Ghor, the

Ghor, the, Arabic Al Ghawr, region of the Jordan Valley, c.70 mi (110 km) long, between the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and the Dead Sea, on the border of Jordan and Israel and the West Bank. Entirely below sea level and bordered by steep escarpments, it is part of the Great Rift Valley complex. The Jordan River meanders 160 ft (49 m) below the surface through the Ghor. Although the Ghor's flat terraces are fertile, agricultural development is impeded by aridity. In the northern half of the valley, on the Jordanian side, is the East Ghor irrigation project. (built 1958–66). The East Ghor Canal parallels the Jordan River for 45 mi (72 km) from the Yarmuk River S to the Zarqa River. The project makes year-round cultivation possible, with wheat, vegetables, and citrus fruit the main products. The southern extension of the project was halted by the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. In the southern part of the Ghor, oasis farming is practiced; in the nonirrigated parts, sheep and goat herding predominates.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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