 Haifa ( Hebrew : חֵיפָה Hefa , Hebrew pronunciation : [ ħeˈfa ] , colloquial Hebrew pronunciation : [ ˈχai ̯ fa ] Hayfa ; Arabic : حيفا Hayfa ) , the third @-@ largest city in the State of Israel , has a population of over 277 @,@ 082 . Another 300 @,@ 000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including Daliyat al @-@ Karmel , the Krayot , Nesher , Tirat Carmel , and some kibbutzim . Together these areas form a contiguous urban area , home to nearly 600 @,@ 000 residents , which makes up the inner core of the Haifa metropolitan area , the second- or third @-@ most populous metropolitan area in Israel . It is also home to the Bahá 'í World Centre , a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a destination for Baha 'i pilgrims . 
