Why is the Dead Sea so salty?

Bordered by Jordan to the east and by Israel and Palestine to the west, the Dead Sea is a landlocked lake rather than a true sea, and is recognized as one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth. Its name is well earned — no fish, birds or plants can survive in its high-saline environment. read more

The Dead Sea is a high-saline lake — one of many on Earth — and its extremely low elevation makes it one of the saltiest, nearly 10 times saltier than normal seawater. The Dead Sea is a high-saline lake — one of many on Earth — and its extremely low elevation makes it one of the saltiest, nearly 10 times saltier than normal seawater. read more

All this salt has contributed to the myth that people cannot drown in the Dead Sea. It's true that they can't drown in the conventional way - slipping below the surface of the water. The more salt is dissolved in water, the denser it becomes. Objects in water stop sinking when they displace a mass of water equal to their body mass. read more

Bordered by Israel and Jordan, the Dead Sea has a reputation as the saltiest sea in the world, with a salinity of around 34%, about 10 times as salty as the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. And while there are a handful of lakes and lagoons that have higher salinities, the Dead Sea is the deepest hypersaline lake – and certainly the most widely known. read more