The Yehi'am Natural Region is a natural region in the Acre Subdistrict, in the Northern District of Israel. Ma'alot-Tarshiha is the largest city in the natural region.

Geography

The natural region consists of a mountainous area in the Upper Galilee, north of Karmiel and south of Israel's border with Lebanon. It has an area of 237 km2.https://www.cbs.gov.il/en/CBSNewBrand/Pages/community.aspx?semel=243&mode=EzorTivi The population is highly decentralized - Ma'alot-Tarshiha is the largest town, but contains less than 25 percent of the natural region's population. Other large towns in the natural region are Yarka, Bayt Jann, Kisra-Sumei, Kfar Vradim, and Mi'ilya. Its namesake, the small kibbutz of Yehi'am, has fewer than 1,000 inhabitants.

Demographics Yehi'am is one of only three natural regions in Israel where the majority of inhabitants are Druze, and the only one outside the Golan Heights. Several large Druze towns are located here, such as Yarka, Bayt Jann, and Kisra-Sumei. Mi'ilya is a Christian town, while Sheikh Danun is a Muslim town. Ma'alot-Tarshiha is a mixed city of both Jews and Arabs, while its neighbor Kfar Vradim is Jewish.

Administrative local authorities Cities Local Councils Villages Ma'alot-Tarshiha Beit Jann Julis Kfar Vradim Kisra-Sumei Mi'ilya Peki'in Yanuh-Jat Yarka Ma'ale Yosef: Ein Ya'akov Gita Hosen Lapidot Manot Me'ona Mitzpe Hila Neve Ziv Peki'in HaHadasha Tzuriel Matte Asher: Ga'aton Klil Sheikh Dannun Yehi'am Misgav: Har Halutz Harashim Kishorit Lavon Pelekh Tal El Tuval

Voting Patterns In the 2022 election, 57 percent voted for the parties of the center-left coalition led by Yair Lapid, while 27 percent voted for the parties of the right-wing coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu and 16 percent of voters in the natural region voted for the Arab parties.

References