Did you know that the Dead Sea is technically a lake? A lake is a body of water that is surrounded by land. The Dead Sea is surrounded by Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. A lake can be made up of salt water or fresh water. The Dead Sea is famous for being one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. Water enters the Dead Sea through local rivers and streams, but there is no outlet for it to drain out. The water evaporates quickly, which results in a high salt content. In fact, it is so high that people can float effortlessly when in the Dead Sea. While it is dangerous to ingest the water due to the dissolved mineral salts, it is a natural health spa for your skin. The salt is what gave this lake its name. Almost no life can survive in the water due to the salinity. The Dead Sea is also famous for its low elevation. The surface of the Dead Sea is about 400 meters below sea level.