Reporting

The Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, is dying

Audio 01:16

The Dead Sea, a natural jewel shared by Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians, has lost a third of its area in just fifty years.

© Sophie Guignon/RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Highly prized by tourists from all over the world for its health benefits, the Dead Sea is one of the most visited natural sites in the Middle East.

Located more than 400 meters below sea level, this body of water is the lowest point on the planet.

Its waters are also the saltiest in the world, so much so that no fish or algae can live there, hence its name.

But today, the Dead Sea is dying due to overexploitation of water resources and global warming. 

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with our regional correspondent

,

Sophie Guignon

The Dead Sea, a natural jewel shared by Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians, has lost a third of its area in just fifty years.

In question, the overexploitation of the waters of the Jordan for agriculture and global warming.

 The level of the Dead Sea continues to drop, because the quantity of water which flows into it is less than that which evaporates,

analyzes Hazim El-Nasr, former Minister of Water, in charge of the protection of the site on the Jordanian side. 

For the past ten years, it has been observed that it also rains less in Jordan as in the whole region.

According to projections, the Dead Sea will soon be nothing more than a small lake. 

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A real challenge

The Dead Sea is receding a meter every year and it could disappear by the end of the century.

This is a real challenge for tourism, which represents 20% of Jordan's gross domestic product.

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At the head of the Kempinski hotel, Ismail Al Aghawani must adapt.

“ 

Very regularly, we have to build a new beach so that customers can go into the water.

The future is very dark, we don't know what will happen to us.

One of the most beautiful places in the world is disappearing.

 » 

To save these turquoise waters, a cross-border project was to fill the Dead Sea with the waters of the Red Sea, further south.

It is currently at a standstill. 


With an approximate area of ​​810 km2, the Dead Sea is fed by the Jordan River.

While the average salinity of seawater is 2-4%, that of the Dead Sea is approximately 27.5% (or 275 grams per liter).

Rich in minerals, the waters of the Dead Sea are reputed to cure psoriasis (curable thanks to the salt and minerals of the water and the particularly hot sun in this region) and rheumatism.

On December 9, 2013, an agreement was signed between Palestine, Jordan and Israel to “save” the Dead Sea.

It involves building a pipeline from the Red Sea as well as a desalination plant to perfuse the partly dried up stretch of water.

The goal of the “peace channel” was to replenish the Dead Sea within 30 years.

A highly publicized declaration of intent with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan was signed in 2013. Today, the project has literally run out of steam.

Amman finally decided to give it up.

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  • Environment

  • Climate change

  • Israel

  • Palestinian territories

  • Jordan