The Jordan River is the only major inlet and there are no outlet streams or rivers. The area receives barely a few inches of rain every year and due to the high evaporation rate, the Dead Sea is slowly shrinking.

Towards the southern end of the sea, the waters have drained and have now become salt flats. A project is underway to transport water from the Red Sea using a series of tunnels to replenish the decreasing waters in the Dead Sea.

The high salt and mineral concentration found in the waters is the main attraction for people visiting the Dead Sea, and it's especially beautiful if you have just visited some of the other inland areas. There are some wonderful views to be had and many natural wonders including the unusual salt formations. There are several other sights not too far away which are worth visiting.

Mount Nebo: is just a 15 minute drive from the Dead Sea. The mountain overlooks the sea and has good views across the Holy Land and the Jordan River valley. This is where Moses supposedly saw the Promised Land as described in the Bible. Standing atop the mountain are the excavated remains of a basilica and a monument that commemorates the story of Moses and the bronze serpent.

The easiest way to reach it is by cable car, but the more adventurous might want to try the Roman ramp or ‘Snake Path’. Inside the fortress is the beautiful Herod's palace complex with bath houses and Roman-style mosaics.

Qumran: is the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947 by a shepherd. More than 900 pieces of scrolls were found in over 30 caves and they believed to be the oldest copies of the books of the Hebrew Bible. The scrolls were written around 250 BC in Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek. They can now be seen at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.