terravelJordan · Asia
Jordan Valley
What is Jordan Valley, and where is it?
The Jordan Valley is a narrow rift corridor in western Asia where the Jordan River descends from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, Earth's lowest body of water. This 105-kilometer trough forms part of a vast geological structure extending 155 kilometers farther south through the Arabah to Aqaba and Eilat.
A Rift Valley Carved Through Continental Crust
The Jordan Valley traces a dramatic geological boundary. The valley floor begins at 212 meters below sea level near the Sea of Galilee and descends further to below 400 meters below sea level at the Dead Sea, making it the lowest elevation valley on Earth. Steep escarpments rise 1,200 to 1,700 meters on both the eastern and western sides, creating walls that dwarf the river channel itself. The valley averages 10 kilometers wide, narrowing to just 4 kilometers in places before widening to 20 kilometers as it approaches the Dead Sea delta.
The Jordan River itself meanders through this trough for 220 kilometers despite the valley measuring only 105 kilometers as the crow flies. South of the Dead Sea, the same rift structure continues as the Arabah, a hot, dry desert wilderness that extends another 155 kilometers to the Gulf of Aqaba. This continuous geological feature makes the Jordan Valley and its southern extension one of Earth's most coherent valley systems, all formed by the same tectonic processes that split the landscape.
Agricultural Heartland in a Desert Rift
The lower valley, known locally as the Ghor, possesses year-round warmth, fertile soils, and reliable water supply from the Jordan River—conditions that transformed it into a key agricultural region. Before the 1967 Six-Day War, the Jordanian side supported approximately 60,000 people engaged primarily in agriculture and pastoralism. After population declines following the 1967 war and subsequent conflicts, Jordanian government investment allowed the population to rebound to over 85,000 by 1979. Today, 80 percent of farms on the Jordanian side are family operations no larger than 3 hectares.
The West Bank portion of the valley experienced different demographic changes. According to Palestinian sources, approximately 250,000 Palestinians lived in the valley before 1967. By 2009, that number had declined to approximately 58,000, concentrated mainly in Jericho and surrounding communities in the southern valley. The valley's agricultural potential, combined with its strategic location and water resources, has made it central to competing territorial claims and development plans for over a century.
A Critical Corridor for Animal and Human Movement
The Jordan Valley forms part of the Levantine corridor, a major route for migration between Africa and Eurasia. Genetic studies indicate that during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, this corridor was more significant for human migration between Africa and Eurasia than the Horn of Africa route. The valley's geography—a continuous passage through otherwise difficult terrain—made it a natural pathway for early human populations moving between continents.
Today, the valley remains essential for bird migration. An estimated 500 million birds belonging to 200 species traverse the region twice yearly via the Eastern Route, traveling between African wintering grounds and Asian and European breeding territories. The northern Jordan Valley contains two Important Bird Areas recognized by BirdLife International, separated only by the political boundary of the Jordan River. Species using these areas include black francolins, marbled teals, storks, egrets, Egyptian vultures, and Dead Sea sparrows.
Ottoman Control and the Sykes-Picot Division
From 1486 until 1918, the Jordan Valley remained under Ottoman Empire control as part of Ottoman Syria. The valley's administrative boundaries shifted throughout this period, with the Jordan River sometimes marking provincial borders and sometimes not. Late 19th-century surveys documented that the valley's population consisted almost entirely of Arab tribes, with small exceptions including Armenian hermits on the Mount of Temptation and Greek monks at Mar Saba. Fellahin from surrounding hills came seasonally to cultivate land for local landowners.
The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 divided Ottoman Levantine territory between French and British spheres. Under this agreement, the entire Jordan Valley fell within the British sphere of control. In February 1918, British forces captured Jericho as part of the wider Sinai and Palestine Campaign. The Desert Mounted Corps subsequently positioned forces in the valley to protect the eastern flank of British operations, using this position to launch the Battle of Megiddo, which led to the capture of Amman and Damascus and the collapse of Ottoman armies in the Levant.
Partition, War, and Water Disputes
Following World War I, the 1921 Cairo Conference established the Emirate of Transjordan east of the Jordan River under Abdullah bin Hussein, while the area west of the river became Mandatory Palestine under British administration. This agreement split the valley, which had been administered as a single unit under Ottoman rule, into two distinct entities. The Jordan River became the border between these territories, and the concept of east and west banks as separate political units took hold. In 1926, a hydroelectric power plant was constructed at Naharayim, at the confluence of the Yarmouk and Jordan Rivers, becoming a major electricity source for both the British Mandate and Emirate of Transjordan until its destruction in 1948.
Water management became a source of regional tension. The 1953-1955 Johnston Plan attempted unified water development across the valley, approved by technical committees of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, though rejected by the Arab League. Israel's National Water Carrier, completed in 1964, and Jordan's East Ghor Main Canal, completed in stages between 1961 and 1966, both diverted significant water from the Jordan River. The combined effect dramatically reduced flow through the valley—from 1.3 billion cubic meters annually to 20-30 million cubic meters by 2010. Israel's destruction of the Arab League-approved Headwater Diversion Plan in April 1967 contributed to tensions leading to the Six-Day War.
Jordan Valley at a glance
Questions about Jordan Valley
How deep is the Jordan Valley below sea level?
The valley floor begins at 212 meters below sea level near the Sea of Galilee and descends to below 400 meters below sea level at the Dead Sea, making it the lowest elevation valley on Earth. Escarpments on both sides rise 1,200 to 1,700 meters above the valley floor.
What countries border the Jordan Valley?
The valley forms a border between Jordan to the east and Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the west. The 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty establishes an administrative boundary between Jordan and the West Bank without prejudice to the territory's status.
How many birds migrate through the Jordan Valley annually?
Approximately 500 million birds belonging to 200 species traverse the region twice yearly via the Eastern Route, traveling between African wintering grounds and Asian and European breeding territories in spring and autumn.
What happened to the Jordan River's water flow after the 1960s?
Israel's National Water Carrier (completed 1964) and Jordan's East Ghor Main Canal (completed 1961-1966) diverted significant water from the river. Flow into the Dead Sea dropped from 1.3 billion cubic meters annually to 20-30 million cubic meters by 2010.
What was the Naharayim power plant?
Built in 1926 at the confluence of the Yarmouk and Jordan Rivers, this hydroelectric facility was a major electricity source for the British Mandate and Emirate of Transjordan. It operated until its destruction during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Sources and further reading
This article was written from the reference material below, retrieved and reviewed for source alignment on September 13, 2026. Use official local sources for changing access or travel information.
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Test yourself
Which valley in western Asia contains a river that flows from a freshwater sea to the world's lowest body of water?
The Jordan Valley is home to the Jordan River, which flows from the Sea of Galilee (freshwater) to the Dead Sea (the lowest point on Earth's surface at approximately 1,410 feet below sea level), a geological feature unique among the wrong options.
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