forms part of the border between Israel and Jordan. It is fed by the River Jordan, which enters at the north end, and by several small streams, but has no outlet to the sea, which is why it is known as the saltiest body of water in the world. With 26 to 35 percent of the water comprised of dissolved salts, the Dead Sea is almost six times saltier than the ocean, and twice as saline as the Great Salt Lake. It is also the lowest point on earth, with its shore being over 1,300 feet below sea level; at its deepest point, the bottom of the Dead Sea is over 2,300 feet below sea level. The Dead Sea is about 50 miles long and 10 miles wide, and covers an area of about 405 square miles.

The Dead Sea lies so far below sea level because it is located within the deepest fault in the earth's crust, the Great Rift, which extends from just north of the Dead Sea through the Red Sea and into east central Africa. Its location also explains its saltiness, as there is nowhere for incoming waters to go except into the air through evaporation. As water evaporates off the surface it leaves minerals behind. The waters of the Dead Sea are so filled with minerals that a person can actually float on the surface without even trying. In fact, the water is so dense that it is virtually impossible to swim in the Dead Sea. No fish or any other types of large animals live in the Dead Sea, but several species of bacteria and one species of algae have adapted to life in the mineral-rich waters.

The same minerals that make the Dead Sea so unique also make it a very valuable resource. Potash, common salt, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium bromide are just some of the important minerals extracted from the water and surrounding shores. The waters of the Dead Sea has been known since antiquity to have medicinal value, and modern doctors still prescribe a soak in the Dead Sea for patients suffering from a variety of skin ailments.

Questions or comments about this page?

This page was last updated on 08/14/2010.