Page 7 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

Israel today
(https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/land/pages/the%20land-
%20geography%20and%20climate.aspx)

The total area of the State of Israel is 8,630 sq. miles (22,145 sq.km.),
of which 8,367 sq. miles (21,671 sq. km.) is land area. Israel is some
470 km. (290 miles) in length and about 85 miles (135 km.) across at
the widest point. The country is bordered by Lebanon to the north,
Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the southwest and
the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

Mountains and plains, fertile land, and desert are often minutes apart.
The width of the country, from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to
the Dead Sea in the east, can be crossed by car in about 90 minutes;
and the trip from Metulla, in the far North, to Eilat at the country's
southern tip takes about nine hours.

Geographical Features
Israel may be divided into four geographical regions: three
parallel strips running north to south and a large, mostly arid,
zone in the southern half.

The coastal plain runs parallel to the Mediterranean Sea
and is composed of a sandy shoreline, bordered by stretches of
fertile farmland extending up to 25 miles (40 km.) inland.

In the North, expanses of sandy beach are occasionally punctuated by
jagged chalk and sandstone cliffs. The coastal plain is home to more than half of Israel's 7 million people
and includes major urban centers, deep-water harbors, most of the country's industry, and a large part
of its agriculture and tourist facilities.

Several mountain ranges run the length of the
country. In the northeast, the basalt landscapes of
the Golan Heights, formed by volcanic eruptions in the
distant past, rise as steep cliffs overlooking the Hula
Valley.

The hills of Galilee, largely composed of soft limestone
and dolomite, ascend to heights ranging from 1,600 to
4,000 feet (500 to 1,200 m.) above sea level. Small perennial
streams and relatively ample rainfall keep the area green all year
Mount Hermon (Photo: S. Lederhendler) round. Many residents of Galilee and the Golan are engaged in
agriculture, tourism-related enterprises, and light industry.

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