Physical Geography
The ancient city of Jaffa dates back to at least the 15th century BC (the late Bronze Age) in recorded history. Its location was superb for its size and economic activity. The southern third of the coast of present-day Israel is relatively smooth despite a small peninsula, which is the strategic location of Jaffa. The peninsula forms a natural harbor which provided enough shelter for ships to dock. Despite its mostly sandy character, Jaffa was established on a sandstone hill and surrounded by lands that flooded and were sufficient for citrus production.
| 1 | Old Jaffa |
| 2 | Sand Dunes |
| 3 | Sand-Stone Ridges |
| 4 | Flooding Area |
| 5 | Railway |
| 6 | Main Road |
| 7 | River |
| 8 | Wadi |
| 9 | Municipal Boundary |
| 10 | Neighborhood |
Map of Physical Features, 1908, and Key
However, most of the coast of Israel near Tel Aviv was a system of sand dunes and ridges, with ground water deposits below. The location of the first settlement of Tel Aviv (Ahuzat Bayit) was chosen not for its physical features, but for its proximity to Jaffa. The ridges that surrounded the original establishment made it equivalent to a valley, such that the climate was hot and dry, cut off from the cool sea breezes.
On the north side of present-day Tel Aviv is the western-flowing Yarqon River, fed by natural spring water. The river valley is between .6 and 1.2 miles wide and approximately 12 feet deep. The Yarqon feeds the Ayalon River, a smaller stream that flows south and practically forms the border of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
The current topography has been only somewhat disturbed by urban development in Tel Aviv. Much of the ground water was drained in the first half of the century to simplify construction. Also, the volume of water flowing through both rivers has been reduced.