Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray in a synagogue in the town of Uman before the start of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 16, 2012. Photo: Yaakov Naumi/Flash90.

i24 News – The world’s Jewish population reached 15.7 million over the past year, according to figures published by the Jewish Agency on the eve of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.

The number represents an increase of 100,000 over the previous year. With 7.2 million Jews, Israel accounts for 46 percent of the world’s Jewish population, the same percentage as last year. Diaspora communities number 8.5 million.

After Israel, the United States is home to the second-largest Jewish population, with around 6.3 million. It is followed by France (440,000), Canada (398,000), the UK (312,000), Argentina (171,000), Russia (132,000), Germany (125,000), Australia (117,200) and Brazil (90,000).

These statistics are based on estimates by Professor Sergio Della Pergola of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

According to the Jewish Agency, some 27,000 Jews live in Muslim-majority countries, including 14,200 in Turkey, 9,100 in Iran, 2,100 in Morocco, 1,000 in Tunisia and 500 in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, 80 countries worldwide have a Jewish population of between 100 and 10,000.

The figures are based on self-identification as a Jew, not as a member of another religion.

If we also include those eligible for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return, which requires at least one Jewish grandparent, the number of Jews worldwide would reach 25.5 million, according to the Jewish Agency.