Israel is roughly the size of New Jersey, yet it contains an astonishing variety of landscapes packed into a small area. On May 14, 1948, it declared independence. The Negev Desert covers the southern half of the country, with rocky canyons and sand dunes that look like they belong on another planet. In the north, the Galilee region has green hills, forests, and freshwater lakes. The Jordan Rift Valley runs along the eastern border, creating a dramatic drop in elevation. At the bottom of this valley sits the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth's surface at roughly 430 meters below sea level. The Dead Sea is so salty -- nearly ten times saltier than the ocean -- that no fish can live in it. Swimmers float on the surface without trying. Israel's Mediterranean coast on the west has sandy beaches and a mild climate. The capital, Jerusalem, sits on a ridge in the central highlands at about 800 meters above sea level. Within this small country, a person can drive from a snowy mountaintop to a scorching desert floor in less than four hours. Farmers have found creative ways to grow crops even in the desert, using drip irrigation to deliver water directly to plant roots with almost no waste.