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The land of milk and honey
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The Coast
The coastal plain runs
parallel to the Mediterranean
Sea and is composed of a sandy shoreline, bordered by stretches of fertile farmland
extending up to 25 miles (40 km.) inland. In the north, expanses of sandy beach are
occasionally punctuated by jagged chalk and sandstone cliffs which drop sheerly to the
sea.
The coastal plain is home to over half of Israel's nearly 5.8 million people and includes
major urban centers, deepwater harbors, most of the country's industry and a large part of
its agriculture and tourist facilities.
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The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea, the lowest point on
earth at about 1,300 feet (400 m.) below sea level, lies at the southern end of the Jordan
Valley. Its waters, with the highest level of salinity and density in the world, are rich
in potash, magnesium and bromine, as well as in table and industrial salts. The Dead Sea's
natural pace of recession has been accelerated in recent years due to a very high rate of
evaporation (5 feet-1.6 m. annually) and large-scale diversion projects undertaken by
Israel and Jordan for their water needs, causing a 75 percent reduction in the incoming
flow of water. As a result, the surface level of the Dead Sea has dropped some 35 feet
(10.6 m.) since 1960. A project to link the Dead Sea with the Mediterranean Sea by means
of a canal and pipe system, which may help restore the Dead Sea to its natural dimensions
and level, is under consideration. |
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The Climate
Israel's climate ranges from
temperate to tropical, with plenty of sunshine. Two distinct seasons predominate: a rainy
winter period from November to May; and a dry summer season which extends through the next
six months. Rainfall is relatively heavy in the north and center of the country, with much
less in the northern Negev and almost negligible amounts in the southern areas. Regional
conditions vary considerably, with humid summers and mild winters on the coast; dry
summers and moderately cold winters in the hill regions, hot dry summers and pleasant
winters in the Jordan Valley; and year-round semi-desert conditions in the Negev.
Weather extremes range from occasional winter snowfall at higher elevations to periodic
oppressively hot dry winds which send temperatures soaring, particularly in spring and
autumn. |
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