Israel, Mediterranean country in Middle East.
Israel is a state in the eastern Mediterranean in Western Asia that extends from the coastline through central highland regions to the Negev Desert. The territory reaches from the Lebanese border in the north to the Red Sea in the south and covers roughly 8500 square miles (22,000 square kilometers).
After centuries of changing control under different empires, the British Mandate ended on May 14, 1948, when David Ben-Gurion declared independence. The newly formed state immediately defended its borders in the War of Independence against neighboring forces.
Religious traditions shape daily life and on holidays like Yom Kippur all public transport stops completely, while Muslim and Christian communities observe their own festivals throughout the year. The Sabbath brings a noticeable calm from Friday evening to Saturday evening in many neighborhoods, shops close and streets empty noticeably.
Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv offers international connections, while the rail network runs from Nahariya in the north to Beersheba in the south. Buses connect remote areas and supplement rail lines between larger cities with regular services.
The Ramon Crater is the largest erosion crater in the world at 25 miles (40 kilometers) long and 1640 feet (500 meters) deep and exposes rock formations from different geological epochs. The layers show millions of years of Earth history and offer insights into the geological development of the region.
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