About Dead Sea

The Dead Sea, also called the Salt Sea, is a landlocked lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel to the west. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and its main tributary is the Jordan River. It is 430m below sea level, earth’s lowest elevation on land. It is 50km long and 15km wide at its widest point.

Dead Sea’s Extreme Saltiness

The inflow of fresh water has no way to get out of the lake and so is forced to evaporate rapidly in the hot desert climate. This leads to salt and other minerals becoming more and more concentrated. The Dead Sea is almost ten times as salty as the ocean.  This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot survive, hence its name. The extreme saltiness of the water makes it denser than our bodies, allowing people to easily float in the Dead Sea.

Dead Sea’s Natural Spa

The Dead Sea is known for its healing properties. It is a popular destination for treating skin problems such as psoriasis and arthritis. The healing waters have been sought after even since biblical times. Herod the Great built one of the world’s first health spas along its shores. According to legend, Cleopatra also loved the Dead Sea and used its products as part of her beauty regime.