The Dead Sea is a 400-square-mile body of water that is found in the Middle East, bordered by Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank. It is called the Dead Sea because no major life form can live in it.
The Dead Sea is over 1,300 feet below sea level, which makes it the lowest point on earth. It has the saltiest water - six times saltier than the oceans - and the highest concentration of minerals of any body of water in the world. Although several rivers and streams flow into it, nothing drains out of it because of its low elevation. Water can only escape through evaporation, which occurs daily in the hot Middle Eastern climate. When water evaporates, it leaves behind salt and minerals, and this makes the remaining water very dense.
The Dead Sea is so dense that people can float on it without any effort. The area is the largest natural spa in the world, and people travel great distances to relax in its warm waters and experience cosmetic mud baths and mineral treatments.
The area is also a center of health research. The minerals found in the Dead Sea have beneficial health effects, such as improving circulation and relieving the pain of rheumatism. The reduced number of allergens, the healing qualities of the sun, and the higher atmospheric pressure found at such a low elevation are some of the other reasons why research is done here.
The modern-day water demands of the countries that surround the Dead Sea are having a negative effect on it. Its level continues to drop as these countries take water from the rivers that flow into it. The area it covers is getting smaller quickly and the situation is becoming serious. One proposed solution is to pump water from the nearby Red Sea into it to maintain its level.
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