Israel: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Israel

Israel is a narrow country in Western Asia on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It has green hills in the north, the Negev Desert in the south and reaches the Red Sea at its southern tip. It is known for its ancient sites, the very salty Dead Sea and its modern farming and technology.

About Jerusalem

Jerusalem sits on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains, about 750 metres above sea level, and is one of the world's oldest cities. Its walled Old City is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Fun facts about Israel

1. The shores of the Dead Sea are the lowest land on Earth, more than 430 metres below sea level.
2. The Dead Sea is about nine times saltier than the ocean, so people float on it easily.
3. Hebrew was revived as an everyday spoken language in the late 1800s and early 1900s, after centuries of mostly written use.
4. Modern drip irrigation, which gives plants water drop by drop, was invented in Israel in the 1960s.
5. Hundreds of millions of birds migrate over Israel each year, and many stop to rest in the Hula Valley.
6. Makhtesh Ramon, a giant erosion crater in the Negev Desert, is about 40 km long.