History and Culture

Yafo is one of the oldest ports in the world, which has a history of at least 4,000 years. In the 19th century, Yafo’s population increased from 2,500 in 1806 to 17,000 in 1886. The city was unable to accommodate newly-increased population and thus the city wall was torn down in 1870, and a larger new city was built outside the original one.

Natural Environment

Tel Aviv is located around 32°5′N 34°48′E on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline, in central Israel, the historic land bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa. Immediately north of Yafo, the landform of Tel Aviv gradually changes into sand dunes and as a result soil fertility is relatively poor. Tel Aviv is located on the plain, generally flat in terrain with no important gradients. Therefore, its most notable geographical features are the Mediterranean coastline and the bluffs at the Yarkon River mouth. Today, because of the expansion of Tel Aviv and the Gush Dan region, absolute borders between Tel Aviv and Yafo and between the city's neighborhoods do not exist. The city is located 60 kilometers northwest of Jerusalem and 90 kilometers south of Haifa, a Israel's northern port city.

Climate Change

Tel Aviv experiences a typical mediterranean climate. Tel Aviv is a city with higher humidity in Israel, and receives more rain from October to April of the next year, but less in summer. Its temperature is rarely below 5°C in winer, generally between 10°C and 15°C, and the average temperature in summer is 26°C, but it can reach 35°C in the daytime during the hot days. The annual average precipitation is about 530mm. (20.9 inches) Tel Aviv averagely has over 300 sunny days each year. Spring and autumn are short and climate changes very rapidly. Many people think that the best period of Tel Aviv is April, because at that time, it has bright sunshine, suitable temperature, lower humidity and blossoming flowers.