# Lod

> city in Israel

**Wikidata**: [Q207540](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207540)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lod)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lod

## Summary

Lod (Hebrew: לוֹד, Arabic: اللدّ, also historically known as Lydda or Diospolis) is a city in Israel located in the Central District, approximately 31.95°N, 34.9°E, with a population of 75,700 as of 2018. The city covers an area of 12.226 square kilometers and sits at an elevation of about 65 meters above sea level, situated near the Ayalon River and Naẖal Gezer.

## Key Facts

- **Official Name**: Lod (לוֹד)
- **Alternative Names**: al-Ludd, Lydda, Diospolis, Georgiopolis
- **Coordinates**: 31.95°N, 34.9°E
- **Area**: 12.226 km²
- **Elevation**: 65 metres above sea level (also cited as 50m)
- **Population (2018)**: 75,700 (preferred value)
- **Postal Code**: 71100–71160
- **Telephone Country Code**: +972 (Israel)
- **UN/LOCODE**: ILLOD
- **Mayor**: Yair Revivo
- **Located in**: Central District, Israel
- **Bordering Localities**: Kfar Chabad, Nir Tzvi
- **Nearby Water Bodies**: Ayalon River, Naẖal Gezer
- **Official Website**: http://www.lod.muni.il
- **Israeli CBS Municipal ID**: 7000
- **Wikipedia Title**: Lod
- **Wikidata Description**: city in Israel
- **Instance Of**: city, depopulated Palestinian village

## FAQs

**What countries has Lod belonged to historically?**

Lod has been part of Judaea (70–135 CE), the Ottoman Empire, Mandatory Palestine (1922–1948), and since 1948, the State of Israel.

**What is Lod's relationship to other cities?**

Lod is twinned with Kraljevo (Serbia), Piatra Neamț (Romania), Samtredia (Georgia), and Gori (Georgia). It shares borders with Kfar Chabad and Nir Tzvi.

**What are Lod's official identifiers?**

Lod has the Israeli CBS municipal ID 7000, UN/LOCODE ILLOD, Geonames ID 294421, and is listed in numerous international databases including MusicBrainz, OpenStreetMap (relation ID 1381532), and OpenWeatherMap.

**What languages have Wikipedia articles about Lod?**

Wikipedia articles exist in approximately 60 languages including English, Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and many others.

**What is Lod's historical significance?**

Lod is an ancient city with historical significance dating back to biblical times. It was known as Lydda in Greek and Roman periods and Diospolis ("City of God"). The city has been mentioned in various historical sources including the Jewish Encyclopedia and Byzantine texts.

## Why It Matters

Lod serves as an important urban center in Israel's Central District, functioning as a regional hub for commerce, transportation, and culture. Its strategic location near major transportation routes and its historical significance as an ancient city make it notable in both contemporary Israeli society and historical scholarship. The city's population growth from approximately 18,250 in 1946 to over 75,700 by 2018 reflects its development and importance within the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Lod's diverse historical heritage, spanning Jewish, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern Israeli periods, provides archaeological and cultural interest. The city's twinning relationships with international cities demonstrate its diplomatic and cultural connections beyond Israel.

## Notable For

- Ancient historical roots dating to biblical and Roman periods
- Location near the Ayalon River, a significant biblical waterway
- Status as a city in Israel's Central District
- Substantial population growth over seven decades (1946–2018)
- Multiple international city twinning relationships
- Presence of historical sites and cultural institutions
- Official city status with municipal governance
- Multi-language Wikipedia presence (approximately 60 language editions)

## Body

### History and Historical Administration

Lod (also known as Lydda, al-Ludd, and Diospolis) is an ancient city with a rich historical background. The city has been part of several historical entities throughout its existence. During the period of Roman rule, it existed as part of Judaea from 70 to 135 CE. Subsequently, it came under Ottoman Empire control. Later, it became part of Mandatory Palestine from 1922 to 1948. Since 1948, Lod has been part of the State of Israel.

The city has been referenced in multiple historical encyclopedias and dictionaries, including the Russian translation of Lübker's Antiquity Lexicon, the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron, the Bible Encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nicephorus, and various editions of the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary. Additional historical references include Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (4th edition, 1885–1890) and the Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary.

### Geography and Location

Lod is situated at coordinates 31.95°N latitude and 34.9°E longitude in Israel's Central District. The city covers an area of 12.226 square kilometers with an elevation of approximately 65 meters above sea level (some sources cite 50 meters). Lod is located near the Ayalon River and Naẖal Gezer, two significant water bodies in the region. The city shares borders with Kfar Chabad and Nir Tzvi. The postal code range is 71100–71160.

### Population and Demographics

Lod has experienced significant population growth throughout its modern history. The population has been recorded as follows:

- 1946: 18,250 (census)
- 1949: 10,500
- 1950: 12,150
- 1955: 17,200
- 1960: 18,900
- 1965: 24,200
- 1970: 29,300
- 1975: 35,500
- 1980: 40,300
- 1985: 41,400
- 1990: 43,300
- 1995: 52,266
- 2000: 65,060
- 2005: 66,600
- 2010: 70,400
- 2015: 72,800
- 2018: 75,700 (preferred value)

### Governance and Administration

Lod operates as a city with municipal governance. The current head of government is Mayor Yair Revivo. The city has the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics municipal ID 7000. The official website is http://www.lod.muni.il. The telephone country code is +972 (Israel's international dialing code).

### International Relations

Lod maintains twinning relationships with four international cities: Kraljevo in Serbia, Piatra Neamț in Romania, Samtredia in Georgia, and Gori in Georgia. These sister city relationships reflect Lod's diplomatic and cultural connections with cities abroad.

### Identification Codes and Identifiers

Lod is identified by numerous international codes and identifiers:

- UN/LOCODE: ILLOD
- Geonames ID: 294421
- OpenStreetMap Relation ID: 1381532
- OpenWeatherMap City ID: 294421
- MusicBrainz Area ID: ce4235ef-aa17-4f36-9f60-7a7682703f05
- Freebase ID: /m/01vtg9
- VIAF ID: 239476084 (primary), 134931489 (secondary)
- GND ID: 4099733-9
- IDREF ID: 130428787
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n85104577
- Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID: 7001365
- Pleiades ID: 687953
- Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire ID: 21685

### Cultural and Educational Resources

The city has a category for notable people born there (Category:People from Lod) and a category for those who died there (Category:Deaths in Lod). The city has a commons category (Lod) for related media. Wikipedia articles exist in approximately 60 languages, demonstrating significant international documentation and interest.

### Additional Notable Properties

Lod has been referenced in various specialized encyclopedias including the Encyclopædia Britannica Online, Treccani's Enciclopedia Italiana (under "Lidda"), Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana, and the Orthodox Encyclopedia. The city has been catalogued in museum digital databases (Museum Digital Place ID: 33689, 33674) and is listed in the Archinform database with location ID 49002. The city appears in the "Yale Lux" database with identifier place/52a782df-4ed6-47fa-811d-541723e35aa6 and in the ToposText database with place ID 319348ULyd.

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