Sea of Galilee | |
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Coordinates | 32°50′N 35°35′E / 32.833°N 35.583°E |
Lake type | Monomictic |
Primary inflows | Upper Jordan River and local runoff[1] |
Primary outflows | Lower Jordan River, evaporation |
Catchment area | 2,730 km2 (1,050 sq mi)[2] |
Basin countries | Israel, Syria, Lebanon |
Max. length | 21 km (13 mi) |
Max. width | 13 km (8.1 mi) |
Surface area | 166 km2 (64 sq mi) |
Average depth | 25.6 m (84 ft) (varying) |
Max. depth | 43 m (141 ft) (varying) |
Water volume | 4 km3 (0.96 cu mi) |
Residence time | 5 years |
Shore length1 | 53 km (33 mi) |
Surface elevation | −214.66 m (704.3 ft) (varying) |
Settlements | Tiberias (Israel) |
References | [1][2] |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
The Sea of Galilee (Hebrew: יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, Arabic: بحيرة طبريا), also called Lake Tiberias or Kinneret, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea, a salt lake),[3] at levels between 215 and 209 metres (705 and 686 ft) below sea level.[4] It is approximately 53 km (33 mi) in circumference, about 21 km (13 mi) long, and 13 km (8.1 mi) wide. Its area is 166.7 km2 (64.4 sq mi) at its fullest, and its maximum depth is approximately 43 metres (141 ft).[5] The lake is fed partly by underground springs, but its main source is the Jordan River, which flows through it from north to south and exits the lake at the Degania Dam.