Makhtesh Ramon in the context of "Mesa"

In geology, a dike or dyke is a sheet of rock that is formed in a fracture of a pre-existing rock body. Dikes can be either magmatic or sedimentary in origin. Magmatic dikes form when magma flows into a crack then solidifies as a sheet intrusion, either cutting across layers of rock or through a contiguous mass of rock. Clastic dikes are formed when sediment fills a pre-existing crack.

A katabatic wind (named from Ancient Greek κατάβασις (katábasis) 'descent') is a downslope wind caused by the flow of an elevated, high-density air mass into a lower-density air mass below the force of gravity. The spelling catabatic is also used. Since air density is strongly dependent on temperature, the high-density air mass is usually cooler, and the katabatic winds are relatively cool or cold.

Examples of katabatic winds include the downslope valley and mountain breezes, the piteraq winds of Greenland, the Bora in the Adriatic, the Bohemian Wind or Böhmwind in the Ore Mountains, the Santa Ana winds in southern California, the oroshi in Japan, or "the Barber" in New Zealand.

Tourism in Israel is a major economic sector and a significant source of national income. Israel offers a plethora of historical and religious sites, beach resorts, natural sites, archaeological tourism, heritage tourism, adventure tourism, and ecotourism. For practical reasons, this article also covers tourism in the West Bank and the Golan Heights, since it is closely interconnected with the mass tourism in Israel. In 2019, Israel saw a record 4.55 million tourist arrivals, with tourism contributing NIS 20 billion to the national economy in 2017.

Jerusalem is a central destination for tourists, home to sites such as the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock. The city also offers numerous cultural and historical attractions, including the Israel Museum and Yad Vashem. Tel Aviv is renowned for its lively nightlife, cultural festivals, and Mediterranean beaches, and the "White City" district, appealing to both local and international visitors. Other notable attractions include the Dead Sea, famous for its high salinity and therapeutic benefits, Haifa and its Baháʼí Gardens, and archaeological sites like Masada, Beit She'an and Caesarea. The Negev Desert offers natural tourism opportunities at locations such as Ramon Crater and Timna Valley, with activities including hiking, camel trekking, and stargazing, while Eilat's Coral Beach Nature Reserve, located in the Red Sea, attracts diving enthusiasts. The Galilee provides a variety of activities such as boating, cycling, and bird watching, alongside its religious sites. Israel has the highest number of museums per capita in the world with over 200 museums.

National parks of Israel are declared historic sites or nature reserves, which are mostly operated and maintained by the National Nature and Parks Authority. As of 2015, Israel maintains 81 national parks and more than 400 nature reserves, including in the occupied West Bank, that protect 2,500 species of indigenous wild plants, 32 species of fish, 530 species of birds and 100 species of mammals.

The parks and reserves were frequently declared around the ruins of the depopulated and subsequently demolished towns and villages of the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight; 182 historical Palestinian built up areas are located within Israel's parks and reserves. Some parks are located at archaeological sites such as Tel Megiddo, Beit She'an, Ashkelon and Kursi. Others, such as the Alexander stream, Mount Carmel National Park or Hurshat Tal focus on nature and the preservation of local flora and fauna. Several parks and nature reserves have camping options, such as tent grounds and bungalows, open to small groups and individual campers. Some of them are located in the Israeli-occupied territories of the Golan Heights and the West Bank.

Mitzpe Ramon (Hebrew: מִצְפֵּה רָמוֹן, Ramon Lookout; Arabic: متسبي رمون) is a local council in the Negev desert of southern Israel. It is situated on the northern ridge at an elevation of 860 meters (2,800 feet) overlooking the world's largest erosion cirque, known as the Makhtesh Ramon. In 2023 it had a population of 5,625.