Geography of Israel

Israel is a small country in the Middle East about the size of the state of New Jersey.

The country has a diverse climate with snowy mountains in the north and the hot desert in the south.

Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority all border Israel to the east. Lebanon serves as the northern border and Egypt borders in the south.

More than half of the population lives on the narrow coastal plain near the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

The Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan is the lowest point on the Earth's surface at 1,365 feet (416 meters) below sea level. The water is so salty and rich in mineral deposits that no plants and animals can survive there. The water is warm year round.

In the north, Galilee is known to have the most fertile farmland in the country.

In the south and east land is hot and dry In the south and east land is hot and dry. The Negev Desert in southern Israel receives only 1 inch (32 mm) of rain a year

Fun Facts about Israel Israel is only 1/6 of 1% of the landmass of the Middle East. Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees. With more than 3,000 high-tech companies and start-ups, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies in the world (apart from the Silicon Valley). Israel has one of the the highest percentages in the world of home computers per capita. Israel has the fourth largest air force in the world (after the U.S, Russia and China), including an aerial arsenal of over 250 F-16’s