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How does the Great Rift Valley run through Israel?
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The Great Rift Valley is one of Israel's four primary geographic regions, forming a long, continuous fissure that runs the entire length of the country from north to south.1
The rift enters Israel from the north and follows a path marked by several distinct features:
- Northern Segment: The Jordan River flows southward through the rift, beginning at Dan, passing through the Hula Valley, and entering the Sea of Galilee.1
- Central Segment: The rift continues south through the Jordan Valley along the eastern edge of the West Bank until it reaches the Dead Sea, which sits at the lowest point on Earth's land surface.1
- Southern Segment: South of the Dead Sea, the rift forms the Arava Valley, an arid plain that extends southward to the Red Sea port of Eilat.1
This geological feature serves as a significant boundary, with the mountains of Galilee terminating in an escarpment that overlooks the valley.1