Geography of the State of Palestine
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2018) |
Geography of the State of Palestine refers to the geographic, climatic and other properties of the areas claimed by State of Palestine.
Physiographic regions
The terrain of the Gaza Strip is flat or rolling, with dunes near the coast. The highest point is Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda), at 105 m (344 ft) above sea level.
The terrain of the
Geology
The coastal plain of Gaza is composed of sand dunes and fertile sandy sediments. Except for a porous calcareous sandstone called kurkar in Arabic, there are no other rocks in this region. In contrast, the West Bank is dominated by low mountains: Mount Gerizim (881m), Nabi Samwil (890m), and Mount Scopus (826m). The rocks are principally composed of marine sediments (limestone and dolomite). The porosity of these rocks permits water to filter down to the non-porous strata, which supply water to the numerous aquifers in the region.[2]
Tectonics and seismic activity
The
The tectonic disposition of Palestine on the margin of the Dead Sea Transform has left it exposed to relatively frequent earthquakes, the most destructive of which were those of 31 BCE, 363, 749, and 1033. For a detailed list see here.
Rivers and lakes
The
The
A number of
Climate
The climate in the West Bank is mostly
Gaza has a
Climate data for Gaza | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 17 (62) |
17 (63) |
20 (69) |
26 (78) |
29 (84) |
31 (89) |
33 (91) |
33 (91) |
31 (88) |
28 (83) |
24 (75) |
19 (65) |
26 (78) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7 (45) |
7 (45) |
9 (49) |
13 (55) |
15 (60) |
18 (65) |
20 (69) |
21 (70) |
19 (66) |
17 (62) |
12 (54) |
8 (47) |
14 (57) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 76 (3.0) |
49 (1.9) |
37 (1.5) |
6 (0.2) |
3 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
14 (0.6) |
46 (1.8) |
70 (2.8) |
301 (11.9) |
Source: Weatherbase [9] |
Climate data for Jericho | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 19.0 (66.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
24.4 (75.9) |
29.5 (85.1) |
34.4 (93.9) |
37.0 (98.6) |
38.6 (101.5) |
37.9 (100.2) |
35.8 (96.4) |
32.7 (90.9) |
28.1 (82.6) |
21.4 (70.5) |
30.0 (86.0) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
12.6 (54.7) |
16.3 (61.3) |
22.4 (72.3) |
26.6 (79.9) |
30.4 (86.7) |
30.9 (87.6) |
30.4 (86.7) |
28.6 (83.5) |
25.8 (78.4) |
22.8 (73.0) |
16.9 (62.4) |
22.9 (73.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) |
5.9 (42.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
13.6 (56.5) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.2 (68.4) |
21.9 (71.4) |
21.1 (70.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
17.6 (63.7) |
16.6 (61.9) |
11.6 (52.9) |
15.1 (59.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 59 (2.3) |
44 (1.7) |
20 (0.8) |
4 (0.2) |
1 (0.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.0) |
2 (0.1) |
3 (0.1) |
5 (0.2) |
65 (2.6) |
204 (8.0) |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
77 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 57 | 52 | 56 | 54 | 74 | 61 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 189.1 | 186.5 | 244.9 | 288.0 | 362.7 | 393.0 | 418.5 | 396.8 | 336.0 | 294.5 | 249.0 | 207.7 | 3,566.7 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 6.1 | 6.6 | 7.9 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 13.1 | 13.5 | 12.8 | 11.2 | 9.5 | 8.3 | 6.7 | 9.8 |
Source: Arab Meteorology Book[10] |
Climate data for Jerusalem (1881–2007) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 23.4 (74.1) |
25.3 (77.5) |
27.6 (81.7) |
35.3 (95.5) |
37.2 (99.0) |
36.8 (98.2) |
40.6 (105.1) |
44.4 (111.9) |
37.8 (100.0) |
33.8 (92.8) |
29.4 (84.9) |
26.0 (78.8) |
44.4 (111.9) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 11.8 (53.2) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.4 (59.7) |
21.5 (70.7) |
25.3 (77.5) |
27.6 (81.7) |
29.0 (84.2) |
29.4 (84.9) |
28.2 (82.8) |
24.7 (76.5) |
18.8 (65.8) |
14.0 (57.2) |
21.5 (70.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.1 (48.4) |
9.5 (49.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
17.1 (62.8) |
20.5 (68.9) |
22.7 (72.9) |
24.2 (75.6) |
24.5 (76.1) |
23.4 (74.1) |
20.7 (69.3) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.2 (52.2) |
17.5 (63.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.4 (43.5) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.4 (47.1) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.7 (60.3) |
17.8 (64.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.5 (67.1) |
18.6 (65.5) |
16.6 (61.9) |
12.3 (54.1) |
8.4 (47.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
Record low °C (°F) | −6.7 (19.9) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
0.8 (33.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
11.0 (51.8) |
14.6 (58.3) |
15.5 (59.9) |
13.2 (55.8) |
9.8 (49.6) |
1.8 (35.2) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 133.2 (5.24) |
118.3 (4.66) |
92.7 (3.65) |
24.5 (0.96) |
3.2 (0.13) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.3 (0.01) |
15.4 (0.61) |
60.8 (2.39) |
105.7 (4.16) |
554.1 (21.81) |
Average rainy days | 12.9 | 11.7 | 9.6 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 3.6 | 7.3 | 10.9 | 62.0 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
61 | 59 | 52 | 39 | 35 | 37 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 42 | 48 | 56 | 46 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 192.2 | 243.6 | 226.3 | 267.0 | 331.7 | 381.0 | 384.4 | 365.8 | 309.0 | 275.9 | 228.0 | 192.2 | 3,397.1 |
Source 1: Israel Meteorological Service[11][12] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Hong Kong Observatory for data of sunshine hours[13] |
Natural resources
Natural resources of Palestine include mud extracts from the Dead Sea,[14] such as magnesium, potash and bromine. However, these resources are monopolised by Israeli settlements; the Palestinian policy network Al-Shabaka reported in 2015 that the added value access to these natural resources could have delivered to the economy was $918 million per annum.[15]
Environment
Palestine has a number of environmental issues; issues facing the Gaza Strip include
See also
- Tourism in Palestine
References
- ^ A house demolished, three others threatened in the town of Halhul - 24,March,2007 Archived 2007-05-27 at the Wayback Machine, POICA. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
- ISBN 978-9950-319-01-1.
- .
- ^ "Home Project 23". foeme.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- ISBN 978-9004137561.
- ^ "Water Resources of Palestine". Fanack. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
- ^ "Gaza". Global Security. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
- ^ "Monthly Averages for Gaza, Gaza Strip". MSN Weather. Archived from the original on 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
- ^ "Weatherbase: Climate Information for Gaza". Weatherbase.
- ^ "Appendix I: Meteorological Data" (PDF). Springer. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- ^ "Long Term Climate Information for Israel". June 2011. Archived from the original on 2010-09-14.
- ^ "Record Data in Israel".
- ^ "Climatological Information for Jerusalem, Israel". Hong Kong Observatory. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-01-03.
- Al Haq. 3 September 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
By granting substantial financial benefits to the settlers, as well as by licensing Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories Ltd., 44.5 per cent of whose shares are owned by the settlements of 'Mitzpe Shalem' and 'Kalia,' to mine and manufacture products that utilise the mud extracted from the occupied Dead Sea area, Israel is openly in violation of its obligations as an Occupying Power in the OPT. It is encouraging and facilitating the exploitation of Palestinian natural resources and actively assisting their pillaging by private actors.
- ^ "Area C and the Future of the Palestinian Economy" (PDF). World Bank. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
The Dead Sea abounds in valuable minerals, principally large deposits of potash and bromine. Israel and Jordan together derive some USD 4.2 billion in annual sales of these products, and account for 6 percent of the world's supply of potash and fully 73 percent of global bromine output. Demand for both these products is projected to remain strong, with the Dead Sea a cheap and easily exploited source. There is no reason to suppose that Palestinian investors along with prospective international partners would not be able to reap the benefits of this market, provided they were able to access the resource. Taking as a benchmark the average value added by these industries to the Jordanian and the Israeli economies, the Palestinian economy could derive up to USD 918 million per annum –equal to 9 percent of 2011 GDP, almost equivalent to the size of the entire Palestinian manufacturing sector
- ^ http://www.alhaq.org/publications/Water-For-One-People-Only.pdf[bare URL PDF]