What is the lowest point in the world. The most extreme places on earth. Dead Sea in numbers

While some travelers strive to climb the highest mountains, others are in search of the deepest lowlands.

Land areas with negative elevation relative to sea level exist on all continents, and each such area is truly unique. Some record-breaking lowlands were formed millions of years ago as a result of tectonic activity and are today hidden under thick ice. Other lowlands are hidden under the surface of lakes and seas, and some are even considered anomalous zones.

Of particular interest to travelers and researchers are the lowlands that are not covered by water; each of them can be safely called a unique natural attraction. There are very few completely dry lowlands on the planet, so travelers will have the opportunity to see the most beautiful rivers and lakes, and also see for yourself how high the salt concentration is in such reservoirs.



The lowest landmass on the planet is the coast Dead Sea, where guests of three popular tourist countries: Syria, Israel and Jordan. The depth of the lowland is about 413 meters; it is extremely difficult to accurately estimate this parameter. The fact is that it completely depends on weather conditions, or rather, on the level of evaporation of sea water. During the drought period, when evaporation is at its highest, the depth of the lowland can reach 413 meters, and after precipitation it can as soon as possible rise several meters.


The main feature of the unique coastline remains the salt deposits, which form incredibly beautiful natural sculptures and landscapes. It is the high level of salt in the water that attracts people to the Dead Sea coast. great amount adherents of health tourism. The lowest landmass on the planet is covered with unique salt deposits, amazing contrast which is blue-green sea water.

The main secret of the Dead Sea and its surrounding landscapes is very simple - at the bottom of the reservoir there is a huge amount of salt-bearing rocks. Because of high level evaporation of water, the amount of salt deposits on the coast is always very large, and in some places they form fancy shapes fossilized structures the likes of which cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Travelers who will visit Western or East Coast Dead Sea, will be able to see not only unique salt deposits, but also amazing beauty mountain landscapes.

Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is an endorheic lake in the Middle East (Jordan and Israel), in a tectonic depression of the mountains. Size 1050 km2, length 76 km. Located 395 m below sea level. It is here, on its coast - the most low place surface of the Earth's land, up to 421 m below sea level.

The Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. Water salinity is 260-270 ‰ (in some years up to 310 ‰). This is one of the saltiest seas in the world. There is no organic life (except for some types of bacteria).

The desert hills surrounding it on all sides, as dead as the sea itself, shine with a unique brilliance and shimmer as soon as a ray of sun touches their surface. This is caused by the fact that the surface of the rocks, like snow, is covered with shiny deposits of white salt. This high concentration of salt is what gives the water its healing qualities and density. Since the amount of salt in the Dead Sea is eight times greater than the amount of salt in the world's oceans, you can swim in it even if you don't know how to swim. Swimming in the Dead Sea is an incomparable and unforgettable experience that should not be missed.

The Arabs call this sea the Sea of ​​Lot or sometimes the Fetid Lake, because it contains minerals whose pungent odor cannot be described.

According to History, the Dead Sea has been associated with such famous names as King David, King Herod, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. There is a story about how, on the orders of Queen Cleopatra, cosmetics and medicines began to be produced here. And an Arab named Nabataeus supplied bitumen from here to Egypt, which was the main substance for the mummification of Egyptian pharaohs.

Using the Gifts of the Dead Sea

In ancient times, water and salt from the Dead Sea were supplied to Italy for the Roman masters.

Asphalt, the bituminous substance that rises to the surface of the lake, was used for many industrial and medical purposes. Factories began to appear around the lake one after another, mainly for the production of expensive cosmetics, perfumes and medicines. Thus, the Dead Sea became an economically important area, the ownership of which was fought over fiercely until Antony the Dark conquered the Dead Sea area for Cleopatra.

Today, the plants and factories concentrated on the Dead Sea coast represent the main industrial complex of the country, where for several decades potash (potassium carbonate), bromide and other chemical compounds were mined for export abroad.

But above all, the Dead Sea region is an ideal base for tourism. The distance from Amman to the Dead Sea is short, only an hour's drive, and from Amman airport even less.

Health promotion at the Dead Sea

IN last years The Dead Sea has become a center for health promotion, treatment, recreation, rehabilitation, beauty and SPA resorts. Thanks to its unique climate, which practically does not change throughout the year, numerous centers of beauty and wellness, the Dead Sea attracts everything from all over the world. more tourists, vacationers and people in need of treatment. Modern hotels and health centers are located along the entire coastline.

From the east the Dead Sea is surrounded by mountains, and from the west by the Jerusalem hills of unique beauty. Although today the area is virtually uninhabited, it was previously home to five Biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Adman, Zebuin and Zohar.

Based on materials from jordania.ru

The lowest landmass on Earth

When we talk about the highest places on the planet, we clearly imagine the peaks of the largest mountain ranges, reaching an altitude of more than 8 kilometers above sea level. But not everything is so obvious when it comes to the lowest places on Earth. What are they and how high are they located? However, many people know that these particular areas of land are located so low that even the sea level will rise above them. And only unique geographical location and geological characteristics allow these places not to be absorbed by the waters of the world's oceans. Let's take a look at some of them, the lowest on their continent.

View of the Dead Sea from space

Let's start with Dead Sea V Asia. It is also called Salty sea. It is located between Palestine, Israel and Jordan. Its shores and surface are 422 meters below sea level. This is the lowest landmass on Earth.


View of the Dead Sea from the Israeli shore towards Jordan

Followed by Lake Assal V Africa, it is located in Djibouti, Ethiopia. The lake lies 155 meters below sea level in a lowland Afar. This is the lowest landmass in Africa and the second on Earth after the Dead Sea. The water here is one of the saltiest in the world - 34.8% salt concentration, which is higher than the concentration in the Dead Sea and ten times the salinity level in the ocean.




Lake Assal

IN Antarctica there's a place called Westfold Hills, which is located at a depth of 50 meters below sea level. By the way, the deepest place on Earth not covered by liquid water is Bentley's depression V Antarctica with a depth of 2555 meters below sea level. The depression is covered with a huge layer of ice. The deepest place on Earth covered with liquid water is Mariana Trench V Pacific Ocean.


Westfold Hills

There are similar places in North America . Death Valley- a desert located in the southwestern United States. This intermountain basin is the lowest, driest, and hottest place in the Americas. The area called Badwater in Death Valley - the lowest place in the United States, 86 meters below sea level. Surprisingly, this point is only 76 miles east of Mount Whitney, the highest point at 4,422 meters. Death Valley is also considered the place where one of the highest temperatures on Earth was recorded; on July 13, 1913, in the village of Furnace Creek, the temperature rose to 56.7 degrees C. Only higher is the world record of 58 degrees, recorded in Libya on September 13 1922.


Death Valley

IN South America located Laguna del Carbon (Coal Lagoon) with a depth of 105 meters below sea level. She happens to be salt lake and is located in Argentina. This is the most low point in the Western in the Southern Hemispheres and the seventh lowest point on Earth. Let's pay tribute to the quality of the road surface in the Argentine desert...


Laguna del Carbon

Lowest point Europe - Caspian Sea. Its basin area is 371,000 km2, which is about 10 percent of the world's closed water basin area. The ancient inhabitants considered the Caspian Sea an ocean, probably due to its salinity and apparent immensity. The sea is a closed lake, and the water in it is salty, with an average salinity of 1.2%. This is the lowest place in Europe - 28 meters below sea level.


Caspian Sea

And finally, Australia. There is also such a place here - Lake Eyre is the lowest point in Australia. Its shores and islands are located 15 meters below sea level in the heart of the huge Eyre Basin.

About herself deep depression, Mariana Trench, you probably know, and TravelAsk has already talked about it. But did you know that there is a place on the planet that is almost half a kilometer below the level? Yes, Mother Earth constantly surprises us.

The deepest place on the planet

The Dead Sea is the lowest landmass on Earth. That is, in essence, a person here is on land, and the sea level “says” that he is under water.

The Dead Sea coast is 417.5 meters below sea level. It is also called the Asphalt Sea, the Sea of ​​Sodom and the Sea of ​​Salt. The reservoir is located on the border of Jordan and Israel. It is quite clear that the road around the Dead Sea is also the lowest road on Earth.

The length of the sea is 67 kilometers, and the width in its largest section is only 18 kilometers. The reservoir can boast of depth: the maximum is 306 meters, and on average 200 meters to the bottom from the surface of the water.


That is, imagine, the lowest point of the seabed of the Dead Sea is 723 meters from the level of the world's oceans!

And of course, the main feature of the Dead Sea is its salinity. This is one of the saltiest bodies of water on the planet, the salt level is 300-310%, and in some years reaches 350%.

Fact #1. No one lives in the Dead Sea because of its salinity. Or almost no one. About 70 species of oomycetes and higher fungi have been discovered here. They are not afraid of the salt level.

Fact #2. The water level in the Dead Sea drops by a meter every year. This is very scary for the reservoir and threatens environmental disaster. Thus, the volume of water here has decreased from 325 cubic kilometers to 147. Moreover, the sea is practically divided into 2 parts due to such drainage.


The main reason is the activity of factories extracting minerals here, as well as climate change.

Fact #3. Right next to Dead Sea or even in its place (according to some versions) there were the famous Sodom and Gomorrah. However, the search for ancient cities was never successful. But at the bottom of the sea, anomalies similar to the ruins of a city were recorded by satellite. And the rock salt mountains in the southwest of the reservoir are called Sodom Mountains, although the origin of the name has not been fully established.


Fact #4. Mineral levels in water of the Dead the sea is approximately 30%.

Fact #5. There is a project to transfer water from Krasny and Mediterranean Sea to Dead. The cost of constructing the canal is estimated at $4 billion.

Fact #6. It was on the shores of the Dead Sea that the biblical Lot and his daughters found refuge after the destruction of Sodom. Here you can even see the pillar of salt into which Lot’s wife turned.

Fact No. 7. In the vicinity of the Dead Sea, Qumran manuscripts were found belonging to the ancient Jewish sect of the Essenes. They date back to around the 2nd century BC. Their principles were very similar to the gospel commandments. They were found by chance by a Bedouin boy in 1947. Scientists believe that it was the teachings of the Essenes that paved the way for the perception of Christianity.

Who's in second and third place?

The second place is occupied by the coast of Lake Assal in Djibouti, it lies 155 meters below sea level. In third place is the Death Valley desert in California - this is the lowest point in both Americas, 86 meters below sea level.

From the dark depths of the ocean to some of the highest peaks on Earth, below are twenty-five of the world's vastest, tallest, deepest and tiniest places!

25. The deepest lake is Lake Baikal

This Siberian rift lake is not only the most deep lake on Earth, but it also has the largest volume and contains approximately 20 percent of the fresh water of the entire Earth's surface.

24. Most high mountain- Everest


As you may have suspected, Everest is the officially recognized most high mountain in the world. But this is only if we start our measurement at sea level...

23. The highest mountain from base to summit is Mauna Kea


Mauna Kea, a volcano on big island Hawaii is more than twice as tall as Everest, measured from the base of the mountain on the seabed to its peak.

22. The point furthest from the center of the Earth is Mount Chimborazo


Due to the Earth's bulge at the equator, the peak of Mount Everest is also not the farthest point from the center of the Earth. That honor belongs to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador.

21. The lowest point on Earth - Challenger Deep


This depression, located at a depth of almost 11 kilometers below the ocean surface, is the most... deep point already deep Mariana Trench. In fact, Everest would fit comfortably here below the surface.

20. The most high waterfall- Angel (Angel Falls)


This waterfall in Venezuela is so high that the water sometimes evaporates before it reaches the ground.

19. The driest place is the Atacama Desert


In the middle of the Chilean Atacama Desert there is a point where rain has never fallen. Scientists call this region an “absolute desert.”

18. The highest human settlement is La Rinconada


This mining town, located in Peru, is in the highest inhabited region globe. At an altitude higher than the location of La Rinconada, a person simply will not be able to adapt.

17. Highest temperature - Death Valley


With a recorded temperature of nearly 57 degrees Celsius, Death Valley in California has once again become the hottest place on Earth in recent memory.

16. The most remote inhabited place on Earth - Tristan da Cunha


This small archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, located thousands of kilometers from South Africa, and from South America, has a population of 271 people. Mail arrives here only a few times a year.

15. Most deep cave- Krubera-Voronya Cave


This cave, located in Abkhazia, is the only known cave in the world whose depth exceeds 2,000 meters.

14. The biggest difference in height is Mount Thor


Mount Thor, located in Canada, has a height of 1250 meters and despite its very remote location in the frozen tundra of the northern provinces of Canada, it is popular place for rock climbing.

13. Hottest inhabited place - Dallol, Ethiopia


The hottest permanently inhabited region in the world is in Ethiopia. Although these days Dallol has become even less populated and some even say that it has become a ghost town. However, it is also worth noting that there has not been an official census in this region for a long time, so the research is based on previously obtained data.

12. The northernmost point of land on Earth - Kaffeklubben Island


This island, belonging to Greenland, is officially considered the most northern point sushi on Earth. However, there are several slow-moving gravel bars that lie further north.

11. Lowest temperature - Vostok Station, Antarctica


-89.2°C - This temperature was recorded in East Antarctica and, apart from some new satellite measurements, is still considered the coldest land temperature in history.

10. The deepest ice - Bentley Subglacial Trench


This place is also located in Antarctica, and the depth of the local ice exceeds 2.5 kilometers. In fact, the land on which it rests is well below sea level and is the lowest point on Earth not covered by an ocean.

9. The deepest point measured from ground level - Kola superdeep well


Although it was artificially created, this Russian scientific project tried to get as deep into the earth's crust as possible. The drill reached a depth of more than 12 kilometers.

8. The deepest point made by man - TauTona Mine


This South African mine is the deepest point under the surface of the Earth that a person could fit into. Its depth is almost 4 kilometers.

7. The coldest locality- Oymyakon, Russia


Temperatures sometimes drop below zero in mid-September and remain there until May. average temperature in January it is -46 ° C. The population of the village is less than 500 people.

6. The most high road- Aucanquilcha mining road


This mining road was once used by trucks to climb this Chilean volcano to an altitude of over 6,000 meters.

5. Tallest Mountain pass- Marsimik La, India


Although volcanic Mountain road, which we saw in the previous point, is technically the highest road in the world, it is a dead end and is no longer in use. In contrast, the Marsimik La Pass, located at 5,582 meters in northern India, is often considered the highest functional road in the world.

4. The highest lake is Lake Titicaca


This lake is located on the border of Peru and Bolivia in the Andes at an altitude of 3,812 meters. There are several unnamed crater lakes around the world that may be located slightly higher.

3. The most remote island - Bouvet Island


This small uninhabited Norwegian island in the southern part Atlantic Ocean, is located between Antarctica and Tristan da Cunha (a place that, as you may remember, is itself quite remote).

2. The longest river is the Nile


Despite the difficulties in accurately calculating the sources and directions of various rivers, the Nile is generally considered to be the most long river in the world. Its length is 6,650 kilometers. In ancient times, when water still flowed from Lake Tanganyika, the Nile was 1,500 kilometers longer.

1. The farthest point from the ocean is Xinjiang, China


This region in China is Asia's pole of inaccessibility. This basically means that it is the farthest point on the continent from any ocean.

 

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