Dead Sea. Description of geography. Ecological problems, medicinal properties and other features

The Dead Sea is a mysterious and interesting creation of nature. It is named so, probably because for a long time it was considered completely lifeless. Nevertheless, despite a slightly frightening name, this pond has a curative effect. Below is a description of the Dead Sea by geography, briefly it will be told about its main features. And also will be considered ecological problems, curative properties of the lake and what it attracts tourists.

Short description of the Dead Sea

This sea is actually a lake, since it has no outlet to the ocean. Nevertheless, apparently, it is traditionally marked on the maps as the sea. In any case, the description of the Dead Sea should be started from its geographical location. The lake is located in the Middle East in the border region between Jordan, Israel and Palestine. It is located at the very depth of the Jordan hollow.

One of the most salty lakes in the world is the Dead Sea. The description can not be continued without mentioning this its main feature - the large content of sodium chloride dissolved in water. Salinity of lake water is about three hundred ppm (for example, in the Mediterranean Sea, this figure is about 40). Because of the high salt content, the reservoir is practically lifeless, only a few dozens of simple organisms survive in its water (fungi, bacteria).

The lowest on the planet is the Dead Sea. The description of it is impossible without mentioning the relative altitude - minus 0.43 km above the level of the World Ocean. The coast and the surroundings of the lake are located in a deep hollow.

The lake is relatively large - 67 x 18 kilometers with a maximum depth of 0.306 km. The absence of natural runoff and, as a consequence, huge mineralization lead to increased density of water - it is simply impossible to drown in the lake! On this you can finish the description of the Dead Sea by geography and move to anthropogenic impact on it.

Ecological problems of the lake

As a result of human activity, the Dead Sea is threatened with extinction. The description of environmental problems and their control are impossible without taking into account certain features of the lake. The Dead Sea feeds on the Jordan, as well as several small streams. Despite the fact that it does not have drains, the lake is rapidly melting (currently the water level drops to about 1 meter per year). The reason for this is that over the past forty years the inflow of water into the lake has decreased more than tenfold. This is due to the increasing anthropogenic pressure on the Jordan, the waters of which are intensively used both in agriculture and for industrial purposes.

Another serious ecological problem of the lake is the active extraction of minerals in the area of the reservoir. In the seventies of the last century due to shallowing the sea was divided into two unequal parts - the northern and southern. In the southern part, factories are actively working, a whole system of pools for salt evaporation has been built. All this strongly violates the natural circulation of lake waters and can lead to an ecological catastrophe. Over the past decades, pollution of the lake has greatly increased by sewage and household garbage.

Dead Sea rescue projects

As a result of the drop in sea level and the active extraction of artesian waters in the vicinity of the Dead Sea, there are gaps, the depth of which reaches 25 meters. At present, there are already more than 1,2 thousand failures, during the formation of which 3 people died.

At present, the governments of Israel and Jordan are discussing projects to save the perishing Dead Sea by moving water from the Red or the Mediterranean. Because of the huge cost, the projects under discussion have not yet entered the implementation phase.

The object of tourism

One of the most visited places in Israel and Jordan is the Dead Sea. Its description is attractive for those wishing to relax in nature. This is a special microclimate, and the healing properties of highly mineralized waters and mud of the reservoir. Since the terrain is replete with salt hills, at the moment there are only ten public beaches around the reservoir. Lake Hotels annually host numerous tourists from the CIS, Europe and the New World.

The climatic conditions around the lake are very mild, because it is in a natural depression (the lowest place on Earth), rising vapors of water and salt dust soften the effect of solar radiation, which allows you to sunbathe in the sun for a long time without burning, and the presence of a huge reservoir nearby reduces temperature fluctuations .

Lake water, as already noted above, is one of the densest on the planet (in order to achieve such a concentration of salt, for example in a bath, you need to dissolve in it from 30 to 50 kilograms of salt!). This allows vacationers to relax freely and relax on the water; Even people who do not know how to swim can feel at ease on its surface.

Healing properties of the lake

Lake water has a pronounced cosmetic effect. Stay in it improves metabolic processes in the skin. In addition to the increased content of chlorides and bromides, a large number of sulfur compounds enter the lake from near-bottom thermal sources, which increases its cosmetic value. Even more useful properties are healing mud of the Dead Sea, rich in various trace elements.

On the seashore there are numerous sanatoriums in which therapeutic and preventive measures are carried out in diseases of the respiratory system, infertility, skin diseases, disorders of the nervous system and metabolism.

sights

In addition to the lake itself, there are several natural and religious sites in the vicinity, the most famous of which are the Mujib reserve, which has more than a hundred species of birds and more than 400 plant species, and the cave of Lot, a biblical character who hid in it after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah .