When it comes to investments, Israel is not a much talked about commodity. However, there are some factors that need to be looked at which may surprise you when it comes to investing in Israel.First of all, did you know that Israel is the number one country in the world in the number of start-up companies? They have specialized in developing new technologies, many of which are used by Americans everyday. Things such as Windows NT and XP and AOL's Instant Messenger technology are just a couple of examples of products developed by Israel.

With the exception of Canada, Israel has the most foreign companies listed on NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange. Israel's workforce is a highly educated one, with the largest number of scientists and technicians per capita in the entire world. Intellectual property, trademarks, and patents are protected by the Israeli government, and the high inflation and unemployment levels are now a thing of the past. All of these things contribute to investors seeing Israel as a great investment opportunity, as it has been yielding great returns in a developed market.

Warren Buffet invested 4 billion dollars in Iscar, a cutting tools manufacturer, in 2006, and says he wants to invest in Israel even more in the future. Investments in Israel reached over 20 billion dollars in 2006 and is still growing. As of 2007 Israel had shown strong financial growth for the fifth year in a row.

Despite ongoing threats from it's Middle Eastern neighbors, the economy in Israel continues to grow at a rate of about 5 percent per year. Stock indexes have risen by around 380 percent since 2003. Their debt and currency rating was upgraded by Standard and Poor in 2007, siting the country for improving finances, steady fiscal and economic growth, and external accumulation of assets.

For investments in development and research, as well as venture capital, as a percentage of GDP, Israel is number one in the world. They also have, per capita, the highest amount of engineers in the world. One out of every eight Israeli's also hold some kind of advanced degree. This country also has the highest rate of the registration of patents per capita. All of this, along with the facts that Israel is a leader in agricultural, medical, and alternative energy technology, and software communications, has made Israel a prime candidate for investors. As we move into the future, it only seems logical that Israel will continue it's growth and become an even stronger commodity for investors. As the amount of investments continue to grow, the country should become even more renowned for their work, leading to more growth and more investors in the future.