Geographical Features

Israel may be divided into four geographical regions: three parallel strips running north to south and a large, mostly arid zone in the southern half.
 
Parallel to the Mediterranean Sea and composed of a sandy shoreline, bordered by stretches of fertile farmland is the coastal plain which extends up to 25 miles (40 km.) inland. More than half of Israel's 6.5 million people are concentrated on the coastal plain which includes major urban centers, deep-water harbors, most of the country's industry and a large part of its agriculture and tourist facilities.
Several mountain ranges running the length of the country include, the basalt landscapes of the Golan Heights in the northeast and  the hills of Galilee. The Galilee hills are largely composed of soft limestone and dolomite and ascend to heights ranging from 1,600 to 4,000 feet (500 to 1,200 m.) above sea level. The residents of Galilee and the Golan enjoy the natural beauty of the area which maintains its greenery throughout the year due to small perennial streams and relatively ample rainfall. They professionally engage in agriculture, tourism-related enterprises and light industry.

Separating the hills of Galilee from those of Samaria, is the Jezreel Valley, Israel's richest agricultural area, which is cultivated by many cooperative communities (kibbutzim and moshavim). Judea and Samaria are characterized by rolling hills and a mosaic of rocky hilltops and fertile valleys.  The natural landscape of the area is dotted with groves of age-old, silver-green olive trees on terraced hillsides, first developed by farmers in ancient times. The population is concentrated mainly in small urban centers and large villages.

In the south, comprising about half of Israel's land area, is the Negev. Sparsely inhabited, its population is supported by an agricultural and industrial economy. The natural stark beauty of the arid Negev is characterized by low sandstone hills and plains, abounding with canyons and wadis in which winter rains often produce flash floods. Further south, the region gives way to an area of bare craggy peaks, craters and rock-strewn plateaus, where the climate is drier and the mountains are higher. Displaying a broad range of colors and rock types are three erosive craters, the largest of which is about 5 miles (8 km.) across and 21 miles (35 km.) long, cut deeply into the earth's crust. Additional natural wonders are found at the tip of the Negev near Eilat on the Red Sea.   There, glowing in the sunlight, are colorful layers of sandstone and sharp pinnacles of gray and red granite broken by dry gorges and sheer cliffs.

Nestled between the hills of Galilee and the Golan Heights at 695 feet (212 m.) below sea level, 5 miles (8 km.) wide and 13 miles (21 km.) long, is Israel's largest lake Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). It serves as the country's main water reservoir and boasts along its shores many important historical and religious sites, as well as agricultural communities, fisheries and tourist facilities.
Along the country in the east are the Jordan Valley and the Arava, , They are part of the Syrian-African Rift and have extremely fertile northern stretches and a southern portion which is semi-arid. Agriculture, fishing, light industry and tourism constitute the area's main sources of income.

Fed by streams from Mount Hermon, The Jordan River runs through the fertile Hula Valley into Lake Kinneret and continues winding through the Jordan Valley before emptying into the Dead Sea. Flowing from north to south through the Rift, it descends over 2,300 feet (700 m.) in the course of its 186 mile (300 km.) route. The river is usually quite narrow and shallow, but swells during the winter rainy season,.

Beginning south of the Dead Sea and extending to the Gulf of Eilat, Israel's outlet to the Red Sea, is Israel's savannah region, the Arava. The adaptation of sophisticated farming techniques to climatic conditions, where the average annual rainfall is less than one inch (25 mm.) and summer temperatures soar to 104F (40 C), has made it possible to grow out-of-season fruit and vegetables, mainly for export. Lying at the southern tip of the Arava is the sub-tropical Gulf of Eilat, noted for its deep blue waters, coral reefs and exotic marine life.

About 1,300 feet (400 m.) below sea level and the lowest point on earth is the Dead Sea which lies at the southern end of the Jordan Valley. Its waters, rich in potash, magnesium and bromine, as well as in table and industrial salts have the highest level of salinity and density in the world. 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 the Dead Sea's natural pace of recession has been accelerated in recent years. As a result, the surface level of the Dead Sea has dropped some 35 feet (10.6 m.) since 1960. Different projects and ecological measures are under consideration in order to help restore the Dead Sea to its natural dimensions and level. One such project is a link between the Dead Sea with the Mediterranean Sea by means of a canal and pipe system.

Climate

Known as a country with plenty of sunshine, Israel's climate ranges from temperate to tropical. 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. 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. 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.

Water

The country's water sources consist of the Jordan River, Lake Kinneret and a few small river systems. The lack of abundant sources of fresh water and its location on the edge of a desert belt, both contribute to Israel’s continued scarcity of water. Archeological discoveries in the Negev and other parts of the country reveal that this is not a new development. A variety of systems, designed both to collect and store rainwater and transfer it from one place to another were among archeological finds, showing that local inhabitants, thousands of years ago, were already concerned with water conservation.

The total annual renewable water resources amount to some 60 billion cubic feet (1.7 billion cu.m.), of which about 65 percent is used for irrigation and the balance for urban and industrial purposes. Natural springs and underground water tables, tapped in controlled quantities to prevent depletion and salination, are also utilized.

As maximum use has been made of all freshwater sources, ways are being developed to exploit marginal water resources through the recycling of waste water, cloud-seeding and desalination of brackish water.

To overcome regional imbalances in water availability, most of Israel's freshwater sources are joined in an integrated grid. Its central artery, the National Water Carrier, completed in 1964, brings water from the north and central regions, through a network of giant pipes, aqueducts, open canals, reservoirs, tunnels, dams and pumping stations, to the semi-arid south.