Negev facts for kids

The Zin Valley in the Negev desert.

The Negev (also called Naqab) is a large desert area in the southern part of Israel. It covers about 60% of Israel's land! Even though it's so big, only about 10% of the people living in Israel make their home there.

The Negev shares borders with Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the west. To the east, it meets the Arabah, which is part of the Great Rift Valley. Its northern border stretches from Gaza city to Ein Gedi, a place near the Dead Sea.

Ancient Trade Routes

The Negev is home to a special place recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. This site is called the Negev Incense Route. It was an important trade path used long ago, during the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire.

This route connected Arabia (where valuable incense came from) to the Mediterranean Sea. Along this path, ancient towns, strong forts, and places for travelers to rest (called caravanserais) grew. People also developed farming methods in this desert area because of the trade. UNESCO recognized this route in 2005 for its amazing historical value.

Images for kids

• 

  Nahal Paran, a riverbed in the Negev.

• 

  Beautiful spring flowers blooming in the Negev.

• 

  One of the Acacia trees that grow in the high parts of the Negev.

• 

  A statue standing in the Negev desert.

• 

  Old archaeological ruins found in the Negev.

• 

  A map from 1871 showing the Negev. The red lines show today's borders.

• 

  A map from 1918 that showed how the Negev might be part of Palestine or Egypt.

• 

  Rahat, the largest Bedouin city in the Negev.

• 

  Blueprint Negev mobile homes in 2009.

• 

  Solar troughs used to capture energy from the sun in the Negev.

• 

  The campus of Midreshet Ben Gurion.

See also

In Spanish: Néguev para niños