The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is a landlocked salt lake.
It is within the Syrian African Rift, and at the center is the border between Israel and Jordan.
It is so named because its salt concentration is about 30% (almost 10 times more than in the Mediterranean).
The high salt concentration was formed because the lake is an Endorheic basin (the lake has no outflow to other rivers or oceans), and the hot and dry desert climate creates a high evaporation rate.
The Dead Sea is ranked 4th in the world for it's high level of salinity.
The annual rate of water level decline of the Dead Sea in the last decade is more than a meter a year.
The declining water level is causing significant changes:
- The lake's area has decreased by tens of percent.
- Sinkholes are created.
- Damage to infrastructure (roads and bridges).
- Beach erosion.
- Damage to nature reserves.
The Dead Sea is very important for industry and tourism.
What is the salt concentration in the Mediterranean?