9 Interesting Facts About the Dead Sea

Also known as the Sea of Death or Salt Sea, the Dead Sea is located between Israel and Jordan in southwestern Asia. Landlocked between the Judaea in the west and the Transjordanian plateaus in the east, the Dead Sea has the lowest elevation on land. The Dead Sea is famous in the world because it has ten times saltier water in its sea than normal ocean water. Apart from this, many more exciting facts are associated with the Dead Sea.

Let's know the most enjoyable facts about the Dead Sea.

1. Dead Sea is the lowest place in the entire world

It is situated 430 meters below sea level. The Dead Sea contains more than 37 billion tons of salt in its vast seabed, making it ten times saltier than normal ocean water. The sea gets water from the Jordan tributary, and due to its dry and hot weather, the water mostly evaporates, keeping the salt content intact. As the quantity of salt increases and remains trapped in the same seabed for a long time, this Dead Sea has slowly become the fourth saltiest water body in the world.

2. Dead Sea is home to no life form

As the name suggests, the Sea of Death, this sea is home to no life form. The high content of salinity present in the sea bed makes it completely impossible to sustain life in this sea. The clear blue water is thus not home and has only some bacteria and fungi living with it, which can sustain such extreme climatic conditions.

Dead Sea

3. Dead Sea is the Biggest Free Spa on Earth

The Dead Sea is the hub of beneficial minerals with high medicinal value to human life and is perfect for rejuvenating your body. The high mineral content in the water has healing powers and is also used to treat skin problems like acne and cellulite with a high percentage of success rate. If anyone has acute arthritis or has issues in bone or muscle, this sea can treat you with its medicinal value. Legends claim Cleopatra from the historic time also fell in love with the beneficial values of the sea and often used it in her daily routine. Thus the Dead Sea is also regarded as the 'Biggest Free Spa on Earth', where you can spend as much time as you want to.

4. Dead Sea is popular for a mud bath

There is a lot of popularity in the world about the beneficial factors of the Dead Sea mud.  You can see a lot of beautiful resorts and spa treatments arranged on the bank of the Dead Sea. It is believed that the high salt value and the mud's anti-inflammatory properties help the skin regain its lost lustre. The ideal way to experience an entire mud therapy is to get a bath in the Dead Sea, get covered in the thick mud, wait until sunset, and finally rinse it off slowly.

Mud mask in Dead Sea

5. Dead Sea sustains many natural freshwater springs

While the salinity of the sea cannot sustain any aquatic life in the dead sea, on the contrary, just the same sea is a significant contributor to several natural springs in the surrounding parameters. The Dead sea has helped form several freshwater springs, which are home to thousands of aquatic flora and fauna. Isn't it interesting that the same sea that supports no life again supports thousands of aquatic life in the form of freshwater springs? Hence it can be said that she is not a dead sea.

6. You cannot drown in the Dead Sea

One of the most impressive features of this sea is that you will naturally float in the water without getting around without any effort. The high salt content in the same makes this magic. Thousands of tourist flocks here just experienced this magical phenomenon. However, remember that you can also be drawn into the dead sea if you mistakenly intake a lot of the seawater inside your body, making it heavier and easier to drown. Also, be careful of the Western wins, which are often created by waves in the sea, making skilled swimmers even drown.

Floating on the Dead Sea

7. Dead Sea is gradually dying

A significant fact about the Dead Sea is that researchers say that the sea is gradually dying in a literal sense. It can be seen that the water level is receding at a much faster pace than usual, which might ultimately lead to the non-existence of the sea in the coming decades. During the 1930s, the sea was 410 square miles, but in the current year, it has become 234 square miles. This recession is not slowing down; instead, it is getting accelerated yearly.

8. Boats can drown in the Dead Sea

Many visitors often mistake this because a human body floats without effort in the dead sea; the same is for a boat. However, in the case of boats, it is very likely for boats to get drowned as the movement of the boats in the water is slightly tricky. If the boat is denser than the water or slightly turns upside down, it can drown. 

Dead Sea

9. The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea has also become famous in the recent decade due to the mention of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Founded in 1947 in Qumran, these scrolls are made up of 800 documents that contain religious texts on the Bible and the history of Judaism and Christianity. These scrolls are now safely preserved in the Israel Museum, but tourists flock together in the 11 caves near Qumran to see the discovery spot.

This post was published by Sreyashi Paul

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