- Hebrew:
- Ha-sharon
Plain of Sharon
-
What is the Plain of Sharon?
The Plain of Sharon is a densely settled section of Israel's Mediterranean coastal plain. Roughly triangular, it extends 55 miles from Mount Carmel to the Yarqon River at Tel AvivâYafo, bounded by the Carmel range and Samaria's hills. This plain is part of the ancient Via Maris route and has been inhabited since ancient times. By the late 19th century, it was sparsely populated with endemic malaria due to swamps formed by streams and wadis. Modern settlement began in 1890 with the Zionist movement, with citrus fruit orchards planted in the red sandy soil. By the 1930s, it was the most densely settled area of Jewish Palestine and a core area for a proposed Jewish state.
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Where is the Plain of Sharon located in Israel?
The Plain of Sharon is a section of the Mediterranean coastal plain, and the most densely settled of Israelâs natural regions. It is roughly triangular, extending about 55 miles (89 km) north-to-south from the beach at Mount Carmel to the Yarqon River at Tel AvivâYafo. The plain is bounded on the east by the Carmel range and by the hill country of Samaria.
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What are the main physical features of the Plain of Sharon?
The Plain of Sharon is a densely settled section of Israel's Mediterranean coastal plain. This roughly triangular area stretches about 55 miles (89 km) from Mount Carmel's beach in the north to the Yarqon River at Tel AvivâYafo in the south. It is bordered to the east by the Carmel range and the Samarian hills. The Plain of Sharon features a coastline without major indentations and is marked by common sand dunes. The Yarqon River marks the boundary between the Plain of Sharon and the coastal lowlands to the south.
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What kinds of plants and animals are found on the Plain of Sharon?
The Plain of Sharon in Israel was once covered in dense forests until the 19th century. Today, the natural vegetation is highly varied with over 2,800 plant species identified in Israel. Only wild desert scrub grows on the sand dunes of the coastal plain. Citrus groves, subtropical fruit orchards, and food crops flourish where irrigation is available.
Animal life is also diverse, including mammals such as wildcats, wild boars, gazelles, and jackals. Reptiles include geckos, lizards, and vipers. Over 400 species of birds have been identified in the region, and there are many kinds of fish and insects.
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How has the Plain of Sharon been used by people throughout history?
The Plain of Sharon, a densely settled section of Israel's Mediterranean coastal plain, has been inhabited since ancient times due to its location on the Via Maris, an ancient route from Egypt to the Fertile Crescent.
Throughout history, the Plain of Sharon has served various purposes:
* Chalcolithic Period (4th millennium BCE) â Evidenced by house-urn burials found near H̱adera.
* Mentioned in inscriptions â Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III (reigned 1504â1450 BCE) and in the list of cities conquered by Joshua.
* Main land invasion route â Palestine from the south, including Napoleon (1799) and the British under General Edmund Allenby (1917â18).
* Modern settlement â Part of the Zionist movement to resettle the agricultural lands of Palestine, with the first settlement in H̱adera (1890). The red sandy soils were suited for citrus fruits, with the first orchard planted in H̱adera in 1894.
* Core area of proposed Jewish state â Recognized by Great Britain (1937, 1938) and the United Nations (1947).
* Industrialization and urbanization â Since Israeli independence (1948). Tourism is important, with ancient ruins of Caesarea and Dor.2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What challenges and environmental issues does the Plain of Sharon face today?
The Plain of Sharon in Israel, a densely settled section of the Mediterranean coastal plain, faces environmental challenges today. By the end of the 19th century, the dense forests that had grown there from antiquity had disappeared. Numerous small streams and wadis in the area formed swamps in the winter rainy season, and malaria was endemic. Modern settlement was undertaken as part of the Zionist movement to resettle the agricultural lands of Palestine.
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Plain of Sharon, section of the Mediterranean coastal plain, and the most densely settled of Israelâs natural regions. It is roughly triangular in shape and extends about 55 miles (89 km) north-to-south from the beach at Mount Carmel to the Yarqon River at Tel AvivâYafo. The plain is bounded on the east by the Carmel range and by the hill country of Samaria. The Sharonâs coast, like that of most of Israel, has no major indentations; sand dunes are common. The plainâs name occurs several times in the Old Testament. Dense forests grew on the plain from antiquity through the 18th century.
As a key section of the Via Maris, the ancient route from Egypt to the Fertile Crescent (the relatively well-watered lands arcing northeastward around the Syrian Desert, from Palestine on the west to the Tigris-Euphrates valley on the east), the Plain of Sharon has been inhabited since remote antiquity. Caves with house-urn burials dating to the Chalcolithic Period (4th millennium bce) in Palestine have been found near the city of H̱adera. The plain is mentioned in inscriptions of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III (reigned 1504â1450 bce). It is also found in the list of cities and kings conquered by Joshua (Joshua 12:18). Although the Sharon is mentioned only once in the New Testament (Acts 9:35), it is frequently referred to in rabbinic literature, often with allusions to its fertility. The plain has been the main land invasion route of Palestine from the south throughout the ages, down to Napoleon (1799), and the British under General Edmund Allenby (1917â18).
By the end of the 19th century, the forests had disappeared, and the plain was sparsely populated by Bedouin and village Arabs. Because of the low relief, the numerous small streams and wadis in the area formed swamps in the winter rainy season; malaria was endemic. Modern settlement of the Plain of Sharon was undertaken as part of the Zionist movement to resettle the agricultural lands of Palestine. The first settlement (1890) was at H̱adera. The red sandy soils (hamra) of the Sharon were particularly suited for citrus fruits; the first orchard was planted at H̱adera in 1894. With the acquisition of further tracts of land, new settlements were set up, and the acreage under citrus and mixed crops, especially truck crops, increased considerably. About a third of the agricultural area is now devoted to citrus farming; the rest mostly to fodder, cotton, and vegetables. Viticulture is practiced in the north, while poultry raising has become a specialty in the south. Vineyards cover the Tanninim River valley.
By the early 1930s, the Sharon had become the most densely settled area of Jewish Palestine. This was recognized by the plans for partition of the country drawn up by Great Britain (1937, 1938) and the United Nations (1947), each of which envisaged the Plain of Sharon as the core area of any proposed Jewish state. Since Israeli independence (1948), the pace of industrialization and urbanization has quickened. The chief cities of the plain are Netanya, Herzliyya, H̱adera, and Kefar Sava. Tourism is important throughout; the ancient ruins of Caesarea and Dor are of special interest.
Many writers on biblical geography, as well as some modern Israeli experts, consider the Plain of Sharon proper to extend only as far north as the Tanninim River. This streamlet enters the Mediterranean about 18 miles (29 km) south of the Carmel promontory. These authorities sometimes call the narrow northern extension of the plain, between the Tanninim River and Mount Carmel, the Plain of ÊżAtlit, or the Plain of Dor.