Tel Aviv-Yafo usually Tel Aviv, is the second-largest city in Israel, with an estimated population of 390,100. The city is situated on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline, with a land area of 51.8 square kilometres (20.0 sq mi). It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, home to 3.15 million people as of 2008. The city is governed by the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality, headed by Ron Huldai.

Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 on the outskirts of the ancient port city of Jaffa. The growth of Tel Aviv soon outpaced Jaffa, which was largely Arab at the time. Tel Aviv and Jaffa were merged into a single municipality in 1950, two years after the establishment of the State of Israel. Tel Aviv's White City, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, comprises the world's largest concentration of Modernist-style buildings.

Tel Aviv is a beta world city, Israel's economic hub and its wealthiest city, home to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and many corporate offices and research and development centers. Its beaches, bars, cafés, upscale shopping, great weather and cosmopolitan lifestyle have made it a popular tourist destination, and given way to its reputation as a "Mediterranean city that never sleeps." It is the country's cultural capital and a major performing arts and commerce center. Tel Aviv's urban area is the Middle East's second biggest city economy, and is ranked 42nd by Foreign Policy's 2008 Global Cities Index. It is also the most expensive city in the region, and 14th most expensive city in the world.

As a major Mediterranean center, Tel Aviv is a magnet for international tourism likened by some to Barcelona and Miami. It is described as a top international destination by Los Angeles Times and the New York Times. According to the Tel Aviv Municipality, it has 44 hotels with more than 5,800 rooms. Tel Aviv has been called "the city that never sleeps" due to its thriving nightlife and 24-hour culture.

Tel Aviv's largest public park is Hayarkon Park with other smaller parks such as Gan Meir and Dubnow Park located within the city center area. Seventeen percent of the city is covered in plants. Dizengoff Center was Israel's first mall. Tel Aviv has branches of some of the world's leading hotels, among them the Crowne Plaza, Sheraton, Dan, Isrotel and Hilton. It is home to many museums, architectural and cultural sites, with city tours available in different languages. Apart from bus tours, there are architectural tours and Segway tours and walking tours. The nightlife centers particularly around the beachfront area due to its many nightclubs and bars. In March 2009, NBA player Anthony Parker called Tel-Aviv the best basketball city in which to go out at night. The city has a wide variety of restaurants offering traditional Israeli dishes as well as international fare. More than 100 sushi restaurants, the third highest concentration in the world, do business in the city, and an Italian restaurant in Tel Aviv was called the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture.

As a major city in the region, Tel Aviv is the most accepting of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender-transsexuals and has a well-established LGBT community. The city hosts an annual pride parade, attracting thousands of goers, and early 2008 saw the city hosting Israel's first sex festival. In December 2008, Tel Aviv began putting together a team of gay and lesbian athletes for the 2009 World Outgames in Copenhagen. The event is planned to feature a "Tel Aviv-style beach experience" to celebrate the city's upcoming centennial.