"Makhtesh Ramon . . . is a geological feature of Israel's Negev desert. Located at the peak of Mount Negev, some 85km south of the city of Beersheba, the landform is not actually an impact crater from a meteor nor a volcanic crater formed by a volcanic eruption, but rather is the world's largest makhtesh [see the GEOLOGY section of the Wikipedia article for a detailed description]. The crater is 40 km long, 2-10km wide and 500 meters deep, and is in the shape of an elongated heart. The only settlement in the area is the small town of Mitzpe Ramon . . . located on the northern edge of the crater. Today the crater and surrounding area forms Israel's largest national park, the Ramon Nature Reserve." Wikipedia |
