Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Dead Sea is technically a hypersaline terminal lake, but it is called a "sea" because of its extreme salinity (~34%)—nearly 10 times saltier than the ocean. This makes the water remarkably dense (1.24 kg/L) and buoyant; humans float effortlessly, unable to sink. The name reflects its sea-like chemical character and historical perception as a "sea of salt" (Yam HaMelach in Hebrew). It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, bordered by Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank, at Earth's lowest land elevation (-430 m).