Costs of living in Israel is high, and for many their wages never manage to cover more than just the basic costs. Israel has a large portion of the population that lives under very modest conditions, often surviving only on aid from the government's side. Much of the growth in Israeli economy comes from a politics that has allowed high deficits on state budgets and foreign trade balance. Israel has the most diversified economy of the Middle East, and has a high level of modernization. Israeli economy has in the recent years experienced an upswing, much due to less need for transferring funds to the military.
Mining is an important activity for Israeli economy, of which much is extracted from the Dead Sea.
Petroleum extraction exists in Israel, but is very small scale. Citrus fruits and eggs are exported. Israel has large income from heavy tourism, as well as from donations from individuals and organizations around the world. Since Israeli economy still runs on heavy deficits, the country cannot be without this help, even if the recent governments have declared economic independence as of its main objectives.