Boat on the Dead sea, Jordan

The Dead Sea, a landlocked body of water measuring 47 by 9 miles (75 by 15 km), is the lowest point on the planet, at 1,337.8 feet (408 m) below sea level. It greenish color is streaked with white because of its high salt content—nine times greater than the average found in the oceans. Besides common salt (sodium chloride), the waters of the Dead Sea are extremely rich in potash salts, making Jordan the world’s eighth-biggest producer. No animal or vegetable life can survive in this part of the valley. Since 1972, the Dead Sea has lost 20 percent of its surface area: its waters, and those of the Jordan, which feeds it, have been diverted to irrigate the Negev Desert. Moreover, excessive use of ground water has led to a severe drop in the water table and deterioration in ground-water quality as a result of salt-water contamination. In the steppes of Syria and Jordan, the salinity of ground water has increased by several grams per liter, threatening many plant and animal species.