The Dead Sea is a mysterious and interesting creation of nature. It is called so, perhaps because for a long time he was considered completely lifeless. Nevertheless, despite the slightly frightening name, this pond has a healing effect. A description of the Dead Sea by geography will be given below, a brief description will be made of its main features. It will also consider environmental issues, the healing properties of the lake and what it attracts tourists.
Brief Description of the Dead Sea
This sea is actually a lake, since it has no access to the ocean. Nevertheless, apparently, traditionally it is indicated on the maps as the sea. The description of the Dead Sea, according to the plan, in any case, you need to start with its geographical location. The lake is located in the Middle East in the border region between Jordan, Israel and Palestine. Located in the very depths of the Jordan Basin.
One of the most saline lakes in the world is the Dead Sea. The description cannot be continued without mentioning this main feature of it - a high content of sodium chloride dissolved in water. The salinity of lake water is about three hundred ppm (for example, in the Mediterranean Sea this figure is about 40). Due to the increased salt content, the reservoir is practically lifeless; only a few dozen species of simple organisms (fungi, bacteria) survive in its water.
The lowest on the planet is the Dead Sea. Its description is impossible without mentioning the relative height - minus 0.43 km above sea level. The coast and surroundings of the lake are located in a deep hollow.
The size of the lake is relatively large - 67 x 18 kilometers with a maximum depth of 0.306 km. The lack of natural runoff and, as a result, the huge mineralization lead to increased water density - it is simply impossible to drown in the lake! This completes the description of the Dead Sea in geography and proceeds to anthropogenic impact on it.
Ecological problems of the lake
As a result of human activity, the Dead Sea is endangered. Description of environmental problems and the fight against them are impossible without taking into account some features of the lake. The Dead Sea feeds on the Jordan, as well as several small streams. Despite the fact that it does not have drains, the lake is rapidly becoming shallow (at present, the drop in water level is about 1 meter per year). The reason for this is that over the past forty years, the influx of water into the lake has decreased by more than ten times. This is due to the increasing anthropogenic pressure on the Jordan, whose waters are intensively used both in agriculture and for industrial purposes.
Another serious ecological problem of the lake is the active extraction of minerals in the area of the reservoir. In the seventies of the last century, due to shallowing, the sea turned out to be divided into two unequal parts - northern and southern. Factories are actively working in the southern part, a whole system of pools for the evaporation of salts has been built. All this greatly disrupts the natural circulation of lake waters and can lead to environmental disaster. Over the past decades, pollution of the lake with sewage and household waste has increased significantly.
Dead Sea Rescue Projects
As a result of the fall in sea level and the active extraction of artesian waters, dips appear in the vicinity of the Dead Sea, the depth of which reaches 25 meters. Currently, there are already more than 1.2 thousand failures, during the formation of which 3 people died.
Currently, the governments of Israel and Jordan are discussing projects to save the dying Dead Sea by transferring water from the Red or Mediterranean. Due to the enormous cost, the projects under discussion have not yet entered the phase of practical implementation.
Tourism Object
One of the most visited tourist destinations in Israel and Jordan is the Dead Sea. Its description is attractive for those who want to relax in nature. This is a special microclimate, and the healing properties of highly mineralized waters and mud of a reservoir. As the area abounds with salt hills, there are currently only ten public beaches around the pond. Lake hotels annually host numerous tourists from the CIS, Europe and the New World.
The climatic conditions around the lake are very mild, because it is located in a natural depression (the lowest place on Earth), rising water vapor and salt dust soften the effects of solar radiation, which allows sunbathing for a long time without burning, and the presence of a huge pond nearby reduces temperature fluctuations .
Lake water, as noted above, is one of the densest on the planet (in order to achieve such a concentration of salt, for example in a bath, it is necessary to dissolve from 30 to 50 kilograms of salt in it!). This allows vacationers to freely and relaxedly lie on the water; even people who are completely unable to swim can feel calm on its surface.
The healing properties of the lake
Lake water has a pronounced cosmetic effect. Staying in it improves metabolic processes in the skin. In addition to the high content of chlorides and bromides, a large amount of sulfur compounds enters the lake from bottom thermal springs, which increases its cosmetic value. Dead Sea healing mud rich in various trace elements has even more beneficial properties.
On the seashore there are numerous sanatoriums in which therapeutic and preventive measures are taken for diseases of the respiratory system, infertility, skin diseases, disorders of the nervous system and metabolism.
sights
In addition to the lake itself, there are several natural and religious attractions in the vicinity, the most famous of which are the Mujib Nature Reserve, which has more than a hundred species of birds and more than 400 species of plants, as well as Lot's cave, a biblical character hiding in it after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah .