Netanya is a city on the Mediterranean Sea in the Central District of Israel. It is north of Tel Aviv and south of Haifa. It is the largest city in the Sharon plain, the second-largest in the Central District, and the third-largest in Israel.
Netanya was founded in 1934 as a small agricultural settlement by immigrants from Poland. It was named for Nathan Straus, a U.S. Jewish businessman and philanthropist who donated money to the settlement. The city grew rapidly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. In 1952, its population was 5,000. The population reached 200,000 in 2002.
The city is known for its beaches and its proximity to Tel Aviv and Haifa. It is also known for its production of vegetables and fruits, the flower industry, and the high-tech industry.
