Geography

A tiny country, the size of New Jersey with such diversity – desert in the south and skiing in the north.

The Negev Desert by Flickr user Or Hiltch

Israel is located in South Western Asia, at the Eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. A tiny country, similar in size to New Jersey, it is incredibly diverse and is divided into four or five regions.

The long Mediterranean Coastal Plain stretches 190 km and houses 70% of the country’s population in some of Israel’s largest cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa as well as agricultural and more rural settlements. Beaches stretch almost the entire stretch of the beautiful plain, which boasts magnificent ancient ruins including Caesarea as well as magnificent new settlements and resorts, some of Israel’s most desirable.

Mount Hermon in the Golan by Flickr user miss pupik

The Central Hills lie to the east of the Coastal Plain, stretching from the northern border to the far south and the city of Eilat. The hills encompass the Galilee, the Carmel, the Negev highlands, as well as the hills around Jerusalem, and offer staggering scenery, desert in the south, and Tuscan in the north.

The Jordan Rift Valley also extends from the north of Israel to the far south, and is part of the Great African Rift Valley, a tectonic plate boundary. The River Jordan flows through the valley into two unique lakes, the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. In the north, the Golan Heights are a range of hills to the east of the valley which include Israel’s highest peak, Mount Hermon.

The Hamag Gader spring by Flickr user Kiliweb

In the south of Israel lies the Negev desert. The Negev incorporates about half of Israel’s land area, and host a geographical phenomenon, Makhteshim. These crater like landforms are unique to the Negev and Sinai deserts, with three large craters including the Ramon Crater, found in the Negev.

As Michael Kennedy once said “Israel is one of the easiest places to play ball. When I say easy I am referring to the easy lifestyle an athlete has while in Israel. It’s very easy to get around the country, because it’s so small.” It is clear that this is so beneficial for any tourist, allowing them to see so much in a short time.