8 Interesting Facts About the Sea of Galilee

The Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Tiberias or the Kinneret, has become an attraction for Christian pilgrims. It was here that Jesus walked on water, and along this lake, he spread the gospel through the miraculous healing of sickness and disease.

Geographical Points of Interest

• The Sea of Galilee is located in northeast Israel in the Jordan Rift Valley and is primarily fed by the Jordan River.
• It is rather larger, at 13 miles (21 kilometers) long and 7 miles (11 kilometers) wide.
• The surface area of the Sea of Galilee is 64 miles squared (166 kilometers squared).
• The volume of the Sea of Galilee is 0.96 cubic miles ( 4 cubic kilometers).
• The level of water is about 141 feet (43 meters) deep.

Interesting Facts About the Sea of Galilee

1. The Sea of Galilee is not actually a sea but rather a lake.
2. It is the second-lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea) and is the lowest freshwater lake, sitting at 209 meters below sea level.
3. It is the largest supply of fresh drinking water to Israel.
4. Another name for the Sea of Galilee is the Kinneret due to its violin-like shape. "Kinneret" means "violin" in Hebrew.
5. It is sometimes referred to as the Sea of Gennesaret, which actually refers to a plain to its western side.
6. Millions of tourists visit the lake annually.
7. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, in which he declares, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," occurred in Capernaum. This is a region to the north of the Sea.
8. The Sea of Galilee may be at risk of drying up due to a lack of rainfall; however, it is closely monitored.