Jericho is considered the oldest city in the world because it has been continuously inhabited for over 11,000 years, with evidence of early settlements, agriculture, and monumental architecture.
It is also the lowest continuously inhabited city on Earth, sitting 258 meters (846 feet) below sea level.
Jericho, located in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank, Palestine, is renowned not only for its extreme low elevation but also as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with settlements dating back over 11,000 years (to around 9000 BCE).
Its position in the Jordan Rift Valley, part of the Great Rift Valley system, explains its remarkable depth below sea level, formed by tectonic activity that created deep depressions in the region.
Elevation: Approximately -258 meters (846 feet) below sea level.
Location: Lies in an oasis in Wadi Qelt, near the Jordan River, with the Dead Sea basin further south, which is the lowest natural point on Earth at 428 meters below sea level.
Climate: Jericho has a hot desert climate, with extremely high temperatures in summer due to its low elevation and surrounding arid environment.
According to UNESCO archives, Jericho’s fertile land and natural springs have supported human habitation for millennia, making it a key agricultural hub and a crossroads for trade routes connecting Africa, Asia, and Arabia.
Archaeological sites like Tell es-Sultan have been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, highlighting Jericho’s role as the oldest fortified city in the world.
