The Rift Valley drops sharply between the central highlands in the west and the trans-Jordanian plateau in the west. The valley begins at Dan, in northern Galilee, and extends southward past the Dead Sea as far as Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. In fact, this valley is part of the same geological rift that extends down into East Africa.

The northernmost part of the Rift Valley is called the Huleh Basin. Here, in Upper Galilee, the headwaters of the Jordan River descend from Mt. Hermon and flow south toward the Sea of Galilee. Just above the Sea of Galilee the hard volcanic basalt of these highlands form a natural dam, and the valley narrows to little more than the width of the Jordan River itself. Just above this narrowing there was, until recently, a small lake called lake Huleh (or Lake Semechonitis). Unfortunately, the lake has dried up due to the increasing population in Lebanon and its heavy water demands.

At the upper end of Lower Galilee the Rift Valley widens again to form the basin around the Sea of Galilee. This basin enjoys a relatively moist, Mediterranean climate. The combination of good fishing in the sea and the fertility of the narrow plains at its edge have made this part of the valley a desirable location since early antiquity.

Quick Links

Recent blog posts

Tags in Tags

Blogs