Jordan River

Also known as River Jordan, Jordan

river in West Asia which flows to the Dead Sea

AI overview

The Jordan River is a river in West Asia that flows to the Dead Sea, making it a significant waterway in the region. It matters because it serves as a major water source for the countries and communities in the area, and it has held religious and historical importance for thousands of years.

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Wikidata facts

Elevation: -416
Image: Aerial jordan.jpg
Length: 252

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Commons category: Jordan River
watershed area: 18000
native label: نهر الشريعة

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Article

The Jordan River or River Jordan (Arabic: نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, Nahr al-ʾUrdunn; Hebrew: נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, Nəhar hayYardēn), also known as Nahr Al-Sharieat (Arabic: نهر الشريعة), is a 251-kilometre-long (156 mi) endorheic river in the Levant that flows roughly north to south through the Sea of Galilee and drains to the Dead Sea. The river passes by or through Jordan, Syria, Israel, and Palestine.

Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights border the river to the east, while Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank lie to its west. Both Jordan and the West Bank derive their names in relation to the river. The river holds major significance in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. According to the Bible, the Israelites crossed it into the Promised Land and Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist in it. Some of the companions of Muhammad are thought to have been buried along its banks.