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Geological Formations

Makhtesh

Erosional and Karst Formations

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A makhtesh, plural makhteshim, is a distinctive geological landform found mainly in the Negev desert of Israel and the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It has steep walls of resistant rock enclosing a deep, closed valley that is typically drained by a single wadi, with the valley floor holding limited vegetation and soil alongside a variety of differently colored rocks and diverse plant and animal life. The largest and best known example is Makhtesh Ramon.

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