Arava

Arava (Hebrew: Arabah) is a desert region in the southern Levant, forming the eastern arm of the Jordan Rift Valley. It stretches roughly north–south from the Dead Sea region to the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba), lying along the border areas of Israel and Jordan. The valley is bounded by the Negev Desert to the west and the Jordanian plateau to the east. The climate is hot desert with very low rainfall, intense summer heat, and mild winters.

Historically, the Arava has been a corridor for trade and movement, used since antiquity along routes linking the Levant with the Arabian Peninsula. In the modern era, the Israeli portion hosts a number of kibbutzim and moshavim and the coastal city of Eilat at its southern tip; Jordanian communities lie to the east. The region has been developed for agriculture through irrigation technologies and greenhouse farming, producing vegetables, fruits and flowers for domestic and export markets. It also hosts solar energy projects and serves as a transportation corridor with road and rail links connecting Eilat to central Israel and the national rail network.

Ecology and protected areas: the area supports desert-adapted ecosystems, with distinctive plant and animal life, and contains parts of protected areas and nature reserves. The Arava’s geography and climate have shaped its settlement patterns, economy, and tourism, contributing to its role as a transitional zone between Israel, Jordan, and the broader Red Sea region.