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Arabah
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The Arabah (HaArava; , ) is a section of the Great Rift Valley lying between the Dead Sea to the north and the Gulf of Aqaba to the south. It forms part of the border between Israel to the west and Jordan to the east.
The Arabah is 166 km (103 miles) long from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern shore of the Dead Sea.
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Encyclopedia
The Arabah (HaArava; , ) is a section of the Great Rift Valley lying between the Dead Sea to the north and the Gulf of Aqaba to the south. It forms part of the border between Israel to the west and Jordan to the east.
The Arabah is 166 km (103 miles) long 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 for 77 km (48 miles), reaching a height of 230 m (755 ft) above sea level. From this height at the Dead Sea and Red Sea watershed divide, the land gradually slopes down to a point 15 km south of the Dead Sea. From there, the Arabah drops sharply to meet the Dead Sea, which at 417 m (1373 ft) below sea level is the lowest point on earth.
The Arabah is very hot and dry, and consequently only lightly populated. The Jordanian administrive district of Wadi Araba is reported to have a population of 6775. There are 5 major tribes that make up 8 settlements on theJordanian side. These tribes are: Al-S'eediyeen , Al-Ihewat (????????), Al-Ammareen (????????), Al-Rashaideh (????????), and Al-Azazmeh (????????), as well as smaller tribes that include Al-Oseifat (????????), Al-Rawajfeh (????????), Al-Manaja'h (????????), and Al-Marzaqa (???????), among others. The main economic activity for the Arabah residents revolves around herding sheep, agriculture, handicrafts, and the Arab Jordanian Army.
There are a few kibbutzim on the Israeli side. The oldest kibbutz in the Arava is Yotvata, founded in 1957. Yotvata was named for an ancient town in the Arava that is mentioned once in the Bible. Kibbutz Lotan, which is one of Israel's newest kibbutzim, has a bird-watching center.
In Biblical times the area was a center of copper production; King Solomon apparently had mines here. The Arabah was home to the Edomites (Edom was called "Idumea" in Roman times). East of the Arabah was the domain of the Nabateans, the builders of the fabulous city of Petra.
The Arabah is very scenic; there are colorful cliffs and sharp-topped mountains. Israel's Timna Valley Park is notable for its prehistoric rock carvings, some of the oldest copper mines in the world, and a convoluted cliff called King Solomon's pillars. On the Jordanian side is the famous Wadi Rum, which is famous among rock climbers, hikers, campers, and lovers of the outdoors.
Wadi Feynan Eco-Lodge, opened in Feynan, Jordan in 2005 by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), is a candle-lit-Eco-lodge situated deep in the Arabah's remote landscape.
The governments of Jordan and Israel are promoting development of the region. There is a plan to bring water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea through a canal (Red–Dead Seas Canal) that passes through the Arabah. This project was an issue of dispute between Jordan and Israel, and it was finally agreed that the project shall commence by the Jordanian side. The Israel–Jordan Peace Treaty was signed here on October 26, 1994.
Jordanian localities
Below is a list of Jordanian population clusters in Wadi Araba:
- Ghour Fifa
- Greigra
- Feynan
- Bi'r Mathkour
- Um Mathla
- Abu Khusheibeh
- Al-Reesheh
- Gharandal
- Rahmeh
- Taba
- Qatar
- Al-Deeseh
- Al-Sultani
- Aqaba
Israeli localities
Below is a list of Israeli localities in the Arava, from north to south.
See also
External links
- : Integrating Investigations of the Cultural Landscape of Wadi Araba since 1996. For Publications, see http://wadiaraba.tripod.com/waarpubs.htm
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