The Dead Sea is a saltwater lake in southwestern Asia. It is located 1,340 feet below sea level, which is why it is considered the lowest place on Earth. This lake is bordered by Jordan in the east and Israel to the west and makes up a portion of the Israeli-Jordanian border. The Dead Sea is an economic resource, a tourist destination, and a historical and religious site.
Description
The Dead Sea is 50 miles long and 11 miles wide. It is fed by the Jordan River in the north and small streams from the east. No fish or other creatures can live in this lake because of its salinity.
Geography
On its eastern side of the Dead Sea is the plateau of Mob, which rises to a height of 4,400 feet. On the western side is the plateau of Judea, which is about 2,200-feet high.
Religious Connections
The Dead Sea is translated from the Hebrew words "Yam ha Maved," which means "Killer Sea." The lake is thought to be connected to biblical history because many believe that Sodom and Gomorrah lies beneath its waters.
Dead Sea Scrolls
At the northwest portion of the Dead Sea, in caves near Khirbat Qumrān, 600 Hebrew and Aramaic scrolls were found. Within these texts were passages from the Old Testament and one of the oldest copies of the Book of Isaiah ever to be discovered.
Economic Use
The waters of the Dead Sea include sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride and magnesium bromide. Many of these substances, including salt, bromine and gypsum, can be extracted from the Dead Sea at low cost.
Swimming
A number of people go to the Dead Sea, which is not considered harmful to humans, to swim. Because the lake is so salty, people are able to float in it. Some believe that the Dead Sea's waters, mud and salts have healing properties, especially for people with psoriasis, eczema and rashes.
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