Al-Bireh is located in the Ramallah district of the West Bank, situated approximately 1 kilometer east of Ramallah city. The town sits at an elevation of 884 meters above sea level. In 1922, the population numbered 1,479 residents. By 1945, the census recorded 2,920 inhabitants. Growth accelerated dramatically after mid-century: reaching 14,510 by 1961, 27,856 by 1997, and 45,975 by 2017.
Arab ownership comprised 22,406 dunums, while Jewish ownership held 0 dunums, with 606 dunums classified as public land, totaling 23,012 dunums. Land use patterns reflected an agricultural economy: irrigated and plantation areas covered 5,162 dunums, olive groves occupied 360 dunums, and cereal-planted lands extended 11,227 dunums.
Al-Bireh contains substantial historical layers spanning multiple periods. The town hosted a Crusader-era church, with archaeological excavations in 1987 uncovering ruins of this structure. The Al-Ein mosque, built during the Ayyubid period and dedicated to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab in the early thirteenth century, represents important Islamic heritage. A khan (traditional inn) from the Crusader period survives as evidence of the town's role in regional trade routes. A school in al-Bira operated around 1905, documenting educational institutions during the Ottoman period.
