The Jordan River flows southward from Syria, across Israel, and into the Dead Sea at a depth of 1,312 feet (400 meters) below sea level. Christians, Jews, and Muslims deeply respect the river. It has special meaning for Christians because Jesus was baptized in its waters by Saint John the Baptist. Since 1948, the river has served as part of the border between Israel and Jordan.

Physical features

The Jordan River starts on the slopes of Mount Hermon in Lebanon and southern Syria. It flows through a deep trench with plateaus (high flat areas) on both sides. It crosses the Hula Valley, the Sea of Galilee, and plains farther south.

In the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River drops to 686 feet (209 meters) below sea level. The river then receives its main tributary, the Yarmuk River. This river marks part of the border between Syria and Jordan. Two other tributaries also flow into the Jordan River, the Harod on the right bank and Yabis on the left.

The actual distance between the beginning of the Jordan River and its end at the Dead Sea is less than 124 miles (200 kilometers). Because the river winds a lot, however, its length is more than 223 miles (360 kilometers).

Economy

Since little rain falls into the deep Jordan River valley, irrigation is needed for farming along the river. At the same time, there are thermal springs with naturally hot waters around the region. These make the Jordan River high in salt and mineral content. Because of this, the river waters once could not be used for irrigation. Dams and canals were built to solve the problem. These caused a steady water supply that helped to remove the poisonous salts from the soil.

Other projects have helped the economy as well. The Ghawr region used to have no plant life, and no people lived there. Now, the Ghawr irrigation canal on the East Bank has made it possible to grow oranges, bananas, vegetables, and sugar beets. The canal is 43 miles (69 kilometers) long. It was completed in 1967.