Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (L) and his wife Laureen (2nd L), and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and his wife Sara (2nd R), look at pictures of Jews killed in the Holocaust during a visit to the Hall of Names at Yad Va
IN PHOTO: Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (L) and his wife Laureen (2nd L), and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and his wife Sara (2nd R), look at pictures of Jews killed in the Holocaust during a visit to the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem's Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem January 21, 2014. REUTERS/Gali Tibbon/Pool Reuters/Gali Tibbon

Jewish population in the world has stabilised to pre-Holocaust numbers. The latest population figures of Jews are at 14.2 million worldwide, and nearing the pre-World War II global Jewish population of 16.6 million. The claim has been made in a report by Jerusalem-based think tank Jewish People Policy Institute. It said there are 14.2 million Jews worldwide as of eraly 2015 and if all the various “subgroups” such as immigrants to Israel and American “partial Jews” are added, then the total number will be 16 million, closer to the pre-World War II global Jewish population of 16.6 million.

The Jews are spread worldwide. Israel is home to 6,103,200 Jews, followed by the United States at 5,700,000. The JPPI report said in the last decade of 2005-2015, there was eight percent growth in the Jewish population, which was the biggest since the end of World War II.

Following is the list of countries and regions with the highest Jewish populations.

· Israel– 6,103,200

· United States– 5,700,000

· France– 475,000

· Canada- 385,300

· Latin America– 383,500

· Britain– 290,000

· Russia– 186,000

· Germany– 118,000

· Australia– 112,500

· Africa– 74,700

· South Africa– 70,000

· Ukraine– 63,000

· Hungary– 47,900

· Iran– 20,000

· Asia– 19,700

· Romania– 9,400

· New Zealand– 7,600

· Morocco– 2,400

US Jews

Meanwhile, a survey said American Jews are likely to support a nuclear deal with Iran, more than the general American population. This is despite Israel’s resistance to the deal. According to a poll by leftist Jews organization, J Street, 59 percent of Jewish respondents support a deal with the Islamic Republic, vs. 53 percent of the general population. Around 78 percent of Jews support a deal that involves intensive inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities and capping its uranium enrichment below the level for a nuclear weapon.

Overall, 66 percent of American Jews watch the Iran deal's progress, but only 6 percent sees it as an important issue. J-Street also found the approval of President Barack Obama's presidency among American Jews higher than the general population. There is 56 percent appreciating Mr Obama vs. the 45 percent of the general population. About 72 percent is supporting a two-state solution to resolve tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs.

(For feedback/comments, contact the writer at k.kumar@ibtimes.com.au)

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