On the landThis means that within continents the lowest point relative to sea level is at the bottom of the water. Dead Seaa salt lake in the Middle East, at an altitude of -733 meters above sea level. However, if we look at the earth's surface as a whole, we will see this deepest point ever measuredThat is, the one who is at the lowest altitude is in the depths of the ocean, in the famous The Mariana Trenchin the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Despite its name, the Dead Sea is not actually a sea; lake Savory of elongated shape, located between the Jordan, Israel and that Palestinein the eastern regions of the Mediterranean.
This large pool takes up the area deepest pool in the world: The Dead Sea actually belongs to the northern part of a vast system of East tectonic, i.e. linear depressions that are created by the movements of the earth's crust. The origin of this lake is therefore due to a lowering of part of the surface of our planet caused by geological phenomena, and both the east and west shores correspond to the edges of this huge fault system in which the lake is included. .
The surface and shores of the Dead Sea are at an altitude of -427 meters above sea level. In other words: without the surrounding reliefs it would be 427 meters below sea level. No other point on the earth's surface that is not covered by a body of water is so deep.
The maximum depth of the lake is 306 metersand if we add them to the initial height of 427 meters below sea level, we get a total depth of -733 above sea level, one of the greatest depths ever reached by a lake, but in any case exceeded by the greatest lake depths in the World which Lake Baikalwhich, however, is higher (and therefore the record for the lowest point on earth remains at the Dead Sea).
With a length of 76 kilometersa width of 17 (at the widest point) and a total area of 980 km2The Dead Sea is also known extreme salinitywhich prevents the development of most life forms: the salinity of its waters is ten times higher than that of the oceans.