Dead Sea competing to become a natural wonder of the world

A top finalist in the new Wonders of the World contest, Israel’s Dead Sea is one of 28 places in the world that is vying to be named one of the 'Seven Natural Wonders of the World.'

As the lowest point in the world, the Dead Sea had to beat 440 other sites from 220 countries to reach the final shortlist.

The Seven Natural Wonders of the World competition began in July 2009, and will end later on this year on November 11.

Over one billion people are expected to vote by the end of the competition, and it is estimated that the winning seven finalists will need to secure 300-400 million votes.

It is hoped that the publicity of the Dead Sea in the competition will promote tourism to the region and raise public awareness around the world of the problems facing the sea, which has lost about one meter in height every year for the past 30 years.

The competition is meant as a global reminder of unique sites that are slowly disappearing. The competitions slogan is “If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it."

With the huge environmental threat that has come with the Dead Sea mineral extractions, and the human exploitation of the Jordan River feed waters, a win for the Dead Sea is a must.

Earlier in the competition, the Israeli cabinet agreed to an extra $2.5 million to promote the Dead Sea’s candidacy.

The Dead Sea is currently ranked number seven on the list. However, everyday, new votes are being submitted, and the rankings can easily change.

Lets cross our fingers, and make sure to vote for the Dead Sea as one of the seven natural wonders of the world!

To vote, follow the instructions from this link.