# Other Cities below Sea Level? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 7, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459 "2005-09-07T02:19:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/1 "2005-09-07T02:19:37Z")
Just curious: Besides New Orleans, Amsterdam, and Atlantis (wink, wink)…what other cities around the world are below sea level? For extra credit, what other places (besides Death Valley and the Dead Sea) are below sea level? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/2 "2005-09-07T02:27:08Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > For extra credit, what other places (besides Death Valley and the Dead Sea) are below sea level? - Jinx Australia’s lowest point, at Lake Eyre in South Australia, is 15m below sea level. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/3 "2005-09-07T02:31:30Z")
There are the Dead Sea and the Caspian Sea, at least… ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/4 "2005-09-07T02:39:30Z")
El Centro, California is below sea level. [Here](http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/i-008c_ca.html) is a site which shows pictures of the area along I-8 (Many pop ups) [Here](http://www.inshealth.org/Tour_ElCentro.htm) is another site on the area. I think I’ve seen signs along this area which shows area of Imperial County, CA at -100 feet below sea level. I’ve only been able to confirm that parts of El Centro are -50 feet below sea level. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/5 "2005-09-07T02:48:59Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > There are the Dead Sea and the Caspian Sea, at least… I don’t mean to doubt you, but perhaps there is a cite to confirm that the Capsian Sea is below sea level? What about the Aral Sea? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/6 "2005-09-07T02:50:59Z")
I believe the Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland is below sea level. Parts of Los Angeles close to the port are below sea level. I think some places in the Wilmington area are below sea level. Wilmington (“Usual Suspects”), CA not Delaware. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/7 "2005-09-07T03:03:55Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > I don’t mean to doubt you, but perhaps there is a cite to confirm that the Capsian Sea is below sea level? What about the Aral Sea? > **[Caspian Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Sea)** > > The Caspian Sea, Mazandaran Sea, Hyrcania Sea or Khazar Sea\[a\] is the world's largest inland body of water, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia, south of the fertile plains of Southern Russia in Eastern Europe, and north of the mountainous Iranian Plateau of Western Asia. It covers 371,000 km2 (143,000 sq mi) (excluding the highly saline lagoon of ... The surface of the Caspian Sea is about 28 m below sea level, the Aral Sea currently about 30 m above. There are several areas below sea level in North Africa, and in South America there are a couple on the Valdez Peninsula in Argentina. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/8 "2005-09-07T03:12:28Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I think I’ve seen signs along this area which shows area of Imperial County, CA at -100 feet below sea level. I’ve only been able to confirm that parts of El Centro are -50 feet below sea level. The south end of the Imperial Valley at the Salton Sea is c. 225 feet below sea level. > **[Salton Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea)** > > The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked, highly-saline body of water in Riverside and Imperial counties at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies on the San Andreas Fault within the Salton Trough that stretches to the Gulf of California in Mexico. Over millions of years, the Colorado River has flowed into the Imperial Valley and deposited alluvium (soil), creating fertile farmland, building up the terrain, and constantly moving its main course and river delta. For thousands ... ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/9 "2005-09-07T04:40:06Z")
Rumors have it that Atlantis is below sea level. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/10 "2005-09-07T08:16:49Z")
> [@kniz](#): > > Rumors have it that Atlantis is below sea level. 😛 someone didn’t read the OP properly - naughty 😃 here is a list of the lowest points on each continent [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001763.html](http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001763.html) ---
**Author:** ![Eurograff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Eurograff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eurograff)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/11 "2005-09-07T09:16:23Z")
Dead Sea shore is the lowest place on Earth surface at some 400 metres below sea level. Lowest city is, apparently, Jericho which is about 250 to 260 m below sea level. It’s not a very big city with about 15 000 people, but is probably the oldest continuously inhabited city-like place on world. Second lowest area on Earth, and lowest in mainland Asia, is Turfan depression of Sinkiang area in western China. The shore of its central lake is about 155 metres below sea level. Biggest city of Turpan area is the old settlement of Turfan with about 50 000 inhabitants. [Wiki knows more](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turfan_Depression) about it. Caspian Sea area is of course the largest of these below sea level areas, especially in the north of the sea which is mainly part of Kazakhstan and has several important cities. I don’t have a good map at hand right now so I can’t say whether Astrakhan of Russia, with population of half a million, is below or above sea level. However the capital of Azerbaidzan, Baku, lies in the shoreline, and its population is 2 or 3 million, making it probably the biggest city under sea. Though I’m sure that parts of the outer city are more than 28 metres over Caspian Sea surface. Someone else may be more knowledgeable about how many people in total live in the Caspian depression. I’d say it’s comparable to Netherlands, where almost 10 million people live below sea, even though the lowest point of the country is only -7 m. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/12 "2005-09-07T14:55:59Z")
A good portion of the Netherlands is below sea level, hence the huge project back in mumblemumble to create dams to protect it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/13 "2005-09-07T15:09:46Z")
I just asked this a couple of days ago: > **[Land below sea level](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=332994)** > > Where could such catastrophc flooding occur elsewhere? This might be a significant problem if, as has been asserted, global warming has much to do with weather systems recently, and rising sdea levels. We’ve discussed the Netherlands recently on... ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/14 "2005-09-07T17:48:41Z")
> [@scm1001](#): > > someone didn’t read the OP properly - naughty 😃 :o [sup] **Thanks for pointing that out.** [/sup] ---
**Author:** ![squeekster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@squeekster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeekster)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/15 "2005-09-07T18:14:18Z")
[Dumb question alert] How can a **sea** , such as the Caspian Sea or the Dead Sea be below **sea** level? [/Dumb question alert] ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/16 "2005-09-07T18:27:33Z")
Because “sea level” is a defined term agreed to by surveyors and geographers. The Caspian Sea and Dead Sea are more like lakes on land that has subsided below sea level. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/17 "2005-09-07T18:33:47Z")
> [@squeekster](#): > > [Dumb question alert] > > How can a **sea** , such as the Caspian Sea or the Dead Sea be below **sea** level? > > [/Dumb question alert] Because they are inland seas. They are below the general level of the oceans worldwide (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian), which is what “sea level” refers to. Most such areas are in arid areas in which rainfall within the basin cannot keep pace with evaporation. If rainfall exceeded precipitation, the basin would fill up to a level at which an outflow stream would be able to find an outlet and flow to the sea. The bottoms of a number of freshwater lakes are below sea level, and if the surrounding area became arid the lake would evaporate in part or entirely exposing land below sea level. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_days](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@Future\_days](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_days)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/18 "2005-09-07T18:38:18Z")
**No offense guys but the question was any other cities not any lakes etc.** And the Caspian Sea is a massive lake (biggest in the world), it is not connected to the oceans, that’s how it can be below sea level. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/19 "2005-09-07T18:38:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Because they are inland seas. They are below the general level of the oceans worldwide (Atlantic, Pacific, Indian), which is what “sea level” refers to. So, are there any seas that are above ‘sea level’? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459/20 "2005-09-07T18:44:21Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > So, are there any seas that are above ‘sea level’? The Aral Sea, for one. “Sea” is sometimes applied to large saltwater lakes, as in the case of the Dead Sea, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea. An odd exception is the Sea of Galilee, which although below sea level is fresh because it has an outlet to the Dead Sea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-cities-below-sea-level/320459.md?page=2)