violation” of international law. The settlements are concentrated in blocs near the Green Line, such as Ma’ale Adumim (east of Jerusalem) and Ariel (in the northern West Bank), and they are connected by a network of bypass roads that are off-limits to Palestinians. The expansion of settlements has accelerated under the current Israeli government, with Peace Now reporting a 35% increase in settlement construction starts in 2025 compared to 2024.

How Does the West Bank Barrier Affect the Map?

The West Bank barrier, also known as the separation wall or fence, is a 708-kilometer structure that the Israeli government began building in 2002. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA, 2025), approximately 85% of the barrier runs inside the West Bank rather than along the Green Line, effectively annexing 9.5% of the territory to Israel. The barrier creates enclaves and closed zones that separate Palestinian communities from their agricultural land, water sources, and access to East Jerusalem. The International Court of Justice (ICJ, 2004) issued an advisory opinion stating that the barrier violates international law and called for its dismantlement, but construction has continued. The barrier’s route has been modified multiple times due to legal challenges in the Israeli Supreme Court, which has ordered rerouting in some cases where the humanitarian impact was deemed disproportionate. The barrier is a major feature on any West Bank map, as it physically reshapes the territory’s boundaries and restricts Palestinian movement.

What Are the Water Resources and Natural Features of the West Bank?

The West Bank map includes significant water resources that are a key factor in the conflict. The Mountain Aquifer, which lies beneath the West Bank, provides about 25% of Israel’s water supply but is largely controlled by Israel under the Oslo Accords. According to the World Bank (2024), Palestinians have access to only 20% of the water from the Mountain Aquifer, while Israeli settlers use the remaining 80%. The Jordan River forms the eastern border of the West Bank, but its flow has been severely reduced due to Israeli diversion and upstream Syrian use. The Dead Sea, at the southeastern edge of the West Bank, is a hypersaline lake that is shrinking by about 1 meter per year, according to the Dead Sea Research Institute (2025). The terrain of the West Bank is mostly mountainous, with the highest point being Mount Nabi Yunis at 1,020 meters above sea level. The region has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, and it contains several nature reserves that are under Israeli control.

How Has the West Bank Map Changed Over Time?

The West Bank map has undergone significant changes since 1967. After the Six-Day War, Israel occupied the territory and began establishing settlements, initially in the Jordan Valley and later in the central highlands. The Oslo Accords (1993-1995) created the Area A/B/C division, which remains the official administrative map. The Second Intifada (2000-2005) led to the construction of the separation barrier and the reoccupation of Area A cities by the Israeli military. The 2020s saw accelerated settlement expansion, with the Israeli government approving thousands of new housing units in settlements each year. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (2025), the settler population in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) grew from 400,000 in 2020 to over 500,000 in 2025. The most recent change is the 2026 approval of the E1 corridor settlement, which would connect Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem and effectively split the West Bank into northern and southern halves, making a contiguous Palestinian state geographically impossible.

What Are the Legal and Political Implications of the West Bank Map?

The West Bank map is not just a geographic document; it is a legal and political instrument. Under international law, the West Bank is considered occupied territory, and the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the occupying power from altering the territory’s legal status or transferring its population into it. The International Criminal Court (ICC) opened an investigation into Israeli settlement activity in 2021, and in 2025, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan stated that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that settlements constitute a war crime. The United Nations Security Council has passed multiple resolutions affirming the illegality of settlements and the need for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. However, the United States has historically vetoed resolutions critical of Israel, and the current U.S. administration (2026) has not taken a public position on the E1 corridor approval. The Palestinian Authority has pursued statehood recognition at the United Nations, but the West Bank’s fragmented map makes a viable Palestinian state increasingly difficult to achieve.

What Are the Key Data Points on the West Bank?

The table below summarizes key statistics about the West Bank, with named source attributions.

Metric	Value	Source
Total area	5,655 sq km	United Nations (2025)
Palestinian population (2025)	3.2 million	Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (2025)
Israeli settler population (2025)	500,000+	Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (2025)
Number of settlements	150+	Peace Now (2025)
Number of outposts	140+	Peace Now (2025)
Area C as % of total	60%	OCHA (2025)
Barrier length	708 km	OCHA (2025)
Barrier inside West Bank	85%	OCHA (2025)
Palestinian unemployment rate (2024)	25%	World Bank (2024)
GDP per capita (2024)	$5,600	World Bank (2024)

What Are the Most Common Misconceptions About the West Bank Map?

A common misconception is that the West Bank is a single, contiguous territory under Palestinian control. In reality, the map is a patchwork of fragmented enclaves, with Palestinian areas surrounded by Israeli-controlled territory, settlements, and bypass roads. Another misconception is that the separation barrier follows the Green Line; in fact, 85% of it runs inside the West Bank. A third misconception is that the West Bank and Gaza Strip are governed as a single entity; they are politically and geographically separate, with Hamas controlling Gaza and the Palestinian Authority governing parts of the West Bank. A fourth misconception is that the West Bank is not occupied because Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005; however, the International Court of Justice (2004) and the United Nations (2025) continue to classify the West Bank as occupied territory. Finally, some believe that the Oslo Accords created a permanent solution, but the Accords were intended as an interim arrangement that has not been superseded by a final status agreement.