Geography and Environment

Geography and Environment of West Bank

Terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, and environmental conditions of West Bank.

Terrain: mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Climate: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Weather Patterns: http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/WEXX0001?template=TRVLH&par=1003114983&unit=0&key=5b85ae1d85877a1b34827fba743e2133
Highest Point: 1022 — Tall Asur 1,022 m
Lowest Point: -408 — Dead Sea -408 m

Natural Resources: Arable land, limestone, olive groves, and stone deposits represent the primary natural resources of the West Bank. Agricultural land, though limited in extent and increasingly constrained by political and administrative pressures, remains central to the local economy. Olive cultivation in particular holds deep cultural and economic significance, with tens of thousands of acres devoted to olive orchards. The territory also contains modest mineral resources, including limestone and dimension stone quarried for construction purposes. Groundwater aquifers shared with Israel constitute a critical and heavily contested resource, with access and extraction rights a persistent source of tension. Fertile valleys, such as the Jordan Valley, offer productive agricultural potential, though much of this land remains subject to movement and access restrictions that limit its full economic use.
Natural Hazards: droughts

Current Environmental Issues: adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Detailed geography