We learned the Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and the Palestinian Territories to the west. Its surface and shores are earth's lowest elevation on land. With 34.2% salinity, it is one of the world's saltiest bodies of water. It is 9.6 times as salty as the ocean. This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish, hence its name. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and its main tributary is the Jordan River.