Israel Red Sea Climate & Environment

Israel is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Lebanon and Syria to the north, Jordan to the east and Egypt to the south. The area of Israel and the Palestinian Territories comprises 20,770 sq km in Israel and 6220 sq km in Gaza and the West Bank. The population totals 6.1 million in Israel and 3.5 million in Gaza and the West Bank.

Israel's main geographic feature is the Rift Valley, which starts in Turkey and runs through Israel, continuing all the way down into Africa. Israel is a fairly dry country with the river Jordan as the only main river. The Dead Sea, which lies between Israel and Jordan, is the saltiest body of water in the world and also the lowest place in the world.

Due to the joining of 3 different geographical zones, Israel enjoys a wealth of wildlife. It's in the wet and mountainous North where the agriculture is maintained. Here you will find forest and streams filled with otters. The south of the country is desert with wild tulips, irises and date palms. Israel is the second biggest flyway for migratory birds, with species from all over the world converging here.

Israel has over 300 national parks taking up a fifth of the country. The Israelis are notorious for turning the desert into a garden, as well as having reintroduced a number of species which have become locally extinct since Biblical times. For information on national parks and environmental issues, contact the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) - Hashsela 4, Tel-Aviv 66103. Phone: ++972 3 537 4425




Every country has its own delicate eco-system. So be responsible while you are appreciating the beauty. If you are in the desert, the rule is v Pack it in, Pack it out. If you are in a protected park, stick to the trail. Wandering away can cause unforeseen damage to the delicate plant and animal life. Be conscious of things like water consumption, proper waste disposal, and turning off air-conditioning units when away from your room. Water is a precious commodity in the desert regions.

In the Red Sea, do not feed the fish, do not collect or remove any material either living or dead, and do not touch the coral reef with any part of your body including your fins! Thanks to a growing number of dedicated environmental agencies, there is a greater knowledge of Reef Protection awareness. For example, boats can no longer anchor to the coral.