Dead Sea

The Dead Sea, bordered by Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank, is a salt lake lying 430 meters below sea level — the lowest point on Earth's surface. Its salinity is about 34% — nearly 10 times saltier than the ocean — making it impossible to swim normally; you simply float. No fish or macroscopic aquatic organisms can survive in it, hence the name. The Dead Sea is shrinking at an alarming rate — its surface has dropped over 40 meters since the 1950s due to the diversion of the Jordan River for irrigation. It is losing about 1 meter of surface level per year. The unique mineral-rich mud has been used for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes since Cleopatra's time.