Israel truly is a unique place.
With it’s amazingly rich history, spectacular views and universally holy places, it also holds some surprising geography records.
What are the top Geography Records In Israel?
Get ready as we list The Israel Blog’s fantastic four geographically unique places, found only in Israel!
1. Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee (also known as Kinneret) is a freshwater lake in the northern area of Israel.
It is best known as the place where Jesus Christ walked on water, yet it holds another impressive record – it is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth!
At levels ranging between 215 meters (705 ft.) and 209 meters (686 ft.) below sea level, you simply cannot find freshwater any lower than here.
By the way, it is also the second lowest lake in the world. Do you want to know what the lowest lake is? Keep reading!
2. The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west.
While the Sea of Galilee is the second lowest lake in the world, the Dead Sea is THE lowest lake in the world.
But wait, there’s more..
Not only is it the lowest lake in the world, it is also the lowest place on the surface of the Earth!
Its surface and shores are 430.5 meters (1,412 ft.) below sea level, which means it is Earth’s lowest elevation on land. Without diving equipment, you can’t get any lower anywhere in the world.
It is one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water as well, up to 9.6 times as salty as the ocean.
This salinity makes swimming in the lake similar to floating, and it is so salty that plants and animals cannot flourish here. That is why it is called the Dead Sea.
3. Mount of Beatitudes
So far we have the lowest place on Earth and the lowest freshwater lake.
How about the lowest summit?
Meet Mount of Beatitudes. This is the place where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Located in the north of Israel, the mountain provides unparalleled panoramic views to the Sea of Galilee.
Despite it being a hill, Mount of Beatitudes actually has a negative altitude of around 25 meters below sea level (about negative 82 ft.).
Yet, it is about 200 meters (656 ft.) above the Sea of Galilee, which makes it one of the lowest summits in the world!
4. Ramon Crater – Makhtesh Ramon
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In the center of the Negev Desert, in southern Israel, a wonder awaits – Ramon Crater (or “Makhtesh Ramon” in Hebrew).
This crater is special since it is the world’s largest “erosion cirque”!
How did it form?
Well, hundreds of millions of years ago, the Negev desert was actually covered by an ocean. Over time, the ocean started to recede northwards. The receding water and climatic forces slowly flattened the surface, and as rivers were formed the crater began to be carved.
As the crater deepened, more layers of ancient rock were exposed, with rocks at the bottom of the crater being up to 200 million years old!
Today, the crater is over 350 meters (1150 ft.) deep, with the deepest point being Ein Saharonim (Saharonim Spring) – supplying the crater’s only natural water source.
So just how large is the largest erosion cirque?
Very large – 40 km (25 mi.) long, 2–10 km (1.2-6.2 mi.) wide and over 350 meters (1150 ft.) deep. For added wow factor, it is also shaped like an elongated heart.
There are many things to see and do in Ramon Crater, including the unique fauna of the area, a Visitors Center providing phenomenal views, a rocky wall containing ancient fossils of ammonites (marine creatures which lived millions of years ago in the sea that covered the entire Negev at that time) and much much more.
Summary
So there you have it The Israel Blog’s Top Geography Records In Israel. The lowest freshwater lake, the lowest lake and lowest place on the surface of the Earth, the lowest summit and the largest erosion cirque – Israel truly does break all the records!