The Dead Sea

THE DEAD SEA (between Jordan and Israel/West Bank)

Named because its high salt content--9.6 times as salty as the ocean--prevents plants and animals from flourishing, it's 31 miles long and 9 wide at its widest point. In the Jordan Rift Valley between Jordan (east) and Israel and the West Bank (west); its main tributary is the Jordan River. Ancient manuscript scrolls found nearby starting in 1947 are named for it.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

Petra

PETRA (Jordan)

Lying in a desert valley that runs to the Dead Sea, the one-time trading hub at Petra was occupied for centuries, but the most striking buildings date only to the 1st century CE, when it boasted 20,000 inhabitants. Abandoned over time, it was brought to world attention in 1812, and today is Jordan's most-visited tourist attraction.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)