Wadi Araba

Arabah is 166 kilometres (103 miles) in length, from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern shore of the Dead Sea. Topographically, the region is divided into three sections. From the Gulf of Aqaba northward, the land gradually rises over a distance of 77 kilometres (48 miles) and reaches a height of 230 metres (750 feet) above sea level, which represents the watershed divide between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. From this crest, the land slopes gently northward over the next 74 kilometres (46 miles) to a point 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) south of the Dead Sea. In the last section, the Arabah drops steeply to the Dead Sea, which is 417 metres (1,368 feet) below sea level. The Arabah is scenic with colorful cliffs and sharp-topped mountains, while the southern Arabah is hot and dry and virtually without rain.