A development town in the central Negev with a population of 34,000 in 2005. Founded in 1955, its name is derived from the book of Joshua in the Bible. It has become a center for textile and other manufacturing activities. Israel, with French technical assistance, established a uranium/heavy water nuclear reactor in Dimona in 1964.
Historical Dictionary of Israel. Bernard Reich David H. Goldberg. Edited by Jon Woronoff..